The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-19
The Committee Replies to Sup
erintendent Cant.
THE CONTROVERSY CLOSED
Company Did Not DO It's Duty
at the Proper Time.
10 ReLIEvE THE SUFFERING
NJ The Company Helped The Sufferers
They Failed To Make It Known TO
Those Who Investigated
the Matter.
the Matter.

the Matter
10 the Editor: In your issue of Feb.
nth appears statement by Superin
| tendant Cant concerning the sufferers,
the local committee, Mayor Russ, and
| his company. which he sets forth as
having contributed to the sufferers as
much, If not more. than a generous pub
| lie
TO the people, this seems to be a
| broad statement and involves u gener-
| Gus contribution of about ST 500. III
| his assertions can be proven by facts
! and figures, the public will not longer
hesitate to raise its voice in praising
| their generous hearts for re-
| lieying suffering humanity
| Here arises the repeated questions
! If the company has done so much for
| these sufferers in their sad and lonely
/ bereavement as they claim to have
| done, why was the matter so much
overlooked in the beginning as to allow
| the shocking and unWelcome news of
/ suffering 60 out from their midst,
| broadcast through the land calling
/ generous hearts TO their relief, causing
| the local committee so much trouble
and criticism and Mayor Russ such de-
nunciation?
The notes gathered and quoted by
Mayor Russ were as given him by the
sufferers, and if the company found
| them to be untrue why did they not
Immediately make direct statement
showing the facts and the figures and
| not so willingly denounce the local
committee and Mayor Russ whose
deeds were only of kindly interest and
| sincere sympathy
| 1t was thought no vain glory on idle
| curiosity that a member Of the local
! committee called upon superintendent
| Can't for full statement of the compa-
ny's donations to this cause. 1T was
| only an honest desire Of getting the
| whole truth, and yet he says: They
| knew the facts as / have stated them
| or had with them the means of bring
| ing them out" But, no, he prefers TO
| wait until the eleventh hour and tell
| it all himself, not letting the right
right know what the left hand dOeth.
We can see no reason whatever, that
| he should leave upon the minds Of the
| people by his intimations the impress
| sion that the local committee and
| Mayor Russ were striving to engender
a sensation contrary to his company,
and cannot understand why such ideas
are entertained when we are only con-
tending for justice which courtesy de-
mands.
| The condition of the sufferers was
bad before the explosion and all judi
ciously minded people are bound to
/ know full well that the best Of it since
is only much worse.
/ Had it not been for a generous pub
| lie suffering among this people from
/ that time would doubtless have been
/ much greater. The widow Shambury,
| as we are credibly informed, was Of
/ fered a home. but when it was found
| that she was too old and feeble to do
| the work required was compelled to
| decline acceptance. She is now shell
/ tered by the kindness of Mrs. Bentley,
! who is also one of the bereayed widows,
and keeps the eompany's boarding
/ house, thereby earning her own liyeli-
hood, and this in the face Of the fact
/ that she had assurance from the COM
/ pany of her future support which It's
| intimated To have been generous ~
act
/ In the case Of Mrs Monroe and Mrs.
Starke, we have no reason to think,
| much less to believe that either have
| money, and If one should have a few
| dollars, that fs 10 reason they should
be entirely cut off from benefits of the
public fund. The superintendent,
| however, has not denounced us partic-
| ularly for giving Mrs. Bentley few
things, Notwithstanding her assurance
| Of future support.
The widows do not object, in the
| least, To charity in ten cent lots, and
they think clothing il very essential
some times.
In the case of Morris and her pro-
| geny, the superintendent, from his
| writing, would have you understand
they were still here preferring the
| bread of idIeness and charity, rather
than accept homes with their relatives;
| but it is an established fact that they
left the premises two or three days
| before the date Of his article. lie told
| one of the committee, as he also told
| others, that he needed the house in
| which she lived, and if she did not get
| out soon the committee or some one
else would have to pay rent for it.
The superintendent alleges that
| neither the company nor any Of its
| people started a subscription paper"
/ but here it may be proper to say that
he 1.-THE superintendent wrote up the
| subscription paper for the man
whom he refers to as being
the solicitor Of aid that inn
bibed freely of liquor while seeking
charity, and without the knowledge or
consent of Mr.. James Kissell and Mr.
II. r. Hood, signed their names to the
| paper as the committee authorizing
| him To solicit and collect funds for the
sufferers, and now denounces him en-
| phatically for corroborating their
| statements. AS we understand land
partly by his own intimations), this is
an important factor in the foundation
Of the present uproar, and yet be in
Inmates that the committee and others
are active in stirring up sentiment
adverse TO his company.
The Superintendent was boarding
with the solicitor Of aid in question at
1 & ~