The San Francisco call., 1898-12-18
Pitiful Story of Destitution Comes From Lockwood, MoDterey
 County.
Entire Families in the ConDuDity Whose Only Food for MoDths Has Been Shorts
 and Bran.

Reports received by Governor Budd from the southern part of Monterey County represent that the inhabitants of that region of California are face to face with a most distressing situation. There can be no question that supplies of food for the people are immediately required. There are other pressing wants, such as seed and feed for cattle, horses and poultry, but the imperative and immediate demand is nourishment for the inhabitants themselves. The story of the present destitutiOn and inn pending distress is told in the following contribution to The Call:
 LOCKWOOD MASS MEETING.
 Editor Call: At a mass meeting held in Lockwood Hall, Monterey County, De cember B, 1898, to consider the neceSsltles means of relief, the following business was transacted, viz:
 Dr. Galbreth of Jolon was elected cna1r- man and Dr. J. A. Miller secretary. A pc tition to the State Executive, numerously signed was presented and approved by the meeting asking the Governor to oeVlse means for the immediate and permanent relief of our suffering citizens, after which the following resolutions were unam- mously adopted:
 Resolved, first, That we, inhabitants of Southern Monterey County, Lockwood P. O., and surrounding country. In mass meeting assembled, are, by the force Of circumstances over which we nave no control, compelled to recognize the fact that a painful amount of actual need is prevailing in this part of our county, caused by the long continued drought, causing the utter failure of crops this last year.
 Resolved, second, That while we grate fully recognize the efforts of our Super visors and the noble work performed by committees appointed in the county to aid in relieving this unprecedented distress, we, with them, recognize their utter ln- ability to supply the needs of all, and as a consequence many of our worthy cit- Zens must suffer unless aid is secured more abundantly and that immediately.
 Resolved, third. That as consequence this meeting deems it eXpedient to ap- point a committee of five of our citizens to present this matter to the Executive of this State, with the hope that measures may be devised to secure adequate, per manent and immediate relief.
 A committee was accordingly appointed, consisting of William P1nkerton, Pleyto; J. A. Miller, M. D., Lockwood; B. Wilson, Lockwood; Dr. Galbreth, Jolon; MT. Long meyre, Lockwood.
 It was then ordered that a small col lection of 5 cents be taken to furnish sta tionery for the committee. One dollar was realized. The committee was in- structed to purchase the supplies from parties in sympathy with this movement.
 Dr. Miller then read an outline Of g. letter to Governor Budd, which was adopted as expressive of the sentiment of the meeting. The following is a copy of the letter referred to:
 To His Excelency James Budd, Gov ernor of California: We, your constitu- ents, residents of Monterey County, Cali fornia, and citizens of the United States, would respectfully present to your notice the following facts. and invite your most serious attention to the same, with the hope that you, in your executive capacity, may be able to devise some immediate means of relief.
 It is well known that in this part of Monterey County there has little or no rain fallen since a year ago last Febru- ary, and a scarcity of rain for several years previous had caused a shortage of crops, while this year We have had an entire failure. AS a result in many cases feed, seed and family supplies are com pletely exhausted and in many more are nearly so. Cattle, hogs and poultry have been disposed of to meet our necessities, while hundreds of cattle have died from actual starvation.
 Our poorest horses have been shot, our next poorer have been turned out to shift for themselves, while our best are eating the last hay we have means to purchase. Some are away to pasture and we have no means to pay for the same or secure their return. We have nothing left to dis pose of. Our farms are mostly mortgaged for all that can be raised on them, and moneyed men and banks will loan no money on uninCumbered real estate In this part of the county.
 Merchants cannot possibly carry this vast concourse of people. as they cannot buy on the long time required by these consumers. The milling company will furnish no feed or seed until it rains, and then only on a crop and chattel mortgage, which, if given, leaves the merchant with out security and at once stops all family supplies and the result must be inevitable starvation. There are families in this community who have lived for months on bran and shorts; others who have lived for weeks on bread and water and scores who have had neither milk, butter, meat or land. These must be supplied. We make l untold.
 Local committees and county officials are feeding hundreds, but hundreds more are in need who cannot be supplied, and the worst is yet to come. Hay for horses and the few stock left, bran for milch cows kept alive on moss. and for feed for lone pig or a few fowls which yet re- main, and family supplies of all kinds are needed at once and must be had or the most direful results must ensue. These people are not spendthrifts nor paupers. They solicit no charity; they simply ask for facilities by which to help themselves; money or supplies at req sonable interest until they can secure re- turns or work at living wages to keep soul and body together. Others are old and in firm, tottering on the edge of the border land. These must be supplied. We make no suggestion as to methods We simply | present facts as they exist and leave your mature judgment to devise the immediate remedy. Should you deem it expedient to communicate with us for any further information address the undersigned, our secretary.
 By order of mass meeting of citizens. held in Lockwood Hall December iS, 1898 J. A. MILLER, D.D., MD, Secretary.
 Upon the receipt ol the foregoing statement Governor Budd was inter viewed. He had been advised that feed for stock was very scarce in several sections of the State, that many horses and cattle have perished; and was also | informed that supplies of seed would ! be necessary in order to enable the
 farmers to put in another crop, but the
 full measure of the distress was not
 realized until he received the statement
 from the destitute inhabitants of the l southern region of Monterey County.