The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-04
NOEL BACK FROM
 STORM DISTRICT
Governor of Mississippi Says
 Suffering Is Great
RELIEF FROM MANY PLACES
Committees fer Aiding the Storm 6uf. ferers Are Working 5ystematleal. ly end Doing All In Their Power
 To Relieve the Destitute.

Jackson. Mss. May 2-(Specia1 )-Gov- ernor Noel has returned from a visit to Hattiesburg and Purvls, where he went to overlook the tornado situation and con- suit with the representatives of the fed- eral government, and of the Red Cross and with the general relief committee of Hattlesburg, and the local committed and general meeting of the citizens of Purvis,
 According to Governor Noel's informa- ton and observation. general conditions, resulting from the tornado, from its en- trance In tho state near Baskerville to It's exit near Waynesboro, are fully as destructive IS has been published. Noth- ing has been done towards rebuilding further than some work on cheap and quickly made buildings for temporary use and some other work towards sheltering and protecting merchandise and house. hold goods. The wounded are being cared for at the Hattiesburg hospitals, which have been maintained at heavy expense borne chiefly by the Hattiesburg people Within the next day or two, the Red Cross society will probably take charge of this hospital service and maintain 1t as long as may be necessary, commence ing with 34 nurses and Dr. N. T. Mo- Lean of the United States navy as chief surgeon, and aided by the physicians at Hattlesburg, who have rendered voluntary and excellent service from the start Dr. Hermesch of the United States navy has been and will continue his good field ser vice, visiting such parts of the tornado districts I,i operating with local physicians
 From the beginning President Roosevelt through the war department, has rendered sucn 1ood, drugs, surgeons and tents as may be needed. These will be furnished on the requisition of Major Devol To- cated at Hattiesburg, and representing the war department and the Society of the Red Cross which society is maintained by voluntary donations, and will furnish nurses and delicacies for the sick and clothing for such as were rendered neces- sitous by the tornado. The same com mittee of relief, general at Hattiesburg, and local at Purvis and elsewhere, will be continued for the purpose of both as- certaining and supplying needs of food, tents clothing and medical attention Each county should have such an organi- zation of it's own and make it's wants known to Major Devol at Hattiesburg, who will keep in touch with the chairman of the committee and through him furnish needed relief k. F. Phillips will continue as chairman and V. M. Scan Ian as treasurer of the general relief com mittee at Hattiesburg, and all contribu- tions to them will be accurately and faithfully administered and accounted for. By unanimous vote the people of Lamar county asked for relief in their meeting at their court house Thursday, both from the federal government and the Red Cross society, and they were well pleased with Major Devol and Drs. McLain and Her mesch and what they had done and pro- posed to do, and extended to them their grateful thanks. Under the present ar
 engagements all along the tornado dis trict from the Louisiana line to Ala bama in South Mississippi all who need it and will make their wants known through the chairman of their county or ganzation will be furnished with 30 days rations and the use of an army tent. Major Devol has made requisition for such rations and tents to the war depart ment for 25OO people, and more will be obtained if their needs are made known to him through county organizations. The state had nothing that it could pro- vide for tornado sufferers, except the use of the charity hospitals at Natchez, convenient to those at that place, and Ma tional Guardsmen for protection and some tents for shelter. The executive contingent fund is altogether insufficient to meet the ordinary demands upon it for expenses of the governors office and funds for pun ishment and detention of crimes, includ- ing rewards Labor of convicts is pro- hbited by law as being a crime when ap- piled to any purpose except on the states own property, and on public roads and levees, and only then when not needed on the farms, and when at no eX- pense to the state. For these reasons Governor Noel could furnish no aid from the exevutive contingent fund, nor would convicts The whole of that fund would not have defrayed half of the contribu- tons made by Hattiesburg alone during the past week The knowledge of the inability of the state to provide relief made that tendered by the federal gov ernment and the benevolent people neces- sary.