, 1863-02-05

Ifarv one is di.;,osrd to melancholy. of1to
be discouraged with his condition aud pros !
poets In life, he will fod sure antidote at |
the Office Of Geo. +. Hanson, ,;csq., County
Poor Agent. Let hin, visit the office between
10 and y o'clock In the forenoon, and hear the !
complaints from the deserving poor Of the |
city. Mr.. Hanson has worked such reform |
in his business, living strictly up to his ru1c
to abe just, as well as generous, - that hc has |
but few applications from impostoss; certain |
u no one will attempt the second time to i'm |
pose upon him. When he took charge of the |
business, so loosely had the affairs been man
aged and 60 Unfortunately had the chafi- !
ties been distributed, that many who were
fully able to sustain themselves were depend
ing upon the County, mainly Tor support
Take the item Of bread, for instance. In
March, 1861 he distributed to applicants, $500
1oaycs Of bread. During the following De-
cembcr, lie distributed but 1900: and last
month he distributed but 650 ioayes Of bread.
The plumber Of that class Of beggars has been
very greatly reduced, Let it not be inferred
from these facts, however, that the County
Agency il becoming a nonentity. The i'm
portancc and efficiency of the County Poor
Houee and Of the County Agent, arc daily
increasing. Nor are Mr.. Hanson's lahors any
the less because the annual expense Is de-
creasinc-l1t le is more cautious, discreet
and discriminating than former agents were.
The principal expense Incurred during the
| past three months has been owing to the In
creased sickness Of The poos-there having
been more sickness than for ycars before,
owing to the Unusual and unreasonable
weather.
In December and January last. sixty per-
sons were buried at the expense Of the
County. During the same months In 1861 but
| twenty-six were inferred by the county. The
| expenses at the hospitals, and for charities to
the sick will bear about the same proportion,
in the conntI fund. ...
| It is gratifying to know tlat notwithstand-
ing The nIrl, prices Of food and fuel, and the
general complaint Of hard times, there are
| fewer inmates at the County Poor House, than
there have been at any time before, during the
| past zeGcn years. Yet Il the County Inarma-
r. WAS located in the city. it would be Il led
| constantly. One applicant for assistance yes
terdaF, said he was poor, could find no czn-
ployment, and was suffering for food, and
withal was unable to work. Mr.. Hauson
offered him tl,e hospitality Of the "Poor
Honsc,'' but those words grated harsh!y upon
his car, and then to so eleven miles from the
city-le couldn't think Of il, and went his
way Yesterday healthy, robust Irish To-
man applied for wood, coal, -four: candles,
beans, eo4p, and 4 general assortment, and
WIS refused, because she was we'll, and able to
earn living for herself. She disdainfa1ly told
Mr.. Hanson ''H I was Dutch, shure and yes
been willing to help me.'' But day or two
ago German woman scolded furiously, and
thought her misfortune was that she was not
Irish, else she would haye received the charity
I she asked.
The remark has been made by strangers
that there are very few beggars in Chicago
THIS Is true, hut few know the reasons. Scv
cra1 Of the charitable institutions have agreed
TINT they will aid tho deserving poor only, ant
that it must be done in all honest, systematic
manner. Hence street bcgggars are too closely
watched to practice their jmpositions. II
some instances, parties to whom they hart
applied have offered to accompany them te
the County Agent, who will supply thc1
wants. Not one in ten will accept the offer
especially If they must goto the Poor House
Thinks TO througlly competent County
Agent, while there is no city In the Union
probably where The deserving needy are mort
bouutifully cared for, few cities are as frcs
from that class Of impostor=-lazy street beg
sars, as Chicago.