The age-herald., 1900-09-30
UNDER AUSPICES
 OF THE RED CROSS Work of Relief in Galveston. is Now Being Conducted. LOCAL BRANCH ORGANIZED Miss Clara Barton Gives Details In a Telegram to New York Head
 quarters City Divided
 Into Ten Wards
LOCAL BRANCH ORGANIZED

New York, September 29-The system of
 relief distribution now in operation in Gal
 weston is described in the following tele-
 gram from Miss Clara Barton, president
 of the American National Red Cross So-
 ciety, received today at the rooms of the
 Red Cross Texas relief fund in this city:
 Upon the repeated solicitation of the
 local authorities the Galveston local relief
 committee, composed entirely of men, and
 the local Red Cross emergency committee.
 composed entirely of ladies' were merged into one committee yesterday and immedi-
 atey organized into the Galveston auxil-
 iary of the American Red Cross. The en- ii e work of distribution of clothing and other supplies was transferred to the new
 organization all such work to be immedi- ate and henceforth conducted under the
 auspices and by the direction of the Amer
 ican National Red Cross.
 Not the slightest interruption of the
 work will take place. The ten ward dis
 tributing stations established and being
 used by Chairman McVittie's committee
 will be continued found necessary, with
 the accession Of the Red Cross ladies, one
 of whom has been appointed vice chair
 man for each ward, with three more as-
 sistants to aid in the sorting and delivery
 ot goods at the relief stations with addi-
 tional accessions of ladies for each ward
 station to any number that may be found
 necessary, who shall make systematic in- vestigation in certain streets assigned to them of the worthiness of all applicants for relief.
 "The work being thus systematized can be most thoroughly conducted indefinitely hn nlfnf hxr .ft,et .i-i tematic method will have to be continued many months.
 '"The great central warehouses estab- lished by MT McVittie's committees and the Red Cross will be used in conjunction with each other as heretofore, for the pur- | pose of receiving from railroads, express | and steamship companies all provisions | sent here, asserting and classifying the l same and furnishing the ward distributing l stations upon requisition. AS rapidly as 1 practicable certain ward distributing sta- | tions will be discontinued and connected 1 with others thus reducing the expenses. | "The accession of the Red Cross ladies to the distributing committees Is hailed l with great satisfaction by the chairmen l of the committees, nearly all of them be- l ing leaders of the different wards, and also | have charge of the gang of men engaged | in removing the millions of feet of splintered 1 lumber, debris of all sorts and remaining l dead bodies their time being almost wholly 1 required in that direction.
 | s'The relief work is completely organized l and reduced to perfect system. The skill with which it was at first organized and l has thus far been conducted by Chairman l McVittie and his assistants is marvel to us The leading business men of this city l have labored day and nig upon the com mittees and have comp eed thorough census of the city as to names and present l abode of the sufferers, their pressing wants l and would note expressions and any re- | maining member of family is able to do l days labor is being paid for labor in | the great task in removing the debris. | 'IThe general executive committee, of which Mayor Jones is chairman, meets l daily and considers the most formal and | capable manner all subjects pertaining to 1 the work of relief. I have never known a more representative or capable business | community. The time and energy devoted to the work by each member fills me with admiration.
 'The most imperative subject now before l the committee and one great in importance next to the sanitary relief in cleaning the | city Is the question of providing suitable 1 homes of temporary nature for more than l 5000 homeless persons. The committee is | forming a plan for the purpose of meeting l with that necessity Immense quantities l of lumber, nails roofing and carpenter tools 1 and large fund of money will be neces- | sary to suitably meet this end. In every ! instance where possible the sufferers will be expected to furnish their own labor in the reconstruction of their homes, thereby keeping every one employed"
 "After-D Dinner" Depew to Speak