The age-herald., 1902-05-13
HOUSE PASSES
 BILL FOR RELIEF Underwood Made Only Speech Against Appropriation SUPPLIES WILL BE HURRIED $2oo,ooo for Suffering People In West Indies as Result of Volcanic Erup-
 tion-RooseveIt Takes the
 Matter in Hand.
SUPPLIES WILL BE HURRIED 3

Matter in Hand. Washington, May 12.-The House today passed by an overwhelming vote a bill granting $20O, GOO for the relief of the suf- | ferers in the great calamity in the West Indies. MT. Hemenway of the appropria- tions committee, explained that the amount was limited to $2OO,O00 because large contributions were being made. MT. Underwood Alabama, was the only one to speak in oppositoin. The bill was passed by 1s6 votes to g. Mr. Underwood, Alabama, stated that he was opposed to the measure and would vote against 1t. He believed it would have been more appropriate for the President to send a message of condol- ence to the government of France. The resolution offered by the appropriation follows:
 "To enable the President of the Uni ted States to procure and distribute among the suffering and destitute peo- pie of the islands of the French West Indies such provisions clothing, medicines
  such other steps as he shall deem advis- able for the purpose of rescuing and succoring the people who are in peril and threatensd with starvation the sum of s2OOOOO is h&aby appropriated.
 Tn the exS Rn of this, the Presi- dent is requil D act and obtain the privilege of tf ench government and he Is hereby SutRorized to employ any vessels of the Bnited States navy and to charter and employ any other suit able vessels or steamships"
 PRESIDENT TAKES UP MATTER OF RELIEF. I Washington. May 12-Tne President l himself turned his attention today to the | extension of relief to the sufferers from the terrible catastrophe In the Lesser Antilles. Although Congress had not finally appropriated the funds necessary for the purchase of supplies, the Presi- l dent proceeded with the greatest energy to give shape to the relief measures. Sec retary Hay was called in and Secretary Root and Secretary Moody were charged to carry out the details of the arrange ments. The treasury department was in- structed to cooperate and 1t is supposed that this will mean the employment of
 
 of the marine service. The officers of the war department, with it's well organized departments, was regarded as in better position than any other institution to take charge of the relief measures except that it had no means of transportation the SedgWick which IS out of condition, being the only army transport on the At lantic coast. Fortunately the navy had handy ship In the Dixie Secretary fa1x a1a Captain Berry, her commander, to Snip army supplies to be offered him, and to sail at the earliest possible moment for Martinique.
 Navigation bureau officers estimated that she can be coaled and provisioned and gotten under way by Wednesday ev- ening.
 Scheme of Instructions. The war departm ent scheme of instruc- tion Is as follows:
 Three medical officers with $5OOO worth of medical stores. etc.; one subsistence officer with $70,00O in stores consisting of rice, dried fish, sugar, coffee, tea, cann- ed soups, condensed cream, salt, pepper l and vinegar; one officer of the quarter masters department with $2O.OOO worth of l clothing supplies for men, women and | children.
 | Secretary Root indorsed the scheme
 General Weston commissary depart | ment, telegraphed immediately to Col l Brainerd, the commissary officers at the New York depot, directing him to ex- pend the allotment in the purchase of tea, coffee. sugar and the other foods decided upon and to see that these goods were loaded on the Dixie
 Rear Admiral Bradley, chief of the bu- reau of equipm ent, today submitted to l Secretary Root the following suggestion in regard to the situation at Martinique: "It has occurred to this bureau that the refugees from the island of Mar 1 unique may suffer from want of good water. Naturally the surface water will 1 be str<ngly impregnated with sulphur and thus be unsuitable for drinking pur- | poses.
 | Water Barges Ready for Use.
 "There Is a good water barge at Key West with a capacity of 175,00O gallons ready for immediate use. There also is one at Norfolk capable of holding 100000 gallons, ready for immediate use These may be lowed to whatever locality Is se- lected for a camp for the refugees at once. They can be refilled at Kingston, Jamaica, or Cape Haytien, Hayti, where there is an abundance of good water"
 Secretary Moody has adopted Admiral Bradley's suggestion as favorable
 The medical officers will be accompanied 1 by six members of the hospital corps from the School of Instruction at Wash ington barracks and will be provided with a large quantity of medical stores and supplies.
 The quartermaster's supplies to be transported on the Dixie will include about 300 tents, suitable clothing for men, women and children and camp eauip- ments such as axes, shovels, kettles, fry ing pan and cooking utensils.
 The subsistence department will send rations for about 50000.
 
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