The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1900-06-15
A NOBLE WORK
is ON. HAND.
Our People to Rescue the PERISH
ing and care for the Dying in
far off India.
Millions OF People
Are Starving
And the Death Rate is Simply
Appalling. Let every onegive
one days Income at least.

Harrison county enjoys the greatest
prosperity in her history and the
finances Of the residents Of the coun-
ty are plentiful. There is scarcely a
man within the county's borders, who
does not possess the comforts OF life
and enjoys luxuries as we'll. Weare a
thrifty, prosperous and happy people.
Providence has blessed us In many
ways and we have everything to be
thankful for. Drouth has not devas-
tated and made barren our fertile
fields. Disease has not crept into our
midst to make life and home misera-
BILE. We have been spared from fam
inc and we know not the horrors and
fortunes of starvation. Instead we are
well.fed, healthy and strong. We are
llight-hearted and free, somewhat in
clined thereby, to drink, eat and be
merry, and unprepared to appreciate
the amazing and horrible condition OF
affairs in far away India, by virtue OF
a famine prevalent all over that CONF
TRY. In our plenitude and comfort
| 1t is, indeed, hard to realize that mil
lions of our fellowmen are dying from
starvation and that millions more are
clinging to the last breath Of life on
single spare meal a day. A return
ed missionary to India, Rev. Wheeler
Bogeess, native OF this city and a
tyoung man whose devotion to the sal
Eyation of the heathen and whose true
EGodliness place him in high esteem
Eamong the citizens Of Harrison coun-
ty, has inaugurated relief measures,
which should receive the hearty sup
port OF every man, woman and child
In Harrison comfy.
By virtue Of his seven years stay
and service in India, Mr.. Boggess u
thoroughly acquainted with preya-
lent conditions In India and is prepar-
ed to speak to our people Of the terri
BILE sufierings Of that people. He tells
a pitiful story Of the starving millions
and the tortures to which they are
subject. 1t is an appalling picture but
true. Modest and conservative as Mr..
Borgess. is, we doubt not but that con-
ditions are even more appalling than
he depicts them. The very life blood
Of the humanitarIan's heart is chilled
through and through and curdles,
when he listens to Mr.. Boggess' mar
ration OF the gruesome scenes OF
emaciated men and women, and huge
piles of dead bodies cremated, because
Of lack of burial facilities.
Mr.. Roggcss presented the matter to
the ministerial union of this city and
the latter arranged union service of
the churches at the Baptist church
last Sunday night The attendance at
this meeting was gratifyingly large
and the interest taken was deep. ADJ
dresses were made by Rev. Wheeler
Boggess and Rev. DIR. Fullerton, the
former giving detailed and graphic
account of the famine, and the hitter
making a fervent and pathetic appeal
to the audience to rescue the perish
ing and save the dying" Among the
Information given by Mr.. Boggess was
the astounding fact that 1O,OO0,00O
people are living in India on one meal
a day. Ten million are dying from
starvation. The English government
isfurnishing labor to and supporting
6,OOO,O0O persons by improving the
country and making arid lands pro-
ductive.
The immediate cause Of the famine
was the lack of rain, but little having
fallen since June Of last year, but Mr..
Borgess. ascribes the pestilence largely
| to the wickedness Of the people. The
average annual rainfall In India is 3s
inches, mostly in June and July and
October and November. Thirty-two
inches fall in those months and the
remaining 8 inches throughout the
balance Of the year. The density OF
the population is another cause Of the
furnishing condition. India is twice
as thlckly settled us the United States
and the crops are barely sufficient
from one year to the next. They lay
up nothing for rainy day, or rather a
rainless day.
In the past halfcentury eight or ten
famines have visited India and there
has been great loss OF life and untold
suffering. In 1897 the last prior to the
present famine $3.50, DOC, 900 was raised
by other nations for the relief Of fam
iShing and starving India. These
figures give some idea as to the magni-
tude OF that famine, but present con-
ditions are far worse than In 1887.
1t is stated that two or three cents
will keep man in India one day and
J two dollars viii keep him alive until