The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1895-02-22
A NEBRASK LETTER.

The DEMOCRAT recently published al
extract from Nebraska paper printed
on wall paper. The editor and friend
remitted contribution to the hard-uI
Nebraska editor, and today received a
private letter acknowledging the same
and the following for publication:
Perhaps few lines from Nebraska
may be of interest to you and your read
ers, viii give you the news of this
drought stricken part of the U. 5. but
pen can hardly picture it. For the last
two years there has only been raised a
half crop, while last year it was n total
failure, thereby reducing these people to
the verge OF starvation, and if it had not
! been for the help of friends abroad it
surely would have come to pass. 1t is
estimated out of 81 900 inhabitants there
has been 1900 left this county alone.
There was no grass 10 make hay with,
and the animals have to rustic for them
selves, of course there was some storm
| food put up but that consisted OF hay .
years old and dead, some corn fodder
about foot high, everything was gath
cred that would prove substitute. Fuel,
this being prairie state, and the timber
along the rivers having been cut of and
young timber burnt of or killed and no
money TO buy coal, it is hard to keep
iron freezing burning .'huifalo chips.h
Now mind you, every body is not like
this, but say $40 Of tae settlers are.
Aid is coming in very slowly now, for
the reason that the railroads viii haul
| no more free. The train from Georgia
is side-tracked together with some 60 or
20 cars and the X. RS. will not move a
wheel, for this reason: The legislature
now in session appropriated $4,000 for
relief, heretofore the companies have
carried everything free but now as there
is money they want pay for work they
do. The railroads have been very kind.
This letter don't let YOU into the secret
of the afflicted. while l am writing this
there is q blizzard in force, with wind 50
strong that it has blowed the wires
down, no trains are running, and people
thinly clad, not enough to eat or burn,
some burning their furniture, it is as /
said before horrible, now this is honest.
Money ana landlords keep the true state
OF affairs hack because it is 10 their in
terest, SO the half is never told. Again
thanking you and the old brother, / re-
main fraternally yours,
adopted this plan OF getting aid, for
NAs tSfEtulN u1Iu up. L uaNc u4g
amount due me on subscription, some
two years but mostly one year subs,
which will get this fall il there is any
crop TO speak OF. ! have never applied
for any aid that has come here, thinking
perhaps / would not get il, for you know
| an editor is supposed TO be rich in this
worlds blessings, but outside Of the
home circle his fortune in pleasant times
Is somewhat ragged edged. My children
| could not go 10 school for the want OF
shoes, etc, myself who was looked too
to keep the pot aboiling, was not in 4
shape TO do il. / wanted TO keep my
paper going, firstly for what there might
be in il AT another crop and secondly,
because have too much grit 10 go kerr
plunk.
There have been II papers 20 up the
| fiumc in radius OF 20 miles since the
hard times struck US, viz: News, Arnold I:
Advocate, Ansclmo: Reporter, Merna !:
Record, Merna; News, Amherst; Dis
patch, Sumner: Herald, Lexington I;
Gazette, Lexington; Curani, Eddyville I;
Reporter. Cozard; Leader. Broken Bow /;
Independani, Galloway; Journal, kear-
ney; Topici, Lodi.
The thermometer Ranged IS below
zero this morning. +. ". CoSLEY.
Publisher Caiisw-ay Tribune