Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-01-03
FIVE CROP FAILURES
HAVE LEFT WESTERN NEBRASKA
IN A DEPLORABLE CONDITION.
The Farmers I'm Many Of the Ooun-
ties Are Reduced to Beggary and
Have Neither Clothing, Fuel, Nor
Seed for Next Year.

Omaha, Dec. %. - Gn ir Callahan,
head of the Dundy couHSy relief COM
mittee, says: $50 far as we have been
able to learn there are few cases Of
absolute restitution in Dundy county.
There is much suffering, but the chief
need is for fuel and seed. Wheat
| will be needed for seed and corn will
be required for feed. The stock is in
fair condition in spite of the fact that
the buffalo grass is not nearly as good
as usual this year. A good many
have asked for coal, but the majority
are able to pay mine prices if trans
portation is donated. G. A. r. men in
other parts of the state have made up
purses to pay for coal to be given to
needy members here. don't mean
to give you the impression that the
county does not need help. Every
one, almost, needs seed for the spring,
! but in the meantime we hope we can
keep our people from absolute desti-
tuition.
'"The county is out Of debt, but had
few available funds for the relief of
the poor. Small warrants were being
drawn for -four, and one or two citi-
zens were aiding the really destitute
to get coal. Dundy county has raised
some fine crops in it's time, and its
people have been as frugal as the av.
erage community. But the strictest
frugality can hardly suffice to carry a
farmer over two almost complete fail
ures Of the land
A staff correspondent Of a local
newspaper has been in the western
part Of the state investigating the re-
| to- ne
belt is the northwestern part of the
state, including the counties west of
Buffalo county and the city of Kear-
ney, south to the Kansas and west to
the Colorado line. 1t reaches some
what to the north, including parts Of
Custer, Logan and Lincoln counties.
In some counties the restitution is
terrible. In Parkins, Keith, Chase
and Hayes counties a majority of the
people need help. Only in the i1ri-
cation portions of these counties is
there anything of comfort. The people
are living on
| Almost Nothing.
Their provisions consist of scant sup
plies of potatoes, -four and coarse
meal. They are almost without cloth
ing and their fuel comes from COW
chips and stolen or picked-np railroad
coal. In Hayes county three-fourths
of the 1000 people are destitute. The
stock has been driven out of the coun-
try and sold for whatever it would
bring, as there was no corn nor fod-
der. Cows brought as low as Sc or So.
/ County funds are about exhausted.
There is very little money in the treas
ury, but the merchants cash war
rants at par. No sugar. coffee or tea
is given out except to old or infirm
persons, and all aid is of the barest
necessities. There is The greatest need
of fuel and -four at present. In the
spring every one except few will
need seeds. of all kinds.
The pensions drawn by the old SOL
diers constitute about all the income
the farmers have in many sections,
and living is more than economical.
1t has been reduced almost to the
verge Of beggary, but not quite, for
these veterans and their sons are
proud spirited fellows and would soon-
er starve than beg. 1t is hard for the
mothers and children to live upon such
fare as is in general use here Many
have not much better food than the
chickens or the beasts of burden.
Aid may be sent freight free to the
county commissioners of any county.
There is a certainty that the cold
weather which is now coming on will
be death to hundreds and thousands
unless aid comes at once. Most of
these people live in sod houses. They
have raised but three crops in nine
years and have absolutely nothing in
! their fields and granaries.