Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 August 1877 — Sad Plight and Happy Relief of a Suffering Family. [ARTICLE]

Sad Plight and Happy Relief of a Suffering Family.

Last week, during the excitement of the big strike, a sad scene occurred at the State Line Depot. One of the morning trains brought in a family from New York City, consisting of a man, woman and three children. • They were literally starving. Three weeks ago they left their home on Pearl street to come west to this city. They bought their tickets and then had a few dollars left, enough, as they thought, to render them comfortable after their arrival here, until the husband, John Carr, could find employment. Mrs. Carr has been for years a cripple and also in poor health. This was one of the causes that prompted the removal west Soon after leaving the city the oldest boy, a little over five years of age, was taken dangerously ill, and the party was obliged to leave the train to give it the care and attention it required. For three weeks they tarried along the route, and at length found their last penny exhausted and nothing remaining but their tickets to this place. They entered the cars and on Friday landed at the State Line Depot. The husband at once inquired for work, and was directed by the depot master to the grading force at the new depot, where work had that morning been resumed. Kissing his wife and children he hastened away. The wife and children settled down upon the platform against the depot building, amid their small packages and bundles, to await the return of the husband and father. Soon the little ones began to sway to and fro and moan and cry most piteously. One of the officers inquired of the little girl, the oldest child, about seven years of age, what she was crying about. “ Off, we are all so hungry,” ana then the moan ing began again by all the little ones, sadder and more heart-touching than ever. The officer took the child and led her away to a baker’s on Twelfth street, and purchased some cakes, which she began to eat most ravenously. The others almost choked when they began to eat, and the poor sick child took one or two bites of cake and fell over in a spasm. It was then that the poor woman told her sad story to those who gathered around and questioned her. They had not tasted a morsel of food for three days, and were literally starving in the midst of plenty. In an instant Depot-Master Freidenburg’s hand went down into his pocket, and, laying in its broad palm a silver half-dollar, he started a subscription. Men out of work, strikers whose last dime lay in their pockets, brought it forth and added it to the contribution; travelers and citizens, both men and women, all made their sympathy manifest, and $lO found its way into the woman’s hands, who could only weep her thanks—her heart was too full for words. Then a physician came and prescribed for the sick child. Henry brought forward from the depot lunch stand a most bountiful repast, and the starving ones were given a feast of welcome to the New Chicago. The poor woman was bewildered, she could not understand it all. “ You couldn’t set a penny in New York,” said she, “ to saveyou from starving.” Then a team was brought up, and the woman and children were taken to the old Citv Hall, Where they remained until Saturday night. In the meantime, the husband worked all that long Friday afternoon without food, to earn a few cents to feed, as he thought, his starving family. And how his heart must have rejoiced and his famished body gained strength when he found his wife and little ones had been so kindly cared for and placed beyond the reach of hunger and want, and his sick child well provided for.— Hantat City (Mo.) Journal. Business at Niagara Falls is suspended at the bridge, is falling off at the Falls, and is less hack-tive - all around there.— Bouton Foot. .