The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-01-01
N d BID III BE z
Tbs. Sad Condi dition Of the Colored
PsSpl in Lower oh1and.
LAHDLoRDss DoINa THEIR PART: !.
They Have Given Money and
Frogi.ions for nfonthss and
AFRO Now Urging others
s. to Help Them.
] Editoriof8The State,


i TO the Editori OF The State:. IS &
1t has frequently occurred to me tc
make known 70 the public the destitu
lion And suffering OF the negroes Ii
the ectton that,was devastated. BY
the unprecedented halIstorm of . une
| and their imperative nsed for help
NOT only Was the growing crop de-
stroyed, the one planted subsequently
almost deatroY led by floods OF rain, but
the oat crop which would have Kept
their animals alive, was also DESTROY
led by Q fly. Unless one had witnessed
this destruction it could not be con.
ceived. Whole plan cations that on
j une 4 we're beautiful with well cult.
yated crops, were; ! in. an hour made
ss sbsrc Of. growth es the public roads.
The hel elplessness ofsthe negroes was
pitiable. All their labor was III, vain.
What were they to do? They had no
food for animals. No seed for replant-
Ing . crop Thought it was too late
t0? try to make another. But the
patient, hopeful negro, with encour-.
agement from white friends, decided
to make the trial, and with fortitude
and courage truly sublime, toiled on,
and those, who did their duty faith
fully with their work saw in the fall a
green, well boiled prospect OF fairly
good crop IF frost did not come too
soon. Alasl Oct. % brought the
dreaded frost. The crop was most
materially injured, the bolIs so harden.
ed that picking when opened was a
tedious labor, done with bloody
fingers. Where the prospect with
.Eangyss:EE!!ssss from s!Z to eight and ten
bales, it dwindled down to L, 1-2 and
100 pounds almost. nothing. This
picking sstt!!l gees on in this severe
Weather, and will far into the New
Year.
Besides all these troubles chills and
fever took possession Of the whole
country. Often every member of a
family was sick at the same time, not
one able to wait on the other. Chill
dren were som etimes sent a half mile
to take watef to the sick. Medicine
is high and they could not afford to
buy 1t. But when sent for the kind
doctor would go or send medicine. His
own drug bill, never to be paid for by
those he helped, is very high. Fodder
could not be pulled and perished on
the stalks.
These people are in great want,
wlnt Of corn and bacon, want of help
TO work another year. Those who
rented land 80 them have lost their
income and can do nothing for them.
II i. * e Z Sz !.
their need; their nervous anxity about.
the future. They may be said to have
nothing. A man said to me in view
Of his destitution. Freedom was
given to us with nothing but our
hands-we have them yet we will
struggle on"
Citizens! these people are our
friends, work for us, take care Of us.
They are children Of the Confederacy.
Help them. Set them up again.
Open your hearts for the needy, the
destitute. Here they are at your own
doors.
Without help they must scatter,
leaving many :. bare field now In the
coming year to grow only grass and
weeds.
Igo among them daily. Isee their
poverty. They thank God they have
good houses for shelter and plenty OF
wood for fire. Mrs. Jas. p. Adams.
Congaree, S. c., Dec. 81, 1903