A Family Found in Desperate Straits
A sick, destitute family in Oakesdale is discovered in squalid conditions by a community member.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
One of the saddest cases of sickness and destitution ever revealed in this county has just come to light in Oakesdale. A family by the name of Riggs had recently moved to Oakesdale after working in the harvest fields. They had no money and were soon taken sick with typhoid fever. The father, mother, and oldest child were stricken. When found by a charitably-inclined lady, the father’s face was covered with blood and bruises from falling in the yard. The baby was crawling on the floor in dirt. The home was in an unsanitary condition, and the parents were found emaciated and seemingly dead. Rev. F. G. Spaulding, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, organized relief, hired a nurse, and scrubbed the home. The physician fears there is little hope for the parents, though the community is providing aid.
“The sight which presented itself to this lady as she entered the door was indeed appalling.”
The precariousness of transient agricultural labor in 1892 remains a relevant concern in the Pacific Northwest. This story documents a community-led mutual aid response during a public health crisis before the existence of modern safety nets.
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