“(Signed) CHARLES E. HUGHES.
“By the Governor:
“ROBERT H. FULLER,
“Secretary to the Governor.”
“The New York State Branch of the American National Red Cross has offices at 500 Fifth avenue, New York City, and contributions may be made to its Treasurer, Mr. Jacob H. Schiff, there or at the address of Kuhn, Loeb & Company, 52 William street, New York City.”
Mayor McClellan, of New York City, when similarly approached issued an announcement, stating that the City Hall Fund then being raised would be turned over to the Red Cross for record and transmission and this was done.
Desirable as it is that all relief funds, however raised, should at least be passed through the Red Cross in order to receive public and uniform accounting and speedy transmission, the fact, nevertheless, is that not a few associations and individuals desire to raise funds and themselves forward them. On this account the Italians of New York City naturally enough organized their own relief committee, with the Italian Consul-General, Raybaudi Massiglia, and the American delegate of the Italian Red Cross, Mr. Lionello Perera, represented on it. The New York State Branch of the American Red Cross at once placed itself in communication with this committee. Colonel Sanger, the President of the New York State Branch, also at a later day paid a personal call. The funds collected by this organization, however, were sent directly to Italy to the Italian Red Cross, and not through the American Red Cross. Another committee, called the American-Italian relief committee, was organized and is still engaged in raising funds by the sale of memorial cards. It forwards the funds direct to the Italian Red Cross.
Many benefit performances were given in opera houses, theatres and public halls. To the managers of these performances and to the promoters of every relief fund being raised in the city, as fast as announcement of it was made the secretary wrote, asking that the funds collected be sent through the Red Cross as the recognized channel for relief. In some cases personal interviews were had with managers by the Red Cross held agent. The desire in doing this was not, of course, to limit the generosity or to discourage the independent collection of funds, but, as stated, to procure a public, uniform and central accounting. Many societies acceded to the suggestion of the Red Cross and funds collected by churches, Sunday schools, associations, women’s clubs, schools, etc., were sent to Italy via American Red Cross. Several bankers, who cabled contributions direct through their own Italian correspondents, were subsequently impressed with the wisdom of the Red Cross arrangements, and may be depended upon to make future remittances through it.
The first relief contributions began to come within twelve hours after the issue of the appeal, and provision had to be made for the large amount expected. The Christmas stamp campaign was just ended; only the accounting remained to be done, and four salaried helpers were engaged upon this when the Italian relief contributions began to pour in. Two of these helpers were retained to assist in handling the heavy mail. In addition two accounting clerks were furnished for a few days by members of the executive committee, and greatly assisted in putting the accounts in order. All contributions were receipted for as fast as received and were also recorded in special books. A list of all the contributions was sent daily to all of the newspapers for publication. The papers were also supplied daily with interesting details of donations as reported by visitors or in letters received.
Frequent demands were made to have the Red Cross take even a more active part in raising funds than it had assumed. Several proposals to issue relief stamps in imitation of the Christmas stamps were not adopted for the reason that public interest in the Italian disaster was felt to be already so high that no devices to stimulate it further were deemed practicable or necessary. Contributions were being received many times the amount which any stamp issues could possibly produce. Several offers were made to turn over theatres and public halls for the purpose of arranging benefit performances. But these, too, had to be refused since, of course, such work is outside of the function of the Red Cross.
The public was so profoundly moved by the press’ circumstantial accounts of the disaster and the appeal for immediate relief that it responded almost instantaneously. Within twelve hours of the publication of the first appeal the mail brought the first contributions. The first day yielded $1,115, the second day $63,917.50. The total to date is $317,378.94.
In this amount were the contributions received by the different subdivisions of the State. The amounts began to fall off after the first week, but continued in considerable sums for a long time and are still coming in. The appeal was withdrawn on February 4.