Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-12-21
MONONGAH ASKS RELIEF
Governor Of West Virginia Heads
Appeal Committee.
$50 600 ALREADY SUBSCRIBED
ESQ Widows and 1000 Children To &c
Provided For-sonoc Relief To
Be Sent Abroad.

relief committee, headed By Governor
NJ. NJ. Q. Dawson, to provide for the
widows and orphans In distress
through the recent explosion at the
mines of the Fairmont Coal Co, at
Monongah, has prepared an appeal for
funds that is being sent to chambers
Of commerce and kindred organiza-
tons all over the country.
All newspapers are urged to aid in
the work by receiving contributions
acknowledging them through their
columns and sending them to the
treasurer.
Contributions of clothing. toys for
the orphans at Christmas time are to
be sent to w. H. Moore, mayor Of
Monongah, and chairman OF the com
mittee, looking after the temporary
wants of the victims The commit
tees appeal follows:
cat Monongah, w. Va. on Friday,
December 6, an explosion in the mines
Of the Fairmont Coal Co. resulted in
the death of approximately $50 en-
ployes
"Monongah is mining town Of
about 5000 inhabitants. This disaster
has destroyed almost one-half of the
bread winners. The other half is com
posed Of employees Of two other mines
Of the same company, and of the usu-
al stores, etc, which go to make up
purely mining community.
Fully $50 widows and 1000 chill
dren are left without any means Of
support. The most OF these families
live in the company's houses at Mo-
nongah, the remaining ones in va
rious countries of Europe. The COM
pany has generously declared that the
families occupying its houses may re-
main until other provision is made
for them, but operations cannot be re-
sumed at the endangered mines until
these houses are available for the new
force. Many of the resident families
win want to return to their relatives
in their native countries OF Europe
The other resident families must seek
community in which they can earn
a livelihood -
aid must be given these families
to reach their new abodes and to help
them establish themselves, and the
families living abroad must be provid-
ed for until they can adjust them
selves to their new conditions,
AS near as can be determined a.
this time about $4,000 from all
sources has been subscribed Upon the
basis of $500 for each widow and $500
for each child under 16 years If age
$4,000 will be required. At least
s25 600 additional will be needed to
provide. on relatively the same basis
for the aged dependents Of the unmar-
ried victims. the many now unborn
children and the undoubted accessions
to the married victims list when
complete information has been re,
ceived.
The committee feels that basis
lower than the above win not be ade-
ouate to provide for the needs of the
bereaved ones and total OF 100000
viii therefore be required to carry out
the relief work on this basis
The immediate needs Of the resi-
dent families are being met by the
eompany and committee of women
from Fairmont and Monongah.
The committee begs to express its
profound gratitude for the contribu-
tons already so genelo usly made and
10 earnestly appeal for the further as
sistance that it fees is SO badly need
ed.
The magnitude of this disaster is
too great for West Virginia alone to
render all the help required. 1t com
mands national attention, and the
committee feels assured that its ap
peal win be heard and responded to
by the nation
All checks should be made payable
to the Monongah Mines Relief Com
mittee, J. e. Sands, treasurer, Fair
mont, w. Va.
w. NJ. O. DAWSON.
Governor Of West Va, Chairman;
p. j. DONAHUE,
Bishop of Wheeling;
JOHN w. MASON,
Judge Circuit Court;
W. F. ARNETT,
Mayor of Fairmont;
w H. MOORE,
Mayor of Monongah;
A. HOWARD FLEMING,
Postmaster Of Fairmont, Secretary.