Seattle's Money for the Roslyn Widows and Orphans

The committee of citizens appointed at the time of the Roslyn mine explosion to collect and disburse subscriptions for the relief of the widows and orphans has made the following report to the public through its secretary, Rev. W. G. Eliot, Jr.

On May 11, the day after the mine explosion at Roslyn, in which about forty-five men were killed, a public meeting of Seattle citizens was called and the following committee appointed to canvass for funds and be responsible for their disbursement: J. N. Ronald, F. Tobias, treasurer; D. C. Garrett, secretary; Robert Bridges, J. Cattin, T. R. Fleming, G. H. Randell and Percy Rochester. A few days later Mr. Garrett was obliged to resign and his place was filled by the election of W. G. Eliot, Jr. It was voted at the public meeting to send Messrs. Bridges and Fleming to Roslyn to report upon the needs of the people. They reported all immediate need provided for. Their full report appeared in the papers.

Meetings of our committee were held May 16 and May 30 to decide the means of disbursement of the funds in hand. It was the sense of the public meeting at which our committee was appointed that the committee be responsible not merely for the collection of subscriptions and transmission of the funds, but that as far as possible it be responsible for the discriminate disbursement of those funds. The citizens of Roslyn in mass meeting adopted a pro rata plan of disbursement of the funds in their hands, but deferred action pending a possible arrangement more satisfactory to the Seattle committee, and an arrangement was proposed by us more in accord with our wishes. The plan proposed by us was deemed unwise by the committee at Roslyn.

We thought it unfair to the trust imposed upon us to transmit at that time our entire fund for an indiscriminate pro rata disbursement, and funds were therefore withheld pending special needs on the part of the beneficiaries at Roslyn and a final payment by us. Our fund was loaned on ample security at 7 per cent interest, payable on demand. This action of the Seattle committee was followed in the main by the citizens' committee of Tacoma.

While our committee would still prefer, if it were possible, at least some modification of the pro rata plan, they nevertheless have thought it best to transmit their funds to be disbursed by the committee in Roslyn according to their own plan, since we have learned that this plan has given general satisfaction and that the money, under the advice of members of the committee, has been well spent by the beneficiaries.

Our committee has incurred no expenses. All funds have been applied for the purposes intended.

Our committee offered their services in procuring temporary homes for orphans. Through us five Catholic children have been placed in the House of the Good Shepherd in this city under appropriations as appear in the treasurer's statement. The total amount collected by the citizens' committee and obtained as interest on loans was $2,995.55, of which $2,705.55 was remitted to the Roslyn committee on October 19. This sum, together with the $3,914.92 collected by the Post-Intelligencer and remitted without delay to Roslyn, makes a total of $6,910.47 raised in Seattle. The total amount received by the Roslyn committee on July 2, when it made its report, was $9,929.14, of which over one-third was remitted by the Post-Intelligencer. The amount just remitted by the citizens' committee would raise this total to $12,634.69.