The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-05-28
ACTIVITY OF RED CROSS
In COUNTY IS REVIEWED
15S Families Have Received
Food, Clothing, Seed for Plant
ing and Feed For Stock
FORTY WOTURN FARMERS

A recent report of the drought
relief, carried on by the Ameri-
can Red Cross through it's local
chapter with Mrs. E. 2. Tower,
chairman, and Mr.. j. M. Jarboe,
treasurer, shows that during the
past two months a total of 158
families, comprising SIT individ-
uals, have been aided by the do
nation of foodstuffs, clothing, seed
for garden planting and feed for live
stock, and that practically all of these
families were in DESTITUTE circum-
stances.
In an interview yesterday with Mrs.
Tower, who has the work of relief in
charge, closer insight into what the
American Red Cross has been doing,
was learned by The Republican re-
porter and is passed on to the read-
ers of the paper. ~
Two or three months ago the sum
of $1,000 was received from the Ma
tional Red Gross for drought relief in
Garrett county. The Red Cross fund
was to take care of those not able to
receive money through the farm relief
program. 1t did not provide any
funds for the unemployed, but only
for those who did not have sufficient
of cultivation 70
come under the farm relief plan.
The 1853 families who received help
were in the Kitzmiller, Deer Park,
Sines and Swallow Falls commune
ties; at Bloomington and in the vicin-
ity of Swanton, in the majority of
cases. One case in particular was
cited by Mrs. Tower. There was in
one house thirteen persons. First, the
mother; the oldest son was 81, Grip
pie as the result of rheumatic con-
dition; another son, %, who had to-
do the farming. There were nine chill
dren altogether, the youngest 7. There
were two grandchildren and the wo-
mans mother, 70, cripple. One of
the boys was an invalid. The hus-
band deserted his family last winter
and nothing has been heard of him
since that time. The crops on this
farm failed last year; the children
had to attend school, going to and
coming from the school barefoot;
there was nothing in the house to-
eat and nothing with which to feed
the stock, which were practically dead
from starvation. This is one instance.
Others were not as horrible, but they
were horrible enough.
"Many other cases listed were just
as pitiful,". Mrs. Tower stated. "In
all worthy cases we helped to the ex-
tent that our funds would allow. Most
of the clothing and shoes went to the
children, but staple groceries, etc.,
were distributed to the entire FAM
lily"
A total of ITS packages of garden
seed were received from the National
Red Cross and distributed, each pack
age containing enough to plant plot
100x100 feet. More than 125 BUSH
els of seed potatoes have also been
distributed and planted by those who
were destitute.
FOrty-TwO Turn Farmers
In the Kitzmiller section many fam.
lilies had no vegetables and no place
to raise them, Through Rev. Kupfer,
of Kitzmiller, the County Commits
sioners of Garrett county donated the
use of the ground of the Dodson Coal
Mining, Company, which recently res
verted to the county by reason of the
non-payment of taxes. The ground
available for garden use, was staked
off in plots and numbered. Packages
of seed were distributed and now
there are forty-two men, the majority
of whom are coal miners h8amilies
have turned to farming the plots Of
ground thus made available.
Besides the $1,000 received from
National Headquarters, Mrs. Tower
pointed out, the local chapter has ex-
pended all of it's Roll Call money and
has dipped into the reserve in order
to help those in need, one section
alone having received $3.50. Some Of
the local chapter funds have been re-
ceived by the unemployed who are
eager to work but can't find anything
to do.
For every cent expended report
must be kept and sent to National
Headquarters, some of the forms be-
ing in quadruplicate. The brunt of
determining who should receive food,
money, clothing, etc., and the filling
out of these reports, is being done by
Mrs. Tower after investigating the
needs of those making application for
help or upon reports sent her mans
ing any that should be assisted. 4