The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-11
THE HUNGRY ARE BEING FED.
FIFTEEN HUNDRED WE'RE Pro.
VIDED FOR Al HEMPsTEAp.
Others nj sunnyside Were Given RE-
iief--Ncgroes win Help the
Sufferers.

Hempstead. Texas, July i0.--The town
today has the appearance OF a circus day.
Hundreds of homeless negroes came In 10
get supplies and the relief committee had
no little work In handling the crowd. They
came In swarms of ten and twenty, and
when properly identified were furnished a
weeks rauons. About 1900 were looked
after today; that Is. they were furnished
eatables and they will get clothing later,
The flrst car of provisions came In yes
terday, but as the negroes In this immc-
date neighborhood had been furnished by
local subscription before all attention was
paid TO Sunnyside and bacon and meal
were hurried to that point. Now that food
for the hungry and clothing for the naked
are rapidly forthcoming the question of
labor and replanting of crops becomes
uppermost. Some will not replant others
would IL they could get seed. Many OF
the best planters question the results to
be obtained from planting cotton and would
gladly plant sorghum. peas and home me-
cessities II seed could be obtained
The governor In sending provisions asked
us TO take care OF bottom from Courtney to
Sunnyside, Brookshire being dealt with
directly.
Conditions are still critical There is
plenty being shipped In, but one must
watch the hungry to appreciate the ex-
tent of the existing misery. There are
miles of bottom lands between Court
ncy and sunnyside and 5000 sufferers is
an underestimate rather than an over
estimate II today's crowd is anything of
a fair indication.
The river is falling rapidly, but Sill over
some lowlands.
Hampstead. Texas. July 10. The coll
ored citizens of Waller county met at the
court house at p. m. in mass meeting
to devise plans for raising means to re-
lieve the sufferers of the recent flood In
the Brazos bottoms The following OFF,
GERS were elected: NJ. l.. McDade, chair
man; A. w. Bennett. secretary; II. Spiller.
treasurer. Committees were appointed to
carry out the purpose of the meeting All
means raised are to be delivered 10 the
county judge. r. L. Hannay. for distribu-
ton. Amount raised in ca, h $26.25; cloth
ing, etc, twenty-one bundles.
The meeting adjourned until the 18th at
4 p. IN.
Hampstead Texas, July 9.--The relief
committee is hard at work this morning
to allay immediate suffering. Provisions
mouths enough waiting for them. Hemp
stead, however. has acted generously ard
sent the entire first consignment to sun
nyside, where the suffering was reported
to be terrible. car of food, containing
flour, bacon and meal, is on the track
now and one fourth OF this is being sent
to Sunnysde. ID. S. Cuny was seat to sun
nyside yesterday and returned today. STAT |
ing that 800 mouths are to be fed at that
point. The all important question row is 4
what to plant when the waters rccede?
Some will try cotton and corn, but others
will plant sorghum and black eyed peas. /
1t is recognized that It won't do to allow /
The negroes to become Impressed with an
idea that they will be fed Ind definitely with /
out laboring. These people are unfortrn- /
ate, but unless there is great care taken
there may be more unfortunate oonse /
luences than the present coalitions and .
all planters must act tremendously. TO the
end that idleness nov forced upon the
negro may give way TO their regular en-
)loyment