Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-02-19
BRINGING RELIEF TO BELGIANs.

Through the kindness of Mrs. Eta
]. Gilbert OF Monticello, Illinois, we
are permitted to give our readers a
letter which Mrs. T. ]. Jacobs receiv-
ed from her daughter, Mrs. Ralph Nor
ton, in which she tells some interest
ing facts about the work which she
and her husband are doing among the
destitute Belgian peoples. Following
is the letter:
I'VE left Londan the 18th Of Decem-
Der, bringing with us over ton of
food and clothing, part for ourselves
but Of course the great part for the
Belgians We have another ton OF
clothing, ETC.. coming by boat to Ant
werp.
General Gillani, the Chief of Staff
Of the Belgian Army, had telegraphed
us permission to come to Belgium as
it is not yet open to civilians and sent
a motor car to Boulogne to meet us al
so a motor lorry to carry our boxes
and bales.
sit took us two days to reach Brus-
sells from Boulogne, although in ordi-
nary conditions the trip could be made
in seven hours. We spent the night at
Ostend. shall never forget the trip,
our motor car took us right over the
battlefield, Belgian trenches, then
across No Mans Land, now drained
of water with which it was flooded,
then past the German trenches. Thru
villages utterly destroyed with not
person nor any living thing In sight,
mile after mile we travelled thus,
through wind and rain, although we
were comfortable enough in our clos
ed car. Practically all the way to
BRUSSELS we were following the trail
of war in the path Of the retreating
German armies and there were shell
holes along the road and shelled homes
all the way. And all the way, too,
such a pitiful procession of returning
refugees all on foot pulling carts or
carrying their few goods on their
backs, returning to homes that are
destroyed. They will put together a
few boards and stones and try to make
a habitable place In which to live.
There are practically no horses or au-
tos left in Belgium. Germans took
them all, also their trains and rolling
stock So the poor Belgians must
walk. The spirit of the people here is
so broken it will take them years to
pull up.
Eve had long hunt in BRUSSELS to
find hotel. At last we found one
with central heating and electric
lights. We have one room and pre-
pare our breakfast and supper. But
when we do 60 out food and clothing
are almost out of reach. $50 pair for
shoes, butter So pound, tin of con-
densed milk $1.20, ordinary meat $1.75
per pound, a~half pound chocolate S..
Yesterday we actually paid $500 qt
for wood alcohol for our cooker, but
that is cheaper than eating out
Eve have had distribution of Christ
mas gifts to 1000 men here and at Ant
werp. Peter is here and passes much
Ilu1C Will 10 I1c WCuI " <AAl"CIp
with us and we visited his home and
little wife Jeanne. All day long we
have callers. soldiers, pastors, etc, and
conversions, wonderful ones l wish
had time to tell you all about them
1--WE plan to ge next week to the in
dustrial district, Charleroi, Mems, Etc,
where they say the suffering is most
acute, with our boxes Of clothing and
several tons of oatmeal and condens-
ed milk We are needing all kinds OF
warm or other clothing and piece
goods for these people to make up.
Send all goods to Miss Margaret
Baines, 1876 School Lane, Germantown,
Philadelphia, Pa, and she can send
them to us through the Belgian Consul
at New York. We have had'a receiv-
ing room given us free by an Antwerp
firm near the dock. Our address for