Bishop Verdaguer makes this touching appeal. “For two years we have not
raised any crops and for the past six months we have experienced the most
severe drought ever known here. Two-thirds of our priests cannot support
themselves. Oh! please do for us what you can. Remember, that along the
Rio Grande there are 20,000 Mexican Indians actually starving— living
on dying cattle and boiled prickly pear leaves. Most all the horses and
cattle have disappeared. There is no grass, and has been no crop for
two years. If you do not help us I know not what we can do. Remember,
that out of hundreds of half-breeds that attend schools not one child
pays anything. Remember, that many of our priests have not received $100
during the past year. Please help us. We need five chapels. These five
could be built for $2000. Twelve priests have to be helped on account of
the drought and the misery to be met with on every side. $150 for each
of these would amount to $1800. The Sisters ought to receive something
for the half-breed children taught gratuitously by them. An allowance
of $4.00 for the yearly tuition and books for each of these children
would call for about $1500. The Bishop himself has no resources, still
he must visit his vicariate. There is no house for him except a little
shanty with two poor rooms. Five chapels are badly needed. The people
for whom they are designed are exceedingly poor and are totally unable
to contribute towards their erection. If each one of these chapels were
50 by 30 feet we could have them erected at a cost of $400 apiece. $2000
would suffice to build them.”