Miss Barton: “Yes, but what are we going to; we are going to nothing, aren’t we?”
Secretary: “I suppose we are, Miss Barton.”
Miss Barton: “Why, at Johnstown I hunted a half day and couldn’t find a thimble with which to do some sewing. Here, General, take these keys and go through the house and whenever you find anything that can be used where there is nothing, you pack it up.”
The secretary took the keys, went through the house of thirty-eight rooms and seventy-six closets. He found carefully stored away supplies of every description. He found packing-chests, trunks, valises and telescopes all ready for use—everything imaginable at hand. Miss Barton and her secretary worked all night. The next morning two great dray-loads of goods were en route to the railway station, and Galveston. Arriving at Galveston she asked: “Mr. Mayor, have ward committees been organized?”
Mayor Jones: “No, Miss Barton.”
Miss Barton: “How many wards are there in the city?”
Mayor Jones: “Twelve.”
Miss Barton: “Do go at once and organize strong committees in every ward; provide ward headquarters, and a store-room where every ward committee can take charge of supplies furnished. Have your ward committees canvass every ward thoroughly and get the name of every person and what he needs—the food necessary and in case of clothing the exact size of the clothing. Then have your committees make requisition for what is needed on the Red Cross at its headquarters. My corps of helpers will see that these requisitions are promptly filled, and the goods sent to ward headquarters for distribution.”
Miss Barton then said to her helpers: “Now we must work! Mr. Lewis, you go at once and secure a good saddle-horse, and direct the organization of Mayor Jones’ ward committees. General Sears, you go into the city and secure a headquarters building for the Red Cross. Mr. Talmage, you go to Houston and stay there until every delayed Red Cross car is forwarded to Galveston. Major McDowell, you go to the headquarters to take charge of the unpacking, the classifying, and the issuing of the supplies. Mr. Ward, you will go with Major McDowell to open up an office at the headquarters. Keep a careful book account of the receipts of all supplies and moneys. Mr. Marsh, you will go with Mr. Ward, to be his assistant. Mrs. Ward, you will stay by me to take such directions as I may have to give you from time to time. Miss Coombs, you are to be my stenographer and typewriter—you’ll find plenty to do to keep busy. Miss Spradling (a trained nurse), you arrange proper space for the opening up of an orphanage at headquarters building, then gather up all the homeless, uncared-for orphans in the city and take care of them. Every person in charge of work is expected to report to me daily, and hourly if necessary.” In less time than it takes the military commander to get his columns into action the woman, who had “the command of a general,” had humanity’s forces on the “firing line.”
Clara Barton possessed in the highest degree the elements necessary to succeed in business. She had the mental grasp of a great enterprise; she had executive ability; she inspired confidence in those serving with her; she was methodical in attention to details—without a superior in the business world; she was economical in her personal expenditures, exacting like economy on the part of her assistants;—ever anticipating the future by making wise provision. When much was at stake, and means necessary to accomplish her purposes, she was without limit as to expenditures. These elements, combined in her, gave to her the power she swayed as the business head of a great corporation.