CLARA BARTON DIARIES AND JOURNALS Jan-May 1887 Diary of journey .05 Texan Drought from first to last January,1887 Clara Barton Washington D.C. President American National Red Cross. 1887 January About January 15th it became apparent that some one should go to Texas to investigate the extent of the Drought that had prevailed there during several months running into years and it was decided that Dr Hubbell & myself should go. and that we would leave Washington on the 19. 11.20 P.M. Wednesday - On Monday I had called upon President Cleveland who desired me to write him how I found things. On Tues I went with Mr Breckenridge to call on Mr Bayard, who would recommend an appropriation of 3000 for the Red Cross Conference at Carlsruhe 1000 apiece for two delegates and 1000 for the expenses for the Conference I gave copies of Reports to Mr Bayard- Breckenridge and Mrs Baker Domestic - settled with Mary Barton for board of Dr Hubbell and Mr. Hitz and paid my proportion of gas bill 2.80 his charge for the two gentlemen is 25, Dolls per month. Mrs. Taylor and Maggie Smith repaired travelling dress that Miss McKnight made my brocade plush, paid for material and for work _$5_20_25 = should perhaps send $10 more. paid Alfred to date- he will not come in our absence paid Mr Hitz $10 to date _ did not pay milk bill. Mr Smith came on Sunday and took photos and I engaged 100 at 15 Dolls of the large portrait and will order perhaps the same of Decorations. He will send photos to Albany Texas. The Decorations are to be $12.50 per hundred I got 100 copies Red + Books at State Dept and left 50 addresses with Mr Brown to send 1887 Jan 19 1887 Wed. Left Washington for N.Y. to attend Soroses Dinner the next evening at Delmonico's Thursday 20 Jany Ruffin took us to train paid him for trunks 1.00 left at 11.20.P.M. arrd N.Y. 2 am. went to Phillips -188.18 " Mary Gage 28 W 45 " Fordham at 2 1/2- wrong trunk came Dr not there Mrs Thomas went without me - Dr came and we went in time for dinner Soroses - 20th Sat bet Mrs Thomas and Genl Horace Porter - made a few remarks. a fine entertainment returned to Fordham at 3 next morning I found myself in great trouble with irritated skin attributed to a new set of underwear a little fear, mental strain & nervousness slept in Mrs Thomases warm chamber, she was pleasant - but the strain had been great 1887 Jan. 21, Friday Left after breakfast with Mrs. Thomas for Phil. Left her in N.Y. -got Our trunks over to Jersey City. Expressed the steamer Trunk to Washington 1.00 Wrote Mr Hitz to receive it Adams Express- Left Jersey City for Phil At 7 p.m. Remained at A German Hotel 'Vose' Over night- comfortable In German honesty and simplicity- am troubled by my heated blood- Go for medicine- rainy- Jan. 22. Saturday [Left] Telegraphed to John Brown- Albany Texas .75 To N. O. Nelson & Miss Dix St. Louis- .35 Got lunch for basket at A fine bakery op. Market. Left at 10 1/2 for Texas Had bot our tickets in New York for St Louis At 18.50 each. $37.00 via Balt & Ohio R.R. Our route took us back To Wash. Dr. got left = I Went on to Washington Junction, and was stopped by dispatch Over 87 Jan. 22, Sat. con. I waited till 6 1/2 PM train for Dr. who came we then waited till 11.20 for night-through train- gave supper to little runaway boy- It was too late to take a sleeper with comfort & we got on without- I suffered intensely from the condition I had got in from over heating in N.Y. We passed on without incident to next morng when we reached Grafton, Virginia- 87 Jan. 23 Sunday From Grafton we rode till evening and reached Cincinnati. and continued on to St. Louis having telegraphed our delay to both Mr. Nelson and Miss Dix. We took a sleeper and had a most enjoyable supper of our own - sleeper 2.00 + 2.00 = 4.00 Arrived early only some 7 1/2 a.m. at St. Louis - our dispatches had said we would like to meet them 87 Jan 24. Monday Arr. [arrived] St. Louis 7 1/2 day light- saw no one. tried to telephone Mr. Nelson and Leslie - Bot [bought] tickets to Albany, Texas via Missouri, Pacific Road- Through Indian Territory - via Sedalia Dennison & Fort Worth Tickets each {$26.40 x 2 = $42.80} (tel. 2 John Brown) trunks rechecked at St. Louis- Took train at 9 : Travelled till night took sleeper @ 2 @ $4.00 came to Eufala [Eufaula] 87 