With housing, clothing and feeding problems solved for the time being, New Bern’s relief workers are today giving their attention to the important questions of sanitation and employment.
Last night passed quietly with no disorder of any kind. Members of the local battery unit and soldiers form Camp Bragg patrolled the city and turned in their report this morning that they had met with no evidences of any trouble.
Close to 3,000 of the homeless are still being cared for and are being fed and provided with shelter.
Insurance matters are receiving attention and committees are at work on the employment situation.
An official statement from Carter Taylor, chief of field work of the Southern Division of Red Cross, is as follows:
“The Citizens Relief Committees have the refugee situation well in hand. Everyone of those rendered homeless in the fire are under cover and being fed. None of the fire victims are suffering at the present time. The relief work in all of its branches is on a well organized basis and we now are beginning to inaugurate a definite policy of rehabilitation.
“The thing which is receiving the greatest attention at the present time is the question of sanitation. Every effort is being made to prevent a possible epidemic of typhoid, influenza or other disease. A house-to-house canvass is being made in the negro section to prevent unhealthy overcrowding. Last night some of the committees at work on this task found as many as 17 families being house in one small residence. Some of them had small children with them. Such conditions are being changed. They represent our greatest menace just now and we must enforce regulations against them with all possible vigor.
“All of the refugees are being inoculated with typhoid vaccine today as a further precautionary measure. The negro section of the city has been divided into four districts and these districts will be canvassed daily by the Red Cross nurses to see that all sanitary instructions are carried on.
“Good progress is being made in finding employment for those who have been thrown out of work on account of burned industrial plants and stores. We hope that within the next 30 days every refugee will be at some kind of productive or reconstructive labor.
“Three thousand refugees are being cared for. The cost this far has been $1,000 a day. This represents actual expenditures and does not include the donations of supplies which are being received. A large quantity of clothing, bedding and food are coming in on every train. The Red Cross sent yesterday $10,000 worth of socks, sweaters and other articles of clothing. The War and Navy departments have come forward in splendid fashion to assist the work of the relief committee. Special thanks is due General Bowley of Camp Bragg for the generous manner with which he responded to every request for help. In addition to supplying an emergency personnel, the General equipped and rushed to New Bern a relief train of eight freight cars, packed with tents, cots, mattresses and other equipment., which have been of invaluable service.
“The slogan now is: ‘Not a Man Idle.’ All refugees will be put to some kind of work. An emergency hospital and first aid station has been established at the colored graded school to take care of the sick. The local citizens are responding in whole-hearted fashion in the matter of offering their time and services. Every co-operation is being given the relief committee, although there is still room for more workers.
“Last night passed quietly and there were no disorders. Everything pertaining to the relief work is progressing satisfactorily.”
From the front page of The New Bern Sun-Journal, Dec. 5, 1922
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