And the congress of the United States, as became it, was prompt in action. In the lower house a bill appropriating $1,000,000 was introduced and passed at once, and a few days later a similar measure of relief was adopted, making the contribution of the government $2,000,000 altogether. This was about one-third as much as was required to care for the thousands who were made homeless by the Chicago disaster of 1871. President Roosevelt also sent a message to congress urging a further contribution of $500,000, and in an address to the public urged that they send contributions to the National Red Cross society as the readiest means by which the afflicted could be reached. Governor Deneen of Illinois also issued a proclamation to the like effect. Secretary of War Taft, in his capacity of President of the American National Red Cross society, issued a proclamation in which he announced that the necessary work of organization to feed and shelter the people was placed in the hands of the Red Cross society, under the direction of General Funston, Commander of the Department of the Pacific. In this way matters were made systematic and authoritative and assurances given that the contributions of the nation would be honestly and economically distributed to those in need. Among other states and cities not already mentioned, whose contributions were generous enough to deserve permanent record, were the following—and the amounts named may be in most cases set down as somewhat below the real final figures:
| Texas | $100,000 |
| Connecticut | 30,000 |
| St. Louis, Mo. | 100,000 |
| Sacramento | 100,000 |
| Seattle, Wash. | 90,000 |
| Victoria, B. C. | 25,000 |
| Spokane, Wash. | 30,000 |
| Milwaukee | 30,000 |
| City of Mexico | 30,000 |
| Des Moines | 10,000 |
| Jacksonville, Fla. | 10,000 |
| Los Angeles | 200,000 |
| Cincinnati | 75,000 |
| Omaha | 10,000 |
| Providence, R. I. | 20,000 |
| Davenport, Iowa | 20,000 |
| Stockton, Cal. | 20,000 |
| Portland, Ore. | 130,000 |
| Sacramento, Cal. | 100,000 |
| Columbus, O. | 20,000 |
Among individuals in this and other countries who promptly sent in their contributions were the following:
| Russell Sage | $ 5,000 |
| London Americans | 12,500 |
| Clarence H. Mackay | 100,000 |
| Mrs. John W. Mackay | 5,000 |
| Robert Lebaudy | 10,000 |
| W. W. Astor | 100,000 |
| President Roosevelt | 1,000 |
| Senator Knox | 500 |
| C. J. Burrage, Boston oil dealer | 100,000 |
| President Diaz, Mexico | 100,000 |
| E. H. Harriman (for his railroads) | 200,000 |
| Andrew Carnegie | 100,000 |
| Charles Sweeney, New York | 10,000 |
| W. K. Vanderbilt | 25,000 |
| “Friend of Humanity,” New York | 25,000 |
| H. C. Frick | 10,000 |
| Gordon Blanding | 10,000 |
| H. M. Bowers, Boston | 10,000 |
| Robert Schandy, France | 10,000 |
Among the corporations and organizations which lost no time in going to the rescue of the afflicted and helpless were the following:
| Bank of Commerce, Toronto | $ 25,000 |
| Columbus Board of Trade | 20,000 |
| National Carpenters’ union | 10,000 |
| United States Steel Corporation | 100,000 |
| Kuhn, Loeb & Co., New York | 25,000 |
| United Mineworkers of America | 1,000 |
| Standard Oil Company | 100,000 |
| North German Lloyd Steamship Company | 25,000 |
| Wisconsin Masons | 5,000 |
| Carnegie Hero Fund | 25,000 |
| Heidelback-Ickleheimer, New York | 10,000 |
| National Park bank, New York | 5,000 |
| New York Stock Exchange | 250,000 |
| Citizens’ Relief Association, Philadelphia | 100,000 |
| Detroit Board of Commerce | 10,000 |
| N. K. Fairbank Co. | 1,000 |
| National Biscuit Co. | 5,000 |
| Hamburg-American Steamship Line | 25,000 |
| Canadian Parliament | 100,000 |