Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-11-21
THE RED CROSS.
MAINE BRANCH NOW THOR
OUGHLY ORGANIZED.
ANIMAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY AT
CONTEMPORARIES AID TO
SAN FRANCISCO.

The annual meeting Of the Maine branch
of the Red Cross society was held at Port
land recently. Mrs F. II. Briggs, of Au-
burn, secretary for the past year and Just
elected president, in report Of the meet
ing said:
"only thirty men and women attended
the meeting, but they came from all over
the State, and the interest they manifested
in the progress of The State branch of the
society was encouraging in the extreme.
Mrs. crank Hinckley represented BAN
gor's interest in the society; Miss Hitch
cock, Of Rockland; Mrs. S. J. Morrison, OF
Ellsworth Mrs. Col Prescott, of Bidde-
ford; Mrs. B. F. Eaton, of Skowhegan;
Mrs. George B. Atwood, of Auburn; Mrs.
A. T.. Neal, of lewiston; Gen. Joshua
Chamberlain, of Brunswick; Col F. e.
Boothby, of Portland, and General Selden
Connor, OF Augusta, were present to mani
fest their delight in the progress made by
the society since its organization a year
ago in Portland.
"Should an emergency such as drought
or famine arise in any part of our State,
the state organization within three hours
would be ready with its volunteers to
start for the needy section of the State
with an equipment of money, supplies
ana nurses, if such were needed. Such is
the perfection of the organization of the
Red Cross society. This is invaluable to
our stste as well as to the country at
large"
THE MEETING.
The meeting was held at the residence
of Mrs George s. Hunt, in Portland. In
the absence of the president, Mrs. Eugene
Hale, the vice-president, Mrs. F. E.
Boothby, called the meeting to order.
Mrs. Boothby welcomed the members
from different parts of the State, and
after speaking briefly Of the rapid growth
of the Maine branch and OF the work done
for Japan and San Francisco, she intro
duced General Joshua Chamberlain, chair
man OF the executive board, as the pre-
siding officer Of the afternoon.
General Chamberlain emphasized the
Importance Of the Red Cross society, and
said the Maine branch had accom- lished
good work since it's organization one
yedT EsO, dhu HOW Hlust GOiuplctc tHu
perfect the organization so that when an
emergency call is made, the machinery
may be at once ''thrown into gear" and
made to work speedily and perfectly.
The secretary, in her annual report,
after reviewing the preliminary work OF
organization, said:
Having our Maine branch well organized,
a. Al
institute active measures to awaken interest
in the organization. In the opinion of the
committee, increased membership would help
more than anything else. The central COM
mittee had suggested the making of sub
divisions in each branch. After consultation
it was decided to try this method.
The State was divided into subdivisions ae-
cording to counties. Eleven of the sixteen
counties have subdivisions in good working
order. Penobscot has full organization,
This is our banner subdivision, having 100
members. Knox closely follows, with sixty
nine members. Hancock has done remark
ably well for her size. 1t has ffty-two menu
bers.
Many letters received indicate that there
will be great growth in the organization in
the next year. Maine people are inclined to
be little conservative. but when they be-
come thoroughly acquainted with the move
ment, they will take hold and do their whole
duty. Four terrible calamities have occurred
in one year.
We were hardly in working order when the
call came from suffering Japan. Maine sent
assistance in shape of money. The national
organization responded promptly to the call
from the starving Japs, and when little
later we were startled by the terrible calamity
in our own land-the earthquake at San Fran
cisco-Japan sent funds and it was well
that we had an American Red Cross society
thoroughly equipped to do the work that was
necessary to do at once.
Valparaiso was the next to suffer, but Maine
did not respond. In the Gulf states destructive
winds and waves followed, but we did not
issue the appeal because we felt we were not
really needed.
Our president, Mrs. Hale, has put her time,
strength and money into this work. We all
know what busy woman she is, for much is
demanded of a senator's wife in Washington.
She has made the trip from Washington
lannon's Strike Breakers.