The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-01-04
The Distress in New York City.
From the Nea0 York Express, Of Saturday
ETening.

The Distress in New York City.
From the Nea0 York EapreSS, Of Saturday
Erening.
/ Immense exertion are making by the
humane among US to relieve the necessi-
ties of the poor in the city, and never has
there been more occasion for sympathy
and charity. Those who fare sumptuous-
ly, who are abundantly fed and clothed,
who are comfortably housed, and who
see their way through the winter without
any possibility of want, owe it to them
selves and their freedom from distress to
lend helping hand to the poor. What
makes the distress more keen Is the in
clement season and the absence of occu-
patton. Work is begged for, prayed for,
and sought for every where. Any kind
of work, for almost any kind of pay, is
offered, and must continue to be offered
while so many thousands of laborers are
out of employ. Almost the first charity,
therefore next to feeding the hungry, is
to give work to the poor. Employ as
many mechanics as possible; use as much
labor as you can afford to pay for. Give
work to needle women. Buy your gar
ments for houehold use and personal wear
for long time to come. At present pric-
es there is economy in this. Cloth is
cheap, labor is cheap, all kinds of wear
ing apparel are cheap; furniture is cheap;
all sorts Of luxuries and fancy goods are
cheap. A house can be furnished more
cheaply now than for half score ofyears
past, and the working men in the Park
are upon the wrong scent W hen they abuse
the men and women on Broadway who
are spending their surplus cash for any
thing which is the productioflabor. There
are two phases to this question: The one
is extravaganza, which is never comenda-
BILE, and the other is the practical bear
ing of extravaganza upon labor. Ii $780,
600 is spent upon dwelling, the great
bulk of it goes to pay for labOr-thc la
Dor of masons, carpenters, painters, stone
cutters, founders. plumbers artists, dig
gers in the earth. There is stone to be
quarried out, sand to be drawn, lime to
be made, and the bulk Of this is expend-
ed upon labor The capitalists are rich
men of the city, therefore, could not do
the poor greater charity than by giving
employment to the poor; and they must
do this to some extent or contribute by
increased taxes or otherwise to their sup
port.
In the mean time, however, the wants
of the community are most pressing
Our doors are thronged daily with beg
gars. 1t requires a servant to answer
the constant knocking at doors and ring
ing at bells of the door, who beg for bread
and covering. Neither our dwellings
nor our places of business are free from
those intrusions Our eyes and ears are
hourly open to appeals for charity, and
the effect must be either to harden or
soften our hearts. If, therefore, charity
was ever necessary, it is now, and every
one must feel the force of that proverb,
upon such occasions, which says che gives
doubly who gives quickly"
There is badly any portion of our city
exempt from these constant calls. Humid
reds of wives and mothers are engaged
in the good work of helping the poor chill
dren. Thousands Of German and Irish
children are daily taught to read and sew
for four or five hours day, and fed with
at least one good meal day. This must
be kept up through the winter
The city institutions for the support of
the poor are full, and some system Of
charity above and beyond this is neces-
sary. There should be ward and district or
carnations, soup houses, lodging room,
coarse but warm clothing. God forbid
that anybody should freeze and starve in
a city like this; but hundreds will freeze
and starve if they are not helped.
The resolution of the Councilmen ap-
propriating ten Mousaad dollars to be us
ed by the society for the relief of the
poor was concurred in by the Aldermen
last evening. There was but little de-
bate, and what little there was has given
rise to by a motion of Alderman Howard
to make the appropriation twenty thou
sand dollars. This, however, was voted
down, it being argued that ten thousand
dollars were enough at one time, and II
more was needed it could be appropriat-
ed at another time. The vote on the a.
mendment, however, was close one
eight to nine.
The appropriation made by the Coun-
cilmen of one hatnd1ed and tarenty- fye
thousand dollars, to be placed ct the dis
posal of the Governors of the Almshouse.
to supply deficiencies and meet the con-.
ing expenditures of the present year, was
also agreed to by the Aldermen last eve
ming,
VALUABLE HEN.-Mr. David r. |
Shuits of Reading, has Shanghai hen,
which, from the middle of March, to
,Hl,,-cIa.- l>.L |