Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-12
To Relieve the Sufferers in the
Flooded Texas Country.
COMMISSIONERS CALL 4 MEETING
Will Be Held tomorrow Evening
in Masonic Temple.
SITUATION ESCRIB f d

sufferers OF Texas will be considered. The
announcements of the proposed meeting in
the newspapers the Commissioners hope.
will be sufficient to attract all of those who
feel a willingness to assist in this impor-
tant philanthropic work.
Representative HawIey of Texas has had
several conferences with the Commission
ers and advised with them ana asked their
assistance in methodizing the collection OF
any contributions that may be generously
offered with free will by the residents of
the District. The outgrowth of these con-
ferences was the decision to call meeting
that the people who are directly interested
in the work may take it in hand
The Need Pressing.
The need of money food and clothing for
the persons made homeless and without
means of support is pressing and urgent
Texas is struggling hard to assist the peo-
pie of the state, but it is said that in this
great emergency the resources not suf-
ficientIy available. and appeal must be
made to the generosity of the people of the
country at large
The lone star state is for once in deep
distress and il is declared only the quickest
possible response to her appeals will pre-
vent the growth of the calamity, already
great
The Commissioners issue this call to the
residents of Washington believing there
will be spontaneous and hearty response
from all classes and circles. The work APP
peals, 1t is thought, to all who have the
protection of the fellow being at heart. Mr..
John &. Wight, president of the board of
District Commissioners, will be present at
the Masonic Temple gathering tomorrow
night and will call the meeting to order. A
chairman will then be chosen by those in
attendance.
To Secure Contributions.
If it be the pleasure of the meeting,
committee will be appointed to take the
matter of securing contributions in charge,
with full authority to act in the premises
There will be prOviso, however, to the
effect that all contributions of money. cloth
ing. food and supplies will be turned over
to and distributed by the governor of
Texas. or some particularly designated
by that official This will it is believed.
avoid the dangers resulting from promiscu-
Gus giving. will convey the assistance to
proper destinations through methodica1
channel ard be the means of doing the
quickest and most effective good.
Representative Hawley leaves tonight for
New York TO enlist the sympathetic help
OF the great mass of people in the metropO-
lis and ne'ghbOring cities. The work will
be taken up at once in all the important
cities, Washington dOubtlessly leading the
van in systematized municipal assistance.
Interesting Addresses Expected.
Tomorrow nights meeting will be called
to order promptly at o'clock. There will
be addresses by Texans now living in Wash
ington. bus who familiar with the con-
ditions prevailing in the inundated terri
tory. They will describe just what is the
prevalent situation and will explain what
ought TO and will be done to temporarily
provide for the army of persons made des-
titute, by the recent floods From their
knowledge of the formation of the
try. of the resources and the results of
such a disaster as is now encountered. they
will tell most truthfully of what may be
expected of affairs in their native state
The meeting will be one strictly of the peo-
PIE As yet the details have not been per
fected. but they will be announced from
time to time as decided upon by the Dis
trict Commissioners and the prominent
Texans who have the preliminary work in
charge
Representative Hawley in speaking to
the Commissioners about the matter said
that Texas was able to care for her flood
sufferers as Pennsylvania did for the resi-
dents CT JOhnstown. as Illinois did for Chi
cago in the great fire and Massacnu-
sets did for Boston The aid requested
from the outside is to tide over the present
great emergency when the available re-
sources are not sufficient to meet the de-
mand made upon them.
narrowing Stories.
The emergency Of the present is a great
and deep one. Mr.. HawIey says, and can
not be appreciated by persons unfamiliar
with such experiences or conditions The
narrowing stories of distress and want are
most appalling. When this first great de-
Texas will gather her resources and pro-
vide for her many impoverished people.
In the country where the Texans are suf-
fertng forty-two inches of rain fell within
period Of sixty hours, an unprecedented
downpour as far as records show. There
Is nothing on the books of the United
states weather bureau to compare with
such a precipitation. The area over which
this great amount of rain fell is seventy
five miles long and fifty miles in breadth.
The cotton crop worth millions of dollars
have nil EgI nd MIA
upon the market. 1t entirely ruined.
Cattle. horses and hogs were destroyed in
thousands.
The effect of the f1cod. it will be readily
seen. Is far-reaching, but Texas is able to
PROVIDE Tor the persons who have been
qelrived practically of years support.
me resources for this not Immediately
available. however, as stated. and mean
time the neighbOring cities of the country
at large must be depended upon to prevent
an increase III the extent of the calamity
Texans Resident Here
There are large number of prominent
Texans in Washington. Among those who
have been consulted. or will be consulted.
and who will be actively and earnestly in
terested in the work of assistance, are the
following: Mr.. William Terrell of the sixth
auditors office and Mrs. Terrell: William
Low, Miss Dwyer, Claude j. Neis Mrs
Andrews. DR.. Haynes. Miss Cooney, Edw
Mccarthy, Capt. W. 5. Scott Miss Robin
son, Mrs Poole, Charles Tansiu j. D. En-
mis- Rudolph kIeberg. H. Cordua. Messrs.
oleburAe Cannon. Cooper, Lee. Hall and
Mrs F. ". Garner
The col0red Texans residing in the city
and who Will be- interested in the work are:
Leo turner. DR. J. H. Johnson. Charles
Asbury, y. W. Quincy f. A Patton. W
r Patterson. j. w. Ross E. knight. E l..
> OF, Mr. Switzer, CT w. Johnson II C.
Johnson DR. ". E. Hamilton and Mr.
BIackshe2r Most of these are employed in
the various government departments.
Representative HaVvIey's Account.
Representative Hawley. who has just
come from the flooded region has prepared
the following statement of the appalling
conditions existing in that section. and an
appeal for aid for the sufferers:
The disaster which has overtaken the.
communities in southern Texas is without
parallel In our country. At some points the
precipitation was three and one-haf feet
IN sixty hours, resulting in a flood of enor-
nous proportions, covering an area of many
thousand square miles to a depth in some
places of twenty feet, and loss of from