Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-08-23
CONTINUED from last week. }


Continued from last week.
The year of 1878 was made men,
orable in certain parts of the South
on account of the ravages of that
terrible scourge, the yellow fever.
which came near depopulating GER
tain towns along the Mississippi
river, where it was most severe.
Memphis, Natchez, Port Gibson and
New Orleans were among the great
est sufferers, although in proportion
to the number of inhabitants, some
of the smaller towns and villages
were even more sorely afflicted,
some of them were almost annihilat-
ed. 1t was the most frightful plague
in the history of our country. 10000
people died in it's relentless grip,
5000 in less than sixty days. Men,
phis, it was said, was reduced from
$4,000 to less than $500 by death
and stampede. The reports which
came to us in the North indicated
that the children were dying by the
hundreds. 1t seemed to me that
something ought to be done by our
people in common with other places
in the state for the relief of these
smitten ones. SO at my suggestion,
a meeting of the citizens was held
at the Methodist church one Sunday
evening. The mayor, Mr. l.. G.
Kline, was called to the chair and
brief speeches were made by prom
inent citizens, setting forth the
pressing need of immediate help af-
ter which a committee was named
to have the matter in charge, while
representatives from the different
churches and other organizations
were appointed to raise funds. In
this way a goodly sum was collected
and sent to the sufferers. But what
specially appealed to me was the
great mortality among the children,
so after carefully thinking the mat
ter over / wrote as follows 10 Mr.
Edward Russell, editor of the Da-
venport Gazette, who | felt sure
would render all the assistance in
his power:
Toledo, Iowa, Aug. 80, 1873.
Ed. Russell, ESQ.,, Dear Sir:-As
i have read the reports from strick-
en- towns in the South, from day TO
day in The Gazette, and so many
children are among the sufferers, it
has occurred to me that collection
in all the Sabbath schools of the
state for their benefit would be an
appropriate and fitting thing to be
done. Let the children of Iowa have
an opportunity to show their SYM
pathy in this substantial way. Both
giver and receiver would be benefit
ed. / propose the first Sunday in
September as the day. Should this
meet your approval, will you please
call attention to it through The
Gazette, and name some one to
whom the collections may be sent to
be forwarded South.
Very respectfully,
II. H. GREEN,
Pastor NJ. e. Church.
The next day | received the fol-
lowing personal letter from Mr.. Rus
sell, approving the suggestion and
proposing a change from the first to
the third Sunday in September for
the collection:
Davenport, Ia, Aug. 81, 1878.
Rev. II. H. Green, Toledo, Iowa,
Dear Sir and Bro.:-Your welcome
favor of the 30th received. The sug-
gestion is most opportune and COM
mendable. In the Gazette of Mon
day it shall be duly presented and
urged; modified, however, to read
the third Sunday in September. To-
morrow is the first Sunday. Time
should be given for notices in the
schools, which cannot be now pos
sible until one week from tomorrow.
Hence, the liberty of my alteration
in your suggestion, which will, II
trust, meet your approval. Be sure
that the aid then raised will be as
fully needed as now. Beyond doubt
the elimination of this fearful
scourge in the South has only been
approached, not reached. AS only a
sharp frost was ever known to real
ly stop the ravages of yellow fever,
we may make up our minds that six
weeks of woeful suffering in the
South are yet ahead. May God
move all hearts to sympathy.
Yours truly,
EDWARD RUSSELL.
p. 8. i thank you heartily fer
the suggestion. Please consider The
Gazette at your command whenever
you have any communication upon
any subject to offer. Yours, E. r.