The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-31
IN BITTER DISTRESS.
Reports Of the KeeneSt Suffering
in Nebraska.
People Are Without Food and
Proper Protection.
TWELVE ARE FROZEN.
More Sure to Perish fromHunger
and Cold.

DESvER, Col, Dec. 81 Dispatches
from Western Nebraska received here
tell Of the restitution and distress
prevailing among the inhabita nts Of
the drOuth-stricken districts. A dis
patch from Hastings says: Terrible
restitution exists IN Perkins, Chase,
Dundy, Lincoln. Hayes, Hitchcock
and Frontier counties and the worst
Of the feature is the people in several
local. ties are afflicted with scurvy for
want of wholesome food The state
relief committees find themselves I'M
able to relieve all the people IN dis
distress, so great are the demands for
aid. The railroad men report that
since the cold snap no less than a
dozen people have persisted in the
above counties in the past two days
for want of food and fuel Hundreds
of families are without coal, and in
the border counties, where no trees
or brush exists, the poor people had a
hard time to keep from freezing to
death
I'm Perkins county the destitution
is complete Over GOO families are
appealing for help. Near Lisbon the
wife and two children of Settler
Burns died for want of proper nour-
ishment and clothing to cover them
In Hitchcock county the wife Of one
OF the settlers gave birth to twins
during the storm, and before the
neighbOrs could reach her home the
poor woman expired from want Of
sufficient food and attention. The
twins are still living and in charge Of
charita BILE neig h bOrs-
Coal Is most needed in the drought
district and Mr. Ludden of the state
relief commission and General Man
ager Heldredge Of the burlington
and Missouri river are doing every
thing in their power to forward sup
plies to the more destitute localities
Very few of the farmers in the bOr-
der counties have any stock left, hav-
ing let their cattle and horses roam
at large. Stock IS being driven out of
the state to prevent starvation. Corn
planted in eight or ten Of the western
counties never reached height OF
over six inches and contains no more
nourishment than sage brush PeO-
pie are leaving IN covered wagons by
the hundreds, rather than face starv-
alton and freeze to death One OF
the first acts of the legislature which
conveues next Tuesday, viii be to
pass a suita BILE appropria tiOn for the
relief Of sufferers More or less des-
titution exists in every county from
the Colorado line east to Hall and
Adams counties, and the various re-
lief committees are overwhelmed
with appeals for aid
North Platte reports st IS fact
suffering and hunger among the
drought sufferers II Lincoln and
Logan counties. Many families have
ONLY potatoes and milk to live on
now, with no hay or grain for their
stock, through the rest of the winter
The country in short time viii be
unable to supply the increasing de
mands for the necessities Of life. The
overseers Of the poor state that there
are more calls already than the
county can supply, and unless aid
comes from the outside, there viii
be many deaths from hunger and
want Of clothing this winter"
A dispatch from Curtis says: Great
distress prevails throughout this and
surrounding counties. owing to crop
failures of the past two seasons
Relief committees have been organ
lied in almost every recinct and sO-
licitors senteEast for aid, several car
loads of which have been received.
This with what aid the county has
been able to give. has alone prevent
ell suffering among the people and
stock The OutloOx is extremely dark.
owing to the scarcity Of food and
seed grain. the two articles now most
needed The state relief commission
has fifty families on its list as worthy
and needing assistance