The Daily Oklahoman
May 12, 1905
Special to Oklahoman From Chickasha, Gutherie, Mangum, Lawton/Fort Sill, Enid,

GENEROUS RESPONSE
TOWNS RAISE FUNDS IMMEDIATELY FOR RELIEF OF SUFFERING AT SNYDER

Chickasha, I. T., May 12 – In response to a request for aid from Snyder sent to the commercial club, Mayor Woodside called a meeting of the citizens at the opera house this afternoon, for the purpose of considering ways and means of relief for the sufferers. Over eight hundred dollars in cash was subscribed and wired to one of the banks at Snyder for instant use. Besides this amount in cash, a large amount of bedding and clothing are being donated and will be shipped tomorrow morning. Five hundred loaves of bread and two or three hundred pounds of meat with some other provisions were shipped. The response to the call for aid was one of the most generous and prompt ever made from this city.

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Guthrie, O.T., May 12 – Governor Tom Ferguson this morning instructed Territorial Superintendent Baxter to communicate to the city and county superintendents throughout Oklahoma with a view of having the school children of the territory contribute to financial aid of the Snyder sufferers. The governor says that in this way a goodly sum may not only be secured, but that it will also be a wholesome lesson to the children, teaching them to assist in such times of need.

The territorial appointees and employees this morning made up a purse of several hundred dollars and sent it to Snyder, as did also the citizens of Guthrie. The latter contributed $1,000 for the relief fund, special committees soliciting among business and professional men. The several hundred dollars charitable fund in the Scottish Rite treasury here was also sent to Snyder.

Governor Ferguson deplores the fact greatly that there is no territorial fund on which to draw on such occasions, and if he is ever governor again during a sitting of the legislature, he will advise the establishment of some such fund to be used at the discretion of the proper territorial authorities. For the relief of the people of Snyder, however, Governor Ferguson believes the financial aid will be plentiful as telegrams received today state that the various cities and bankers throughout the territory are responding nobly.
Mayor J. W. Duke issued a proclamation last night calling upon the people of Guthrie to contribute to the assistance of the Snyder people. It is learned today that Congressman MaGuire was a substantial subscriber.

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Mangum, Okla., May 12 – A carload of provisional bedding and clothing was made up in this city today for the grief-stricken city of Snyder. The contribution for the most part came from the homes of Mangum people but considerable of it was given by the wholesale houses. The Mangum M. & E. company gave 500 pounds of flour. The business men of the town made up about $500 and this has already been sent to the sufferers. The carload of stuff will be sent out tomorrow morning. The work here done in behalf of Snyder has been under the direction and control of the city council.

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Rations For Snyder

Lawton, Okla., May 12 – Colonel Kingsbury, commandant of the Eighth cavalry, located at Fort Sill, today made a requisition upon the war department for orders to send troops to Snyder with rations for the tornado sufferers. The engineering corps of the Oklahoma National Guard started today for Snyder with seventy-five tents to be used as temporary homes for the destitute.
A heavy rain and wind storm prevailed today in Southwestern Oklahoma, assuming the proportions of a cloudburst near Lawton. The streets of Lawton were flooded and water ran into many houses, entering among other places, the temporary hospital where several injured, brought here from Snyder, were quartered.

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Enid, Okla., May 12 – Mayor Bowers and a committee raised over four hundred dollars this morning for the Snyder cyclone sufferers, and dispatched the money by Fred Rogers, who will assist in the work of relief as the representative from this city.

Return To Snyder Tornado intro

February 14, 2007