The Pacific Monthly/Volume 1/The Oregon Emergency Corps
THE OREGON EMERGENCY CORPS.
By Mrs. LEVI YOUNG.
IN response to an appeal from the state military board, at the first "call to arms," the Oregon Emergency Corps was organized in Portland April 27, with Mrs. Henry E. Jones, president; Mrs. W. A. Buchanan, vice-president; Mrs. F. E. Lownsbury, secretary, and Mrs. Martin Winch, treasurer. Mrs. O. Summers, Mrs. A. Meier, Mrs. Levi White, Mrs. W. T. Gardner, Mrs. B. E. Miller, Mrs. J. E. Wright, Mrs. E. C. Protzman, Mrs. R. S. Greenleaf, Mrs. G. F. Telfer and Mrs. J. M. Ordway constituted an executive committee. The purpose of the organization was to assist the military board in providing material comforts for the Second regiment, Oregon volunteers, and to soften the transition from civil to army life for the raw recruit. And the society was composed of women from every walk of life, who hastened to enroll as members and offer their services in the name of patriotism.
The first work of the corps was to raise a regimental fund and to supply such needful articles for the soldier's knapsack as army quartermasters do not keep in stock. At Camp McKinley, where the Second regiment was being introduced to military life, members of the corps were daily visitors, and nothing that loving hearts and willing hands could do to add to the well-being of volunteers was left undone. The membership grew into the hundreds, subscriptions and funds came pouring from every side and from unexpected sources. Rooms were kept open at 132 First street and came to be known as headquarters for all interested in patriotic work. And meetings were held every Saturday afternoon in the Armory. Meantime circular letters had been sent to the towns throughout the state, urging the women to form auxil- iary societies for the purpose of raising money to swell the regimental fund and help in purchasing a flag to be presented to the volunteers by the women of Ore- gon. Hood River was the first to re-
spond, with Roseburg, Pendleton, Cor- vallis, Hillsboro, La Grande, Lafayette, Hubbard, Weston, Woodburn, Astoria and The Dalles quickly falling into line. Faithfully have these auxiliaries labored in the cause of the soldier, meeting promptly and willingly every call from the mother corps.
Sunday, May 8, a sacred and patriotic concert was given at Camp McKinley The presence of over 10,000 people wag an evidence of the zeal and interest felt by the public. The programme was fur- nished by the First Regiment band, Miss Rose Bloch and Madame Norelli.
It was a scene never to be forgotten by that audience, when, at the close ot the evening drill, the Stars and Stripes were slowly lowered at the booming of the sunset gun, and the long lines of volunteers listened to the strains of the "Star-Spangled Banner," floating out upon the evening air.
When, May 16, the First battalion, un- der command of Major Gantenbein, and a week later the remaining companies, with Colonel Summers in command, left for San Francisco, the Emergency Corps gave to each of the 10 captains and to Major M. H. Ellis, the regimental su- geon, $100, besides sundry supplies necessary to the health and comfort of the men.
In addition to looking after the welfare of the Oregon volunteers, the corps re- ceived and fed all troops passing through Portland on the way to the front, and whenever called upon fitted out recruits from its own and other states, and sent fever bandages, caps and cordials to San Francisco. There has never at any time been a lack of funds when funds were needed, and every call upon the corps has been promptly met. Finding it ad- visable to extend the work, and in order to secure transportation of supplies through military lines at Manila, the Oregon Emergency Corps, in July, under
the direction of Judge Sheldon, an au
two Oregon nurses, Dr. Frances Woods and Miss Lena Killiam. These nurses were selected, outfitted and sent forward supplied with funds by the Oregon Emergency Corps and Red Cross Society. In August the society sent its president, Mrs. Henry E. Jones, and Mrs. Levi Young to San Francisco to investigate the conditions reported to exist at Camp Merritt.
(As a result of their visit there such active measures were brought to bear by an indignant public as went far toward improving the situation of the soldier at this unhappy camp.—Editor.)
The formation of a state Red Cross Society speedily grew to be a necessity of the times, and on the 23d of September, in a convention called for the purpose by the mother corps, the state organization was effected. Delegates were present from the auxiliary and other patriotic relief societies throughout Oregon. Mrs. Henry E. Jones, president of the Portland corps, was elected to that office in the state society; Mrs. Levi Young became vice-president; Mrs. F. E. Lownsbury, secretary, and Mrs. E. C. Protzman, treasurer. The Oregon Emergency Corps, organized to meet an exigency, thus became a permanent society, incorporated under the laws of Oregon, and endowed with full power to act at all times in the larger interests of humanity, at the same time preserving its right to perform in the manner that seems best any local work that comes within its reach.