Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-02-17
Baltimore Correspondence.

Voluntary Poor Fund--A Sight not Often VT
nessed-Successful Observation-Disclosures to
be Reected-Heartlesmes and Cupidity.
BALTIMORE, Feb. II, 1855.
The voluntary contributions to the fund in aid
of the destitute poor continues to flow in at the
American office; and the noble band of ladies
who have volunteered to act the almoners Of
the charities of their ellow-citizens are indeatga
BILE in their labor Of love. Some five hundred cases
have been attended to by them, and the amount
OF suffering relieved or amelorated has been very
great.
Much yet remains to be done. In many cases
the parties relieved are totally unable to procure
the necessary and indispensable requisites of the
lowest scale of existence and the aid extended to
them affords but temporary respite, as il we're,
from hunger, cold, and nakcdness. Experienced
laborers in the various charitable and benevolent
institutions connected with our churches and un-
der other direction say they never before met with
1.-THE of the distress and suffering which have
come to their notice the present winter.
Yesterday afternoon, the charitable ladies of the
Caroline street Dorcas Society had at their room
over one hundred applicants for their benevolence
consisting of women and children OF all ages.
The sight presented, was as striking as 1t was in
teresting. Such a collection Of rags and tatters;
Of sad and rueful countenances, and Of dirty chill
dren, Of almost every age, is not often beheld
The children were provided with clean and warm
clothing shoes and stockings; and the dirtiest Of
them received, at the hands Of some Of these kind
hearted ladies', the first thorough washing, proba-
bly,, that they had ever received in their lives.
Some Of the women were worthy objects Of
charity, but not few were evidently only suffering
the penalties oftheir vicious and incorporate lives
hope, however, the wholesome reproofs and judi
cious advice of their bencfactors they dispensed
food and clothing to them, may not be utterly lost
upon them.
Another successful burglary perpctrated in
this city sometime during Thursday night. The
fancy dry good store of Miss $. w. Hughes, No.
3s, North Charles street, was entered from the
rear on an alley leading into Lexington street. and
the burglar, or burglars, succeeded in making off
with silks, satns laces &c, to the value Of about
$500. The store, as is uniformly the case, was
lighted up all night with small glimmcr by which
the Waterman, had he been about, could readily
have perceived any one moving about through the
lattce-work Of the door but, usual, the watch
man saw nothing and heard nothing This is
another evidence Of the utter ineficiency Of the
watch department, and the sooner II is roorganized
the better.
There is considerable anxiety manifested for tho
action of the city council on tho Mayors nomina-
tons, which has been deferred until Tuesday next
The general impression is that quite number Of
the most important appointments win be rejected.
II is to be hoped if those named by the Mayor are
found TO possess the necessary qualifications that
no private consideration viii be suffered to prompt
their rejection.
One Of the most revolving instances Of utter
heartlesness in landlord heard Of was discov-
cred in this city during the present week. A poor
family, consisting Of husband, wife and four chill
dren, reduced to utter want by the sickness Of the
father, was discovered by one Of the vsiters of the
poor, and furnished with wood and food, and
small amount of money The poor wife remarked
that she owed for rent, and that she expected the
landlord would be hard upon them; but the visi-
tiers endeavored to assure her that no one could
possibly be so unmerciful AnERIcus'