Over the past two years of reading the NYT from 100 years ago, I have mentioned multiple instances in which disasters struck and there was little inclination for the Federal government to provide extraordinary aid nor was there an expectation for the government to do so. Admittedly, this was pre-income tax, pre-New Deal, and I am sure there was a much different attitude between the citizenry and their governments.

Because of this general attitude, the following article in the Jan. 24, 1907 NYT caught my eye:

A COLD AND HUNGRY TOWN

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 - This telegram was received by the Inter-State Commerce Commission to-day from R. M. Kennedy at New Rockford, N.D., a town of about 700 inhabitants on a branch line of the Northern Pacific Railroad:

"Must have aid at once. No fuel for ten days; no groceries for three weeks. Cars of fuel on road for six weeks not received. People are suffering."

An effort will be made to get fuel and food to the town.

Granted this is the telegraph age, and telegraphing words was (marginally?) more expensive at that time. Yet, how austere is the appeal. The lack of emotion and exported guilt is striking.

Given recent events in the Dakotas, and the lack of cries for help, demands for FEMA directors to step down, and for Pres. Bush to "do something," perhaps the reputation for heartiness among the people of that region is well deserved.

Today, the web-site for New Rockford proclaims the city is up to 1,600 inhabitants. If I have worked my solar calculator correctly, that implies an annual population growth rate of 0.0083.