Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/355

322 1888, which swept away almost the entire town, leaving the people destitute and homeless; Florida yellow-fever, 1888; Johnstown disaster, where Miss Barton personally distributed $250,000.00 and spent months laboring- in the field for and with the stricken people in 1889; Russian famine, 1892; Pomeroy, Iowa, cyclone, 1893; South Carolina Islands hurricane and tidal wave of 1893-4; Armenia massacres, 1896; Cuban reconcentrado relief, 1889-1900, where Miss Barton and her staff spent months among these absolutely destitute and suffering people before the declaration of war, saving thousands of lives, establishing orphan asylums and hospitals, a work which claimed the highest commendation from Senator Proctor, of Vermont, on the floor of the Senate, after he had visited the island to know positively the conditions; Spanish-American War.

Miss Barton having in 1908 preceded the army and the navy by many weeks on the chartered steamer "State of Texas" loaded with medical, surgical, sanitary and other supplies, was prepared to save many lives before the government bad anything ready, Galveston storm and tidal wave 1909, requiring unprecedented strength and courage, patience and expenditure of money.

Miss Barton modestly omits to speak of the innumerable appeals made to her for aid in all directions. The United States Marshal at Key West, Florida, in his dilemma of how to provide for the people on board the captured vessels—many of them aliens, Cubans and some American citizens who had no means of support or for transportation—petitioned Miss Barton for relief until provision could be made for them. Her response was immediate. By her direction, for many days, food, medicine, and all their needs were supplied by Miss Barton until after long official delays the proper authorities finally assumed the responsibilities they should have taken in the beginning.