New-York tribune., 1868-02-15
THE CITY POOR.
a Walk WITH THE THIRTEENTH WARD CITIZENS
RELIEF COMMITTEE.


matter whether among mechanics clerks mssons, "r
any other class Of the children OF labor, the preVsns
cry Is the scarcity OF employment The d0okyaras So
s the stores have hundreds Of men for whom thee -
NO occupation and the sidewalks crowded Dy he.eV
Keneous mass OF humanity with "nOthing 20 40 iii'
IAsa fact win bo painfully palpable TO the traveller 40 @
streets contiguous TO our whsryes ana piers. .o,'
standing hstiess and moody, are gathered hno9 u
zDen and skilled artisans. willing and longing 70
ebaed obtaining bread s she cloud aSrSs Sr snch
time the usual number OF the inaigens tbeir yelief
Nhieh have been aud are still being made mnen misery
unRyOdably exists. Apart from tOso 70 n ~ ~ &c - 81
Darsvey feasible 70 administer some suecoI teiS -
sass which shrinks from accepting the gehetgI{ %
charity however delicate may DC the @oSes Tlsn @ Wiv %
It ia proered. And dt Is 70 these VINO 49,
ther wounds with cloak OF PRIDE that the plying hahus
Of their ellOwmen are yalny EXTENDED % 10 se, & 90
tsDh would be the Died Of starvation OF Rn inquests
ierssted in airy facts which bear on this
ssd state Of aff.urs, and we present them
susrters Of NeT~YSfk The Thirteenth Ward comprises
densely populated district. lying between souths and
an inferior class and tenaned by poor but hardw0rdng
and Industrious persons Among these people the distress
tahon residing within the vicinity very severe 10 nd
IN alleyiatng TITS ahont month ago number OF Rsn R
fhe ~Thrteenth Ward Citizens Relief Committee us
shjoct being visit the surrounding families ana relieve
those found to be worthy Of their more pressing neees
stiles on Thursday morning nrrPorter under me 1Iee
t0n Of Mr. J. r. ToOker. one OF the visitors OF the Com
GnIttee, explored the afOre named district II was
mild morning ana tae nSTGnTeG 1 sonS ona%
ST. and passing by the drydOck where two vessels have
been LATELY brought @ Sr IN o S ~ 69s II SS SSS were
about them IN the hopes OF obtaining Work bester,s
teneeni houses which abound in this locality the first
object OF surveillance Entering long narrow PASSAGE
some ak storos bresthessy knocked at the door Of
front room, u was openedsby a Palnd middle Sgga i
although tine articles OF furniture were few ana very
6nbie, tidiness aud cleanliness were PLAINLY Vls
gTfa,o In
anti, iae ,,y,sepf Winter had made comfortabe living
Nv faing m Washing This means OF livelihood however,
had very and TO add 70 her misfOrtunes
vented her ffon any exertion. After short stay, MI
TOOker gave her Rehef ticket aud descended 10 the
Eoor below. The next case was that OF young woman
with six children. whose husband had been Tor some
time out OF IN % aGdoh