The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-19
ASK FOR AID.
Arkansas Famine Stricken and
Drought Parched.
Messenger From the Hills Seeks
Food and Seed.
NO RAIN FOR A YEAR.
Some Lived on AcOrns Picked
From Under Trees.
When Wagons Carried Supplies
People Wept For Joy.
NO RAIN FOR A YEAR.

Chicago, April 19.-From the famine
stricken, drouth-parched hills of Ar
kansas and the once peaceful and smil-
ing. but now ravished, valleys of the
Ozark mountains q messenger has come
to Chicago asking aid for his people
He is a rugged messenger, a farmer
himself, simple straightforward, sun
Drowned and wearing the corduroys
and the 'broad-brimmed sombrero OF
the ranchman.
He is not asking anything for him
self, for he is an old Indiana man and
a northeIner, and in the midst of fam
Inc and hunger and poverty ne has
managed to pull through. He owns a
sheep farm and sheep do not require
much food, and so he has been able to
retain his stock and to keep going when
his neighbors We're already staring
starvation in the face.
This man, A. L. Doss by name, tells
the story of how, just a year ago this
April, a warm spring rain fell bene-
ficently upon the Arkansas crops. The
farmers planted their grain and joy
fully saw it sprout. Then they saw it
die, and with terror stricken hearts
knew that the famine was coming
NO RAIN FELL.
Until last December not another drop
OF rain fell upon the famished land. The
farmers had never had a drouth before
and they were not prepared for IT,
What grain they had stored up they
used SparinglV in q vain ATTEMPT 10
save their stock Then the stock was
sacrificed and in the midst of last win
ter they found themselves facing abso-
lutte want.
Some families lived on the acorns
which they picked up under the trees.
some on donations which they received
from their friends or relatives in the
more prosperous parts of the country
Help was given them now and then by
various cities that heard of their ex-
1 tremity.
Waiting and hoping for spring ana better
/ things, they pulled through the winter, be
I lieVing that when spring came they would
/ be on their feet again, but now that spring
l Is here they find themselves without seed
I to plant. without farming impl ements to
! pillow and without food for their families
! and their stock.
| The people OF the township in which Mr..
I Doss lives attempted to take up cOllec-
ton 70 send a messenger to Kansas city
/ to solicit aid for them. In all the town
! ship only S9.3S could be raised. Then MT
! DOss volunteered to go anyway and so wen
did he work and we'll did he prosper
! that in less than two weeks all the needs
\ of his township have been filled
KNEIT AND WEPT FOR JOY.
When the wagons bringing feed and seed
| and food pulled up in the little town th5
I people fell ON their knees and wept for joy
[ AS soon the seed was distributed they
/ began planting. and now hope has reviVee
/ in their breasts and the whole township Is
/ happily at work filling the soil upon which
4 the rain has once more begun to fall
When other people of the famiShed dis
| triet savT M. ra0Tfle of eb.rD county 81
| work again they came to Mr.. Doss ano
! begged him to undertake a similar mission
for them and their prayer is what has
< brought Mr. Doss to Chicago today.
He has seen w S. Warren. president O.
the Board of Trade. and Mr.; Warren ha;
called a special meeting for this afternoon
| when the board viii take official actor
on Mr. Doss plea for help.
A treasurer viii be appointed to receiv,
| donations and all funds and provisions viii
be promptly forwarded to the sufferers
| free Of charge by the railroad companies