New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-02-20
ASSOCIATION FOR IMPROVING THE CONDI-
TON OF THE POOR.

ABSTRACT OF MONTHLY REPORT FOR JANUARY.
This season Of distress invests reports Of relief with
ordinary interest The returns from each of the 36l
sections minute and comprehensive, detailing the Of
every niy assisted. with the results The labor
performed by the visitors II unsested by reports would
pear incredible. aeknos ledsn due the benevoent
relieving the DISTRESSED gratitude less sincere
ism,red by the visitors for their gltuous selfsschfcng
Isbors.
The bvou in the returns is the sudden increase
Of the dependent list In January nearly three times many
persons aided the corresponding month Of any pre-
cedng year This result obtained through the rigid dscrimi
and OF this affords unfair ndi
Of the rasbe Of desuOn by the reyuions of
The times
The striking development lie the classes Of persons
eved Nest Of the needy ususy consist Of unsked male
ard male lGborer chiefly Of foreign birth. The commercial
depression and decrease Of employ meut mechanical
ard manufacturing branches Of industry have conpred to
product-nct class Of the ind for records ~
uchbu 10 augment their number greatly beyond
the Of former Hence 9S6 mechanic f,mi
lice &c numbering e57 persons 1872 sewing mostly
with families and shout 800 families Of humbler occupation
hut Of sober moral sLd in instances Of religious chsc
term all than eco families Of these interesting cass
1ho had been by poverty aided duros the
month with al the secrecy and decscy which sympathy for
misfortune inspires Such facts afford smother practical refi
Of the fsscy that this charity did not and could not
reach the respectable classes OF the poor
Another aud not less interesting feature of the operations
the efforts Of the visitors for the social and moal
there been in this direction Adversely the
only school IN which will learn wisdom 10 giving
point and force ssuisry lessons only of social
Thrift but Of higher import which there is to believe,
will not be fors often.
The visitors uniformly attest that this long tried and wead
usfed system Of reof adequate any emergency likely
arise supported and allowed unmolesedly msntsn
unweivng adherence to its principles Their chief embG
and difficulties they have been occsoned by
the ousde Relief These movements by stirring
expectations relief which could the of things
and should In the majority Of be realized have direct
~ tended defeat all udcous charity Thousands of persons
have thus been thrown upon this Association aud the
muniy irrespective OF their deserts actual need The visit
in sections, have consequently been
whelned with ulsppeassbe sppsaDts-msny Of whom did
until tod that they poor enough need aid
and probably would not have sought unless stimulated do
while Others who able struggle without Assist
relaxed their eIeons for self support and threw them
selves grstuous relief Nothing certainly, further
from the design anticipation of the excellent persons
gagged these than such RESULTS and they kind
~ referred TO- not for criticism but to guard sssnst
Of which al experience shows win be produc
tive of greater evil than good. Tire charity of city
be safely trusted Efforts born excitement and
by impulse The fear that the seeds Of psupensm will
thus Re broadcast and, fading all that ccnsenal their
growth the foreign which here abound ncorrgi
Die msp6eity such 10 the OF European eeswn
take deep root for after years TO eradicate.
The following summary Of the sbors Of the past month
Number OF fsmilies r-lieved.............lil los 90
Number OF re sors y3o 90
Number OF visits. 90
Expended and appropriated ,iree Jan l...sSs5ss II
With due allowance fo exaggerated statements Of poverty
which may appeared 1t Is sl painful fact that the des
tuton US s beyond precedent and probably without
parallel in the country Itsreresse sud;ated by the follow
irs hsure In November this Association relieved 9S families
in December 4l7O; in January Os against i6 ia January
1854 The number OF the without repetition
on the books OF the Association is nearly greater
~. III. ffVt Of
the Ter Goven; and those OF the Emsan Department
eoDbired
BY order Of the Beard R.M. HARTLEY. Seey.
In connection with the foregoing facts the undersigned
Finance % the Association Or Improving the Con
diiion ofthe Poor would respectfully state;
Tia, voluntary contributions, without appeal have thus far
enabled the Association meet the importantly for relief
which the present distress has thrown upon H. II wss hoped
stream Of charity would have uuinterruPsdly flowed
until this wide spread calamity Bat they
constrained TO report sudden dunstOa Of receipts, while
deuton sugmens As the poor exhaust the reserved fand.
without the means Of renewing them poverty ksn depend
yet to have Ire Its subjects
Than any former part Of the winter; and there
dLe the certainty Of their steady Increase day by day
unsl some adequate Cause brings permanent relief
On this brief OF the undersigned rest their
sppes In former Yeas relief did fall of than
ten per cent IN March than twenty-five per cent n
Ap The rIesuiy IL yearly exhausted that another
appropriation cannot be made. Meanwhile, the Aims doase
monthly eah Expenditures for outdoor relief do not eX.ed
theusnd d0sI.lsx than half The es.lsy Ia hs s.s