The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-02-23

row ~thoroughfare walled high on both
sides with huge bales Of absorbent cot
ton. 1t is in the great warehouse
which Irving L. Bush donated to the
American Red Cross. and it is at the
Bush Terminal In Brooklyn, says the
New York Times.
Absorbent cotton is a gift that the
warning nations Of Europe greatly
appreciate. according to Albert W.
Staub, the superintendent Of the Ma
tional Receiving and Shipping Station,
Of the American Red Cross. Between
Aug. /, 1914. and jan. s, 1915, the
amount Of this valuable commodity
which the American Red Cross sent
to the warning armies was 772,9OO
tons. And The Times reporter who
recently went to the Red Cross ooms
In the Bush Terminal saw awaiting
shipment more bales of absorbent cot
ton than he could count.
But absorbent cotton is only one
sort OF necessary which the reporter
saw during this momentous visit to
Brooklyn. He saw great rows Of tall
packing cases, each row marked with
a huge sign bearing the inscription
Austria" Belgium" Holland"
Germany" "Servia," England" or
the name of some other European
country. And in these he learned
were supplies of various sorts-Sur-!
gical dressings. hospital supplies. and
clothing. sent to embattled Europe by
warmhearted citizens in every State
of the Union.
These bales" said Supt. Staub,
indicating the rows already mentioned,
contain absorbent cotton. These bar
rels contain Stacked lime. These cases
contain hospital clothing. and these
surgical dressings"
1t Is a large building, this ware
house where the Red Cross supplies
pause on their journey to Europe, but
the gifts are so large and numerous
a Supt. Staub and his assistants
have little space in which to work.
Yet the supply is far less han the
demand. 1t is no slight task to Stanch
the wounds of Europe.
There was n case which the re-
porter saw which was open and on
tanned nothing but absolutely worm
out shoes. heelless shoes. soleless
shoes and shoes broken and torn be-
yond hope Of mending. The strange
thing about it was not that there was
q case full of worthless shoes, but
that there was only that m case Of
hem. There have been very few
things sent to the American Red Cross
that were not fit to be sent on to their
destination. There have been some
few cases Of p~erishable foodstuffs
IL haNo OCCIl Solu ~ liz OcIlCIit
of the American Red Cross charitable
funds) and a few garments too o
and tattered to be Of use. But most
of the articles sent have been new.
sound, M useful.
OF the packing cases which fill the
Red Cross rooms in the Bush Termi-
nal some have not been opened, and
are already marked with the name
of the country of their destination
These haVo hpnn Spnt hV Cnpno Of the
chapters Of the American Red Cross
or by other responsible organizations
and the donors have designated the
countries to which they desire thei1
gifts to be sent. For instance. some
society in Tennessee may believe thai
there is a great need for muslin band
ages In Austria Ca safe supposition,
and may send a case of muslin ban
ages, made in accordance with tn
printed specifications sent out by thu
American Red Cross. to the Busl
Terminal. That society in Tennessee,
may rest assured that it's gifts will
shield only Austrian wounds.
Supt. Staub has established a mos
thorough and efficient system of distri
button, and the gifts are sent out wit
absolute fidelity to the wishes of tn
donors.
One common misconceptiOn of tn
work of the American Red Cross (du
TO the popularity of knitting anon
American women this winter) is tina
mufflers and socks are the chief thing
sent abroad. There are mufflers an
socks by the hundred sent every weel
but these form but a small part q
Americas gift to Europe. And tn
mufflers are not the slight decorative
bands whcih we know by that name
they are substantial garments. The
are OF heavy wool. two yards long an
a foot wide, and when they al
wrapped about the wearer's body the
form an excellent substitute for
sweater.
Not all the supplies that come
the Bush Terminal are marked wit
the name of the country to which the
are sent. Many gifts (and these al
perhaps the most acceptable) are sci
to the American Red Cross to |
given out at that society's disCretiO
Euch supplies are distributed with a.