The times., 1899-06-12
PATRIOTIC WONEN'S
mission FULFILLED
Passing of the Red Cross
Nurses Auxiliary.
A Resume of the Heroic Work in
Field ard Hospital.
Praised by President Mckinley
NenrIy $4,000 in Hand ut the
Time of Disbandment.

New York June 1.-THE Red Cross So
ciety for the Maintenance Of Trained
Nurses. known during the Spanish Ameri-
can war as Auxiliary No. 3, has formally
disbanded. At the same time great good
is still being done and will be done during
the coming months with the balance of
funds left in the hands of special com
mittee for sending nurses to Manila and
other parts of the Philippine Islands.
When on January 4, of this year. all
claims against the society were disposed
Of and when all business OF miscellaneous
nature was closed up, it was found that the
society had to its credit a balance of
S19,S74.I2 1t was then resolved that the
money remaining should be handed to the
Manila, to be used for salaries and ex
penses for the nurses.
President Mckinley, in thanking Mrs.
James Speyer, president of the society for
a copy of its report, refers to the efficient
work performed by the members OF the
American National Red Cross during the
recent war as a source of pride and satis-
faction to patriotic Americans everywhele.' :
In a second letter, written after an ex-
animation of the society's statement, the
President says: Il congratulate you upon
the splendid results Of your work. The
| finance committee deserves my eommenda-
| ton and heartily approve Of the patriotic
| sentiment with which you close your most
satisfactory report.
The closing sentence of the auxiliary
! report, which is signed by Mrs. Whitelaw
Reid, Secretary, and Mrs George l..
| Shrady, Recording Secretary, referred to
Mr.. Mckinley as follows:
I'VE all must deprecate war and its nor
rors. and women will ever wish for eter-
nal peace But at times 1T seems as II, IN
| the order Of Providence, war becomes una
voiGable War. too. has its grandeur; it
! furnishes those acts of heroism and deeds
Of patriotic unselfish devotion which are
! the true glories of nation. When war
does come and our brave men go forward
! to fight they never go alone. The hearts
and active sympathies of American women
go with them. American men and women
then know of no distinction of class or
creed, and united as one people, we see no
! North, no South, no East, no Vest.
1t was with the desire TO give the Amer
lean soldier and sailor every modern ad-
vantage in sickness, and in response to a
request from the Woman's Committee on
Auxiliaries Of the American National Red
Cross Relief Committee, that the Society
for the Maintenance of Trained Nurses
was organized. The first meeting was held
| May IS. 1898. at the residence Of Mrs. w,
Bay.ird Cutting. Its officers were Right
Rev. Henry C. Potter. Mrs. James Speyer,
Mrs. W. Bayard Cutting, Mrs. William ID.
Sloane, Mrs. Winthrop Cowdin. Mrs.
| Whitelaw Reid, Mrs. George f. Shrady.
jr., f. K. Sturgis, and Mrs. Edmund l..
Baylies Among its associate members
were some of the best known women in
New York.
Donations OF any amount were asked for
and at the end of the first week $4,000 had
been subscribed. As soon as the summer
exodus from town began suburban
branches of the society were started ev-
| erywhere. Very soon the donations and
subscriptions amounted to $73,2SS
The first party of nurses sent out by the
society went to Tampa under the charge oi
Miss Laura d. Gill. When finally no more
nurses were able TO go to Cuba on account
of the outbreak of yellow fever there the
Government only accepting immunes. the
want was for good nurses in the home
camps and army hospitals. With General
Sternberg's authorization nurses were sent
to Charleston. Fort Wadsworth, Governor
Island Atlantic Highlands Camp Black
Fort Hamilton, Fort Monroe, Bedloe':
Island. Chicamauga, Porto Rico, Hemp
stead, and Montauk Point. Male nurses
were also sent to Portsmouth to care fol
the first Spanish prisoners who arrived
there from Admiral Cervera's feet. Die
kitchens were established at the Genera
Hospital and in the Detention and Division
Hospitals, Camp Wickoff. On August %
the first meal was served 10 about ont
thousand men.
In submitting its report to those whit
are interested Auxiliary No. 3 says of it!
labors: I'VE know that the pain and bit
terness Of many a soldier and sailor wer,
relieved and lightened by the ministrationI
Of our nurses, and the terrible hours O
many a countryman of ours were cheerel
and blessed by the appearance of an Amer,
lean woman at his bedside