The National tribune., 1901-04-18
A REALISTIC PICTURE.
A New York Soldiers Family in Texas.
News from the Departments.
BY MARY A. NORTH,
National Press Correspondent.

VIII Interest Dy generous, kindhearted pup
lie, and especially by the Grand Army and
Relief Corps who have furnished the special
funds and supplies sent Texas veterans in the
past few months. Mrs. Work. mentioned In
the letter. has carried out the plans OF the
2pie department Commander of Texas, Hon.
Charles Il. Peck:
The things you sent reached me through
Mrs; Ada {. Work, Custodian Of q. A. K. and
". X. {. feel that too much cannot be said
OF Mrs. Works efforts in behalf Of the o.d
soldiers and their families In this stricken
coast coast country She has visited them and in
formed herself of their necessities and has
been untiring in her efforts To relieve their
wants, and her sympathy and cheering words
nave given them courage TO go on with the
better times.
The generous. even munifcent gifts of the
North nave been wisely and justly distributed
| by her, and but for those gifts many n poor
old soldier would have suffered for the neces-
! stiles of life. And am glad to say that the
Seautifnl way In which the people Of the
| North have come 10 the relief OF the South
mas done much TO obliteraie any remnant of
| bitterness Of feeling between those sections
which may have existed heretofore. l am
myself native of this State, and Of South
| crn anceStOry.
MY husband. William A. Rowan. is n
native OF New York, and was a member of
! the 18th y. y. recruited at Utica, and was
Lieutenant and afterward Captain OF Co.
| +. We have four promising boys, and we are
| trying to avoid any sectionallsm in their edu-
cation. We want them TO be simply good
Now l want to give you bit of my rather
thrilling experience during that awful night
country. 10 miles from here, on that never
to-beforgottcn night. All day the skies were
gray and lowering. with occasional CLEANS of
| light, and the wind high and vio.ent. About
! 3 O'Clock in the afternoon, however, the velo-
| city began TO increase rapidly. had been
| very busy all day baking and getting ready
| for the following Sunday, and had just gone
10 my bedroom to rest n little. when Mr..
| Rowan came in looking very anxious. AID
saying that he was beginning to feel alarmed
at the velocity and force Of the wind. bad
know the horror Of 1t; therefore, [ did not
think much about it. But the wind Kept in.
school house had beer blown down.
Our house was by this time shaking fear
fully, and 1t was now raining hal. Just then
down on the Bay few mics from us, consist
| Ing of Two men and two very small boys,
| reached our house. and in a few nl|ments
two more men from nelghborng place aIne.
In few moments more all the windows
| blew out and 1t became impossible TO fasten
the doors In any way. so we felt 1t unsafe
to remain there any longer. Then We de.
and built fiat on the ground. We lad to walk
facing the wind TO reach II, and we almost
back as fast as we went forward. We could
scarcely breathe against that terrible wind
and the rain was cold and cut like a knife
We finally got there safely but wet and cold
and remained there perhaps an hour-maybe
two-fOr have no very clear idea OF the time.
Then the big double doors of the barn were
lifted of their hinges and blown out into the
yard, although my husband had fastened his
harness line to them and four men were hod-
ing them. Then the gab.e end blew out, and
the building was leaning and shaking in a
fearful manner. Then we went out into the
yard and huddled down by the trunk OF
great tree, which had been uprooted and
blown down. My little boys aged u, 10, s. and
8, nestled up against me and were so ter
rOrlzed that they hardly moved or spoke all
night. We were drenched TO the skin and
very cold. / think must have had a half
dozen chills while ont In the storm that night.
when daylight came, what a scene of de-
ISOLATION met our eyes. Our house. blown all
furniture and dishes all broken, our clothing
and bedding-wbat was not blown away
ruined and torn up by rain and wind. We
could not find bit OF food or even n dry
selves were without food from noon Saturday
until noon Sunday, for at supper time we
were too excited to eat, and at breakfast
''Wcll, the men who were with us were. of
course, anxious to know how their families
had Jared at Alvin, and were hurrying to get
tho children on with them. He felt that he
had to stay there to look after things, until
We kept hoping Alvin had escaped, at least, |
lighter than we. But. alas, for our hopes. |
Every place We passed was wreck, some
step Of the way knee-deep and once the water
came up to the whip-stock of my buggy When |
vast ruin-only about five residences left on
their foundations, many entirely destroyed. |
and all more or less injured. Our house wal
of the foundation, set back about eight feet |
back porches gone, the windows nearly all |
ont, the floors knocked up, and the paperlng
RFs spDGb9 fF9m the nacas a and
thankful that we were all alive and unln- |
jqred, that felt It would be wicked to com
plain Of the loss Of property though our
There has been great deal of sickness
here since the storm. People were SO exposed
the dilapidated condition of the buildings and
the lack Of comfortable bedding, etc But
the whole world responded to our needs and |
the people here have taken heart, and gone |
to work In earnest, and have really accom- |
plished great deal in repairing thelr dam
ages;
really must close though, like Tennyson's s
brook, l could "go on forever when on this
subject
Again thanking you and each of the ladies' |
yours-LoUIsE FORD ROWAN. Alvin, Bra |
zoria Co., Tex" |
The foregoing speaks In no uncertain tones |
OF the work that is being done by the women |
of our Order.
Texas is not the only State in which grand |
work is being done for the veteran, but every |
NHeFe tue w. IL. y. nave planted their ban |
ncrs, there are found, always, numberless |
streams Of benefcence. flowing In all dlrec- |
tlons, to help the needy veteran and his de- |
they do not hinder the work only hold II In |
check a moment while new hands take up the |
responsibilities which fall TO them.
MEMORIAL DAY.
National President Mrs. Carr has promul- |
gated General Orders, No. 8, and in It says:
The time for our annual contributions to the |
Southern Memorial Day fund is at hand This
Is not only duty, but a privilege we have In |
remembering those who lie buried in Isolated |
places and National Cemeteries In the South |
All contributions from Corps should be at |
once forwarded to the National Treasurer
through Corps and Department Treasurers
Tho sum so raised Is placed In the hands of |
whom 1t is expended.
General Orders No. @, issued by Mrs Carr.
National President, IS Of Interest TO all mem.
bers Of the Woman's Relief Corps, wherever
they may dwell, so It Is given In full:
Headquarters Woman's Relief Corps, Auxill- |
ary 10 the Grand Army Of the Republic, |
Longmont. Colo, March %, 1901
GENERAL ORDERS No. 8.
May both is sacred to the Grand Army of |
the Republic. day holy with memories.
The 40th year is marked upon the dial plate
of time since the imperiled Nations heart
stood still, while forth from workshop study
and farm came young and stalwart men with |
waving banners and martial tread ready TO
do and die for country.
Today, In memory OF the past they march,
the remnant Of that mighty host" with |