Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-12-20
STARVING TO DEATH.
suherings of the Farmers In the Drought
Stricken Portions of Nebraska-Need
Food, Fuel and Clothing.

sunerinEs of the Farmers In the Drought
Stricken Portions of Nebraska-Need
Food, Fuel and Clothing.
Omaha, Neb., Dec. ia stan cor
respondent for a local newspaper sends
to day a dispatch from North Platte
relating the story of the desitution ex.
isting there. Speaking of most Of the
farmers in that county, he says:
"How they live Is a mystery to me.
OF course, the provident ones have q
calf or pig to live of of, and these also
have little flour laid by, but how
many provident ones can there be I'm q
country where two successive seasons
have come and gone with absolute
failure of crops? Some expect to live
on provisions sent by the old folks
back East; few have something put
away, but more yet are facing actual
starvation. Even If they are saved from
that this winter, their hands will have
to be held up next spring, for they will
not only be unable to purchase seed
with which to do the years planting,
but their horses, picking bare exist
ence on the hills at present, will be in
capable Of field work when that labor
becomes necessary. These animals
should have substantial feed during
the winter months, or there will be
teams as well as seed TO buy in the
spring. At present these animals have
been turned out to pick up their win
ter's food from the scant grasses Of the
hills.
'Mlss Mary Hosford, the county sup
erintendent of schools, has Just return
ed from trip covering a good share
of the school districts within her
charge. She said: "A great many
people have left the county. Probably
one-half of the renters or the holders of
improved claims have moved away.
None Of the holders of property have
left. They manage to hold on some
how, supported by means which are
certainly not visible. In some cases
the husbands or sons have left to seek
work elsewhere. The stock is scattered
all over the country picking up nv-
ing wherever 1t can find one. Tho
horses may live till spring, but they
will certainly not be in position to
work then. The farmers need food,
clothing and fuel Immediately and
they should also have proper food for
their stock. In the spring seed will
have to be furnished or no crop will
be put in. 1t is a mystery how some
of them who have not applied for aid
manage TO exist. Those who have cows
get a little milk and once In . while
sacrifice a pig or calf
''They tell me that in good weather
like the present they can get along
well enough, but after January they
fear for the worst. OF course nearly
every farmer, especially the Americans
or those who have come from other
states, has been aided with clothing
and sometimes with food from friends
or relatives left behind. The county
board, too, has offered such aid as its
resources permitted, and the people Of
North Platte have been more than kind.
Substantial relief in the form of food,
fodder, fuel and seed will have to be
generally distributed between this and
next spring, however, to prevent gen.
eral desdtution."
The Rev. d. 2. Foulk, Lutheran pas.
tor at North Platte, has been appointed
by Governor Crounse, relief agent fol-
that county, but has received no sup
plies as yet. The correspondent has
been in the best part of the county.
Only in the irrigation districts is there
any degree Of comfort.