Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-10-10

and great suffering resulted. The peo-
pie of Ohio nobly rushed to the assist
ance of the miners, ana abundance was
poured into the suffering valley.
hundreds Of business men from all
parts of the state contributed and of
all these John r. Mclean is the only
one who has ever boasted of his gifts
or sought to gain votes by them.
Since the matter has been opened up
by Mclean, it is well that the people
of Ohio should know of the gifts of
other people besides Mclean, who new
er wished for any recompense other
than the sense of duty well done.
The facts here after stated are taken
from the official report of the commit
tee which was appointed by Governor
Mckinley and distributed the supplies
in the Hooking district.
One day in January. 1895, deputa-
tlon of miners from Nelsonville, in the
Hooking Valley, called upon Governor
Mckinley and told terrible story of
want; the miners and their families
were starving. They appealed to the
Governor for aid. Governor Mcl<in-
ley was shocked He Immediately sent
for ,Adjutant General Howe and
Messrs. William G. Deshler and r. M.
Rownd, of this city. These men join
ed in conference. The governor, with
his usual carefulness of the feelings of
others, advised the miners committee
to return Immediately to Jacksonville,
call a meeting of the city officials and
have the mayor of Jacksonville issue
the appeal. He said:
Have your authorities make the APP
peal and / will see that you get sup
I plies within 10 hours"
The miners returned to Nelsonville
and called a meeting which lasted un-
til midnight. They resolved to appeal
to Governor Mckinley. About half an
hour after midnight. Gevorner McKin-
ley, who was in bed the Neil house.
was aroused and given the telegram
from Nelsonvllle. He Immediately
sent messages to Mr.. Rownd and to
the adjutant general, who came hur-
rledly to hte Neil. 1t was Immediately
resolved to send a car of provisions.
A prominent wholesale grocer of Co
lumbus was summoned and the order
placed The cost was $S7S. Il will
guarantee the payment" said Mr.. Me
Kinley. The hour was a. m.
The adjutant general and Mr.. ownd
Immediately started with the grocer.
The car was loaded and. reed,,s tS start
a. az q g. . m. the train started at 7:10 a.
m, reached Nelsonville at 9:2O a m,
and at 1000 a. m. provisions were be-
ing distributed to the most needy. The
governor had kept his word. From
the receipt of the Jacksonville message
to the arrival of the car at Nelson
vile but nine hours had elapsed, and
the entire responsibility was assumed
by Governor Mckinley, to be paid
from his income.
The report of the committee in
charge of the distribution during the
three months of suffering contains
many interesting facts. The total
amount donated by the varions cities,
through their mayors or board of trade
was $32, 900, and every dollar was used.
This does not include the provisions
shipped direct from the cities. The
city of Cleveland, Senator Hanna's
home, was the largest contributor. The
chamber of commerce of that city
raised $4,000 worth of provisions. Gin
cinnati contributed three carloads Of
provisions, including the entire dona-
tlon made by Mclean, who was in
Washington at the time
The report of the committee refers
repeatedly to conferences with Cover
nor Mckinley, who received reports
from the Hooking districts 10 times a
day. The governor wrote and wired
every mayor of every city in the state
urging them to exert themselves for
the suffering miners. He said repeat
dely to the committee in charge, 81
don't want you to let anybody in the
locking Valley so hungry"
Governor Mckinley has never refer
red to his practical cnarlty But the
people of the Hooking Valley remem-
ber him with deep gratitude, and con-
tract his high-mindedness and simple
earnestness with the vulgar boasting
of Inhn r Mel can