The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-10-10
HOUSES W ANTED
FOR THE HOMELESS.
Clara Barton's Strong State.
ment TO the Business Men.

Galveston. Tex, Oct Miss
Clara Barton, president of the Ma
tional Red Cross society, has issued
the following statement to the manu-
facturers and business men OF the
country, in which she appeals to
them for aid in the way of material
20 be used ir the building of homes
for those who lost their all in the
recent storm
To the manufacturers and dealers
in lomber, hardware, builders mate
sials and household goods, end to the
business men in general of the Uni
ted States
Gentlemen This unfortunate sea
port island and town had, four weeks
ago, a population of about 10000
persons In one day and night it is
estimated that approximately lo,Oo0
of these were either drowned or
killed by the fury of the storm
These buildings we're largely slate or
metal rooted ; this broken rock and
metal must have been hurled through
the air like cannon shot. The bodies
ound are badly maugled.
We believe it is reliably stated
that there is not one house in the
area of the storm unchanged by it.
"A large proportion of those persons
Formerly occupying them are entirety
without homes or even shelter. save
snch as persons nearly ae destitute as
themselves can offer them temporari-
IL, to their own great Inconvenience
and cost.
The number of this homeless class
is estimsted at 5000 or more. Winter
ss less than two months away AL
though mild climate, still saow and
ice are known here If tents would
protect, which they would not, the
sess aud the quicksand would not
hold them down ; the first norther
would leave their occupants as un
sheltered az before and hardships,
ce,ds. pneumonia and consumption
would finish what the storm had left.
Some substantial shelter must be
tad at once for these people, and it
would seem to be the duty of those
on the ground to put the facts in an
intelligeDt form before the people Of
the country, who are not here and
cannot see for themselves and who
could not comprehend without see.
ing
THE MATERIALS NEEDED
With this view the National Red
Cross has, with the cooperation of
the general committee obtained esti-
mates of the best architects of the
vicinity regarding the material need
ed for the construction of the neces
sary number of houses, tenements or
homes for the suitable shelteripg Of
these now unshelte.ed thousands Of
suffering people.
The following summary represents
substantially the lumber and building
material that would be required to
shelter about 5000 persons in the
most ordinary one story weather
proof houses, built singly or in blocks
oftepements Summary
Rough lumber, spruce or pine, 50,
600 pieces 2xlo, Is feetllong 1000
pieces 616, Is feet long; $500
pieces 4x6. Is feet long; $500
pieces AKA. Is feet long; $500 pieces
2x4. l6 feet long; $4,000 pieces
Lyle. IL feet long; $4,000 pieces
1x3. IL feet long; $4,000 pieces
2zS. Is feet long; 1000 pieces 2z4.
Is feet long; $4,000 pieces Ike, Is
feet long.
ToDgued and grooved flooring !:
10000 pieces 1x6. l6 feet long !;
1000 window frames and sash. 2
feet. 1ux6 feet six ; 900 door frames
and doors 2 feet SIC feet elk 1000
hinges. 3 inch and screws; 1000
hanks and staples; $4,000 brick for
cbinneys /; 1000 squares of felt roof
ing 8 ply; so kegs 8 penny nails !;
II kege 20-penny nails.
Carpenters tools for 100 carpen
ters.
Beds.eads, bedding. chairs, tables,
stoves, crockery, cutlery and sewing
machines sufficient to furnish about
700 four room houses in modest,
comfortable manner.
Some 1000 dwellings and all Of
their contents we're absolutely wash-
ed away OF lie in the piles of wreck
age-worse than worthless mass, q
menace to the safety of the remaining
portion of the city.
WORSE THAN JOHNSTOWN.
The havoc wrought by the storm
in Galveston at once was much larger
in loss of life and property than at
IL IN