Jan. [January] 25 Tuesday Eufala [Eufaula] I am better having stopped yesterday at Sedalia & bot [bought] night dresses, gloves, ribbon etc and was able this morning to get off all my extra under wear- Met on train Mrs. Dr. Johns who lives at Savannah Ind [Indian] Teritory [Territory] - She is a Universalist, but knows no one of her faith - nor how she came to be one. 1887 Jan. 25 Fort Worth We arrived at Fort Worth about 7 PM could get no farther than cicso and decided to remain in hotel till morning- the Telegraph Operator came into the station- very genial we had a restful night and at 8 1/2 next morning went on to Cisco Fort Worth has several Artisian Wells- 1887 Jan 26 - Cisco & Albany arr'd at Cisco abt 2 PM, went to & were met at train by a deputation of good men who took us to hotel and spent the afternoon with us- I explained the Red Cross to them - they invited us to return and go over the county with them. They said the RR. transportation had been forfeited by misuse of the privilege by dishonest merchants and sympathy lent by Land Merchants 26 Wed - Cisco to Albany We dined - paid 1.00 gave to landlady 1.00 " " Porter .25 paid [?] .50 cts $3.75 Took train at 6 for Albany no one in car with us Met on arrival by John Brown - taken to house of Mr. Reynolds Mrs. R. A. Matthews - daugh. of Joseph M Had tea, found mail letter from M. Hitz 1887 27 Jan. Albany Thursday Call in AM from Mrs. [crossout] Bartholomew cashier of 1st Nat BK of which M Reynolds is President Bartholomew a soldier of Dorrs Regt 1st Conn cavalry went to dine at Mr. Moore's in PM a company of gent & ladies Mr. Matthews, M Reynolds Mr. Moore - John Brown Mrs. B. Judge Hart- returned to M . Reynolds to sleep. Friday Jan 28. Trip at 10 took hack with John Brown, Judge Hal county Judge & Dr. with driver for Hulltown 12 miles - went to store lunched - met clergy visited school taught by Mrs. Rolls & daughter 70 scholars - went to visit families - spent night at Bryer Stablery Mrs. S a Rockwell horse ranch Met at [?] Mr. & Mrs. Hublow of Chicago once Sat. [Saturday] Jan [January] 29, Hulltown we had slept [cl??e] took breakfast - went to church at 10 - met a Baptist [pretr??ted?] meeting - took depositions of men & women addressed them - left at 12 - for home decided to visit the ranch of Duncan & Hay of Albany - 5 by 6 miles square - two fine young scotch men - alone with their help & animals and work - home at dusk. Sunday Jan 30 - Spent the day at Mr Reynolds - Monday 31 - Took team and with John Brown Judge Peter Hart Dr. & I drove to Breckenridge to meet the people took lunch on the way - and at 4 pm Met the people in the school house and I addressed them. There were a hundred or so Tuesday 31 Staid that night with Mr & Mrs Neal felt homesick it grew very cold. Thermometer fell 60 degrees in 12 hours - I was so warm yesterday that we could need no wraps and came home next day with hot soaks - came back to Mr. Reynolds - and it was the last of a [giving?] any the people. The days from this have been passed in Albany at Mr. Geo. T. Reynolds made a visit to Judge Bartholomew & staid overnight called next mrng on Mrs. Vernon who is ill - has a little daughter May Vernon who gave me a card & a little mat of her own makng - I sent some underclothes Mr Boyd who is clerk in the Bank came and took in short hand from dictation. three or four days till we get off all our old mail, writing some 30 to 40 letters in the time - The problem of relief seems as great as ever - _ untill the appropriation of the 100,000 and the appointment of commissioners to distribute it which commenced about the 8th But as early as the 4th _ or 5 the rain commenced to fall by degrees, the weather came cloudy, and on Sunday the 6, the streets were so muddy that few went to church - We went however to hear John Brown who preached a good Universalist sermon - was much as he asserted and argued to prove that all who saw Christ would become like him - and 2d - that all would see him - Monday 7 Feb no train came till night (midnight) visitors all day, did no work really but posted the letters at night Mr. Conrad came to consult abt going to Dallas to see Mr. Belo, and sent dispatch, this and a telegram telling that Judge Flemming was to come, made us stay over and not take the train of next