The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-17
MONEY STILL COMING in.
Considerable Sickness Ia the Flood Dis
trict Is Now Reported.
CONDITIONS EXISTING IN AUSTIN COUNTY
A Long Letter from County Judge
John r. Bcii to the
Governor.

Austin, Texas, July 15.--The governor
today received about $1,000 additional in
contributions for the food sufferers: also
reports OF considerable sickness, resulting
from the overflow from Fort Bend county.
The following interesting letter relating
TO conditions in Austin county was also re-
ceived:
Governor Joseph D. sayers. Austin, Texas.
Bellville Texas.--Dear Governor: Since
wiring you after my return from Sealy
and San Felipe. have been TO every camp,
church and gin house where sufferers are
gathered together lin district north Of
Mill creel) and have the names OF heads
OF families and number In family among
sufferers in the entire county. except Wal
lis. As reported by wire, San Felipe has
los families, Sealy sixty Ave and from Mill
creek TO Piney creek sixty three families,
aud from mouth OF Plney to mouth OF
Caney and UP Cancy as far as ovorfowed
there are 1b4 families. l find that the
average number to the family Is ave, 30
that we have from mouth of Mil creek 10
piney creek 1926. from mouth OF Piney to
mouth OF Caney 770. making total of
1915 Hood sufferers In the county, OK
elusive OF Wallis where there arc about
400, ! find them more cheerful and much
more willing 10 work and do something 10
show their appreciation Of what has been
done for hem than Ia reported through the
press from some other counties; they tell
me that they are willing 10 do Anything
TO help better their condition. Forty-stx
men out OF the sixty five families between
NH creek and Plney upon q mere request
from mel volunteered TO work tho public
rlA I...N.k tn. ala Ia -
tcisht miles), and have and ara now work.
ing the road and have built bridges as we'll
as prepared dirt roads and this, too, with
out any pay or reward further than draw
ing their rations. have advised tho
young men without families to get out and
hunt work and take whatever they can get
II no more than food and clothing. and
some are doing so, and many have prom
ised TO do so. There may be, and doubt
less are, some who will not work aven for
money, but with us they are the exception
and not the rule. have also talked with
the older men with families and nearly
all of them are anxious to get back to the
bottoms and TO plant anything that viii
grow. l anu sure that If / had seeds to
furnish them hundreds of acres would be
planted. have no Tears about them not
trying to work If we can keep them from
starving and they receive the proper en-
enlargement from their landlords and
home people generally, They hayo been
and are (tnany of then) nearly naked. but
thanks to the good people Of Brownwood
and Albany for good big lot of clothing.
which l am having properly assorted and
VIII see TO its distribution myself, AS
have the names, ages aud sex of all who
are in the greatest need. / received yes
terday the irst contribution Gear from
Brownwood). which Bellyillc has received.
Your check for $1,000 was not received by
ME until Wednesday, the 18th, although
mailed at Austin the Sth instant but l
could buy anything the home merchants
had, and did buy 1900 pounds bacon and
forty bushels OF meal. Yesterday l ordered
from Houston 5000 pounds bacon and
thirteen barrels of molasses. or the mo-
lnsses, four barrels were ordered to San
Felipe three 10 Sealy and six to this place,
and / am wiring TO find where can buy
meal cheapest. All from mouth of Mill
creek to mouth OF Caney, 1923 people, arc
fed from Belville. / do not, however.
distribute rations here In town, because II
would bring all OF them to town every
ration day. but / send out provisions to two
different distributing points where they
arc given out to the heads Of families by a
committee of good and honorable men. Sc
ected by me for that purpose, and have
heard of no complaint nj all. Sealy aud
San Felipe distribute In their respective
towns, Dut hau conlnenceu 30 Wntu you
wired mo to look after them, and | let IL
remain that way have nothing from
contributions from Coleman. Harding Van
Zandt. Wood and Upshur counties. Notice
received that contributions from Jack and
Cbildress had been forwarded. but they
have not yet arrived. l found yesterday
aud the day before that there was some
sickness among the sufferers. Some OF our
physicians answer every call upon them
and one of our druggists told me yesterday
that he had not yet refused to Ill any pre-
scription. but that 1t was hardship upon
him TO furnish medicines free and no could
not probably keep II up long.
have thought best to write you fully |
the conditions here, and beg to assure you
that everything shall be done in my power
to relieve the suffering as we'll as to see
to proper distribution OF all contributions
sent me. | am, very truly yours.
John p. Bell,