Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-06-22
A FINAL ACCOUNT
Last Report Of the Citizens Relief
Committee.
THE FORD'S THEATER DISASTER
How the Money Contributed by
Citizens Was Expended.
AN INTERESTING SUMMARY

|
| An interesting review of the public re-
lief work, following the Ford Theater dis
aster is made in report submitted to the
District Commissioners today by Mr.. ].
| w. Douglass, chairman of the citizens re-
| lief committee. The report, which bears
yesterdays date, says:
| June 8, 1893, was sad day in Washing
! ton. On that morning. between the hours
| of and 10, occurred what has since been
known as the Ford's Theater disaster
| Under the same roof that Abraham Lin
| coin lost his precious life, twenty-four
| other civil servants of the United States,
| in humber public capacities than the great
| President, yet with lives precious to friends
| and families, were either killed at once, or
soon died thereafter. by the falling build
ing. And nearly 100 men were more or less
| hurt by the disaster, some fearfully in
| jured and many manned for life.
Immediately upon the spreading of the
| terrible news the ready sympathies and
helping hands of the citizens of Washing
ton were soon at the sickening scene. To
| meet and properly direct this generous and
general movement the Commissioners of
| the District called public meeting at 4:lo
| pm. OF that day to consider and deter
| mine upon systematic and prompt action
| for the relief of the sufferers and the care
| of the families SO suddenly and horribly
| deprived of their supports The meeting
| assembled in Wizards Hall and was called
| to order by the president of the board OF
| Commissioners, Mr.. John w. Ross, who
| opened the subject with fitting and tender
! words. After the permanent organization
! of the meeting, and short, sympathetic
| speeches by a number of citizens, the fol-
| lowing committee was selected to take
| charge of and distribute contributions:
John w. Douglass (chairman), John B.
| I.prn (SaN arxyl . W. r
| urer) Charles j. Bell, T. a. Lambert. B. H.
Warner, John Joy Edison and o. q. Staples.
| The committee met the same evening in
| parlor TO- Wizards Hotel. which had been
| kindly rendered by Mr.. Staples for their
! continued use. Information was asked for
| through the press from the families of
| those who were killed wounded by the
| disaster AS in many instances visits had
| to be made to the hospitals residences
| of parties injured or killed, the committee
| determined to employ an agent to visit and
| report upon cases, and an additional secre-
| tary to keep a record of all proceedings.
| The former position was filled by Miss
| Anita Hendrie of this city. and the assist
| ant secrataryShip, until the last payments
| out of the fund were made on May 0, 1895.
| by Miss Idah Farnum of this city. Both of
these accomplished young ladies performed
| their duty with jealous energy and intelli-
| gent sympathy for the sufferers.
Prompt and Generous Subscriptions.
| subscriptions to the fund were prompt
| anu generous from our CltlZenS, aSSreSaU-
ing finally the handsome sum of $36 1878.
less s140 interest on deposit allowed by the
| bank. We must be pardoned a word for
the people of Washington just here. 1t was
| but a little while before that our people
| had come to the help of the Johnstown
| flood sufferers with over $4,000 of cash
| and supplemented rapidly and without
| murmur or hesitation. The Johnstown Suf-
| fererS, removed from US by many miles
and strangers personally. were yet mag
| unanimously remembered. Many of the vic
| TINS of the theater disaster We're from
| other states or territories, and here but
| temporarily, yet in no single instance did
| we hear it said that these facts should
| make any difference in the movement for
relief. The sum was as freely paid
| though made for our own households, and
again, the generous deed testifies to the
| high character for humanity of the people
| of this city and District.
| Offers from business men in the way of
| ambulance supplies, livery, free burying
lots in cemeteries. ETC., came into the COM
mittee at once, in addition to cash sub
| scriptions. OF the total subscriptions to
| the relief fund not less than 95 per cent
| came from the collective efforts Of the
| with zeal to make the proposed relief a
| success.
How the Money Was Expended.
| After the funerals were over and the
| more Immediate expenses about the sew
| eral cases were met the committee adopted
a schedule of weekly allowances for the
families of the dead, and for the survivors,
until the latter were able to help them
| selves. In making these weekly allow
ances had in view, first. the adjust
| ment of the allowances, as near as we
| could, to the necessities of the families,
| growing out Of numbers and ages. We also
| arranged the amounts allowed, so that the
fund might last over the second session of
the following Congress, expecting. as was
| the case, that that body would provide
some relief for the widows and orphans and
the wounded. After the national appro-
| priation for their relief made di-
| vided the balance of the local fund among
those on the regular roll of allowances.
| This division gave each widow $l9i.65.
| THE following summary of the account
/ shows the expenditure by classes:
Funerals .......................... 81, sos
emergency cases. .................'... o. lSlS
| Weekly allowances. 2S, II6I 40
| Committee Xpenses.................. 96S.32
Total .ss6, 76s. %
"Of the above expenses not one dollar
| went to any member of the committee.
| There were over eco checks made in
| payments and as many vouchers in addi-
| tion taken. The checks and vouchers are
| all numbered in reference to each other and
| to the individuals receiving payment. The
names of all the recipients are recorded in
| two books of accounts, showing payments,
numbers of checks and receipts in accom-
| parying columns. so that an accurate and
| ready auditing Of the entire account is pos
| sble
| I'VE have asked an early audit by rep
| resentative from the offices of the Post,
Star and the News.
''All the files, vouchers, checks, reports,
| letters. ETC., we herewith transmit and
ask that they pc filed away among
| your other records, that any future in
quily may be circumstantially answered.
1--WE have addressed the report and
| papers to you, that we might account to
| the public municipal authority, represent
ing the people Of the city and District"
| The Marine Band Concert.
| Following is the program for the Marine
Band concert at the White House this at
| ternoon, which will begin at Cos o'clock:
| March THE Washington Times" Innes
| Overture. Bohemian Girr' Balfe
| Dance Gillian La Manona" M,ssud