mornng but we were very much worried about it. Tuesday 8 Febr. I had taken a head cold, and was half sick - The mail came from last nights train 3 letters from Mr. Hitz and two congressional Records. One concerning Mr. Lanham's [send?] 10,000 Bill another - The appropriation for the conference at Carlesruhe $4,000 all seemed to be going on well & we answered by dictation in P.M. and Mr. Conrad came with a reply to his dispatch that Mr. Belo would be in Dallas all the week This settled it that we go on Thursday and stop at Dallas I made bold to speak to Mr. Conrad about a R + society To my delight - he approved, and would consult with Judge Bartholomew and call - it was done, Mrs. Reynolds - Mrs Bartholomew & Mrs. [Givon?] were invited Into my room, & the matter of an Albany Red Cross was conversed - & it was unanimously decided to have the society formed - The conversation was long. The meeting broke up only after dark & it was decided that we go to dine Wednesday with Mrs. Geren at the Hotel where Dr. is a guest After the meeting, Mrs. Smith with her husband called she is the distributor of supplies. & a whole woman for such work. We presumed to call on her tomorrow - After she left - the subject of how the Society would occupy itself and get its resources Mrs. Reynolds asking me - saying We are not to just sit down and fold our hands in safety. I said no you are to do something to get money. to work with - you are to get rich" I then mildly suggested that they start a Red + Stock ranch, and raise cattle, The idea took and I think it was then decided that the Albany Red + School raise cattle and become a power - All to whom it was mentioned, approved - and I called it a settled thing that this would become the richest society - the Red + would have I could see a little now what I had gone to Texas for, but I still hoped to do something for the real cause which took me At length it was decided that Mr. Conrad should go with me to Dallas, & that we went for Judge Flemming He came on Tuesday 8th - And decided to start by the next outgoing train. Thursday 10 Wednesday 9 - Dined at M of the Hotel - a fine occasion. Packed our trunks and made us ready to leave next morning at 6 - The maid brought several letters and one from Mr. Doremus of the Dallas News asking an explanation of my telegram would I write and say what I desired I was glad I had taken the operation receipt = for I know he had garbled my dispatch and I ought to report him - About midnight I got the last - packing done and got as much sleep as I could till 5 - for my terrible cold We sent the trunks to the station at 4 1/2 or so and finished up the hand packages - said the goodbyes wrote in all the remaining albums and had now but one more work in Texas to do - for this we started Thursday 10. Went in the dark to the station, found Judge Flemming - Mr. Conrad to Judge Bartholomew Went to Cisco - stopped at Haus House the Tipsy woman with The gold belt at 2 oclock went on to Dallas - and at 10 at night put up at the [crossout] Windsor Hotel - Slept well & am to see Genl Belo tomorrow Friday 11, 87 After breakfast Judge J. and Mr. Conrad came in with Genl Belo who was not at all the kind of person I expected, but just the person I would have had him to be and an old Dansville patient - said he knew my house in Dansville was there in '84, while I was in Europe - we had a most enjoyable visit - I told him I wanted the News to open a [subscription] for seed he asked me to see one of his reporters and say what I wish to - Later came Mr. Doremus of the News and then came the explanation of the dispatch - The operator Dolphin had left out all the middle of it and sent 160, words in the place of 307 which I had paid him for and had his receipt - Mr. Doremus had the original message which was received and sent it to me - so I had the entire evidence in my hand A copy of my own dispatch sent to Dolphin the original dispatch read from him at Dallas and his receipt - Mr. Doremus desired me to report him at Headquarters - and he shall dismiss him from their service - I wrote an article for the News - made a personal subscription of 20 dollars for the seed fund sent them all around to the News and took sleeper at 10 1/2 for St. Louis Drought work done Saturday 12- rode all day through Arkansas. had an unpleasant porter was on the train all night and only got to St. Louis Sunday Morning 13th when we had decided to wait over a day in the hope of saving some of the society Sunday 13 Arrd [arrived] at St. Louis about 7 1/2 drink a Lemonade - hot at a restaurant. Dr. wants breakfast Went to Southern Hotel and sent messages to Mrs. Leslie & Mrs. Dix but found neither waited for the train 8 in the evening. Address M.A. Fanning Mayor's Office Andrew Leslie 3131 Franklin Ave. [avenue] Monday 14, We had made a run to Cincinnati in the night - Dr. Went out to breakfast I was too ill to go had the hardest day of all, I think. Could scarcely sit up and had too much pain in my head to lie it down. I find it must be neuralgia. At night took sleeper and had a hard long night. Tuesday 15 At Washington Junction a little sprinkling of snow in the plowed fields and brown grass - and sleet over everything - an hour will take us home if all goes well - A long hard journey will have been made without a dollar of help or return, much of strength lost, and time given up that was needed at home Feb. Tuesday 15 - con. Still something may have been gained to someone, I feel that the drought call has come to an end. Through it John Brown had gotten himself armed and equipped to rush out into the North and clamor for a million of Dollars, The Texas press was all ready to fight him harder than before. The facts would never have gotten before the people with all this going on. He would have paid no attention to the commissioners. There would have been no way of getting seed into the state from outside and not being called upon it - would not have been offered by the people inside as it is, if the press takes it- up vigorously I see no reason why the state will not furnish its own seed. The commissioners go or with their distribution. The farms plant their grain and John Brown run his church - and the country at large have a rest from Texas drought. I feel that we may have largely contributed to this status of better things. That the people will get better served with what they need and be kept out of some of the dangers and ill effects of a large system of alms taking- paid Mr. Hitz for service from Feb 20 to March 12 time of settlement 15. he continuing his leave with Mary till April 1st at which time I closed with the Mr Hitz - - March 30 87 I paid Prof Haupt for sermon lessons for Dr Hubell 20 This makes the bill for five weeks instruction I also paid my own at same time & we took a joint receipt Apr 2 Dr. Hubbell paid me back for his tuition to Prof. Haupt- for German lessons - $20. also Paid his board for the month of April while he takes German - 12 also for his car fare each day to German classes 3. making in all 35. - April 2 I paid Dr. Hubbell towards his yearly salary the sum of $321. being the remainder of the money at Riggs Bk. when the check for 5000 dols was drawn for sending to St. Paul. This was the remaining sum of [Granville?] and constitutes all. There still remains to be paid the remainder of Dr. Hubbell's salary to Aug. - 1887 April 8 paid to Spedden for photographs bought out by Mr. [Spedden?] 12.50 Paid for paints and oils to paint outside rear of house 4 gals 50 lbs. lead 5 lbs. ochre - 1 gal turpentine $6.50. Paid Pollard for wood had in [winter?] $3.50. April 15 Drew check of Boston Hospital Fund at Rigg $485.17 Checks of Masons of Boston $200. Deposited $400 of the hospital money to my personal credit and took the $85.00 in cash to use. Deposited $100 of the Mason money to Red Cross fund and Paid Dr. Hubbell the other $100. April 15 My Bank accts at Riggs Stand Personal c $267. added notes 400 $6.67 Red Cross $100. (April 12) Gave Johnny $ To go to Mt Vernon $5.00 May 2 1887 Sent check on Brown his to David Barton. $20. Gave check to John S. Stafford. to sent to his family at home. $25. Paid Alfred for month of April as agreed $15. Paid Mary Barton for Board of Dr. Hubbell - he having previously paid the money to me for the time of his German lessons April - For Board of Johnny Stafford for month of April. Bill for gas etc Daniel Curry 135 D S. E. Want to go under instruction as draftsman at the navy yard. Transcribed and reviewed by volunteers participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.