Evening star., 1867-01-04
THE FREEDMEN AT ARLINGTON-THE DIN
NER TOMORROW

THE FREEDMEN AT ARLINGTON-THE DIN
NER TO MORROW.
A paragraph having lately appeared in q
morning contemporary, appealing to the cti.
zeDs OF Washington and Georgetown to aid in
furnishing material for dinner to the suffer-
ing poor Of Arlington village, on Saturday, the
5th instant, the following extracts from late
ofneial correspondence are published to show
that the freedmen 1t Arlington are not suffer.
ing, but are well cared for:
On the I'D instant yesterday Brevet Brig,
Gen. Samuel Thomas, Acting Assistant Com
Capt. G. N. Clark, Acting Assistant Inspector
General District of Columbia, saying:
my attention has been called to circular,
published In the Chronicle, calling upon the
benevolent for donations Of food and Clothing
for the suffering freedmen Of Arlington village,
va. 1t is calculated to make the impression on
colored people OF that village are really in a
deplorable condition. An appropriation to
furnish these people with all g ubstantial neces.
sary articles OF food and clothing was made
last summer by Congress. 1t is the duty Of
this office to see that all who are unable to care
for themselves have their actuai wants sun
piled from this fund. You will proceed to
Arlington village and make q careful inspec.
tion Of and written report on the condition of
all classes OF freedmen residing there with es-
Pecial reference TO their wants as set forth in
Chronicle of the Sd inst" l..#- -.
Captain Clarke reports yesterday, that he
made thorough inspection of the condition of
the the, defendants freed people, at Arlington VII
There are one hundred and ninety two 1892,
dependents; eighty three (S3) men and one hum
cept in few cases where families are togeth-
err mas separate bed. l examined ninety.
one (SD beds without selection, with reference
TO the amount and cleanliness of the clothing.
BESIDES bed sacks, filled with straw, sheet
ano pillow, seven (7) Of these beds had two (2)
DIankets eacn nfty- I've, (55) three (3) blankets
esen twenty three, (aal four t4) blankets each;
eight (sl blankets. The bed clothing is ali in
good condition. One hundred and flfEy (i5O)
new blankets were issued to these people last
two hundred (200) more Will be made immedi-
ately. As many Of the people were lately sent
TO the village entirely destitute Of CLOTH ne an
Improvement In their respect is desirab,e but
found no one actually suffering by lack of
clothing. Issues are being made a. fast az the
material can be Manufactured BY thirteen fI31
women, employed in the sewing room, at the
He then gives statistics OF the issus a, ,ood
clothing and fuel last month, and save :-.Thev
s,sd a.s o;nnei IN tSoay Wniie was present. It con-
and beef soup, containing rice and potatoes
The quantity was, in my opinion, suficient
lot any one In cooking, the diet table for hos.
pitfalls Is followed as nearly a. pracucaIle.
breakfast usually consists of fsh or meat
bread, tea. coffee, sugar and milk Eafarr;ng
TO the circular and newspaper slip ven en-.
~
are 5O4 people at Freedmen's Village. All oS
these are supporting themsel YES comfortahlv
except the class above mentioned Ever IN
hrm, sick and destitute person outside IN the
village and ITS vicinity has been offered an asv.
lum at this Home, and It is not known thst
any have failed 70 avail themselves of its COM
forts. After most careful Investigation r ar,
able to report but two instances OF sufYsrinc
neither OF these severe, and In neither b al an,
plication been made for relief In one man
had no socks, In the other bat a moor
pair Of shoes; but both these urnt.
would have been promptly supplied on
application TO the matron or superintendsnt
II there have been other cases of suffsring
which doubt, they were partly accidsntai
The Superintendent has only to make req uisi.
ton for whatever articles are necessarv for
these people to procure them. do moi ana
that be has failed In bis daty in this regard.
can. therefore, perceive no necessity for such
an appeal 20 the bene violent. nor for an on an
exercise OF generosity as ;s enjoined therein.
The Government provided a Christmas ain
ner for these people, and I heartily aoprove
the plan proposed 70 give them anOther in
honor Of the New Year: but do not halle Va
II right to make that an occasion to ask for
them rs .euAering poor" which they are not
IA the sense conveyed in the appeai-from he
neyclent people, some OF whom, as in the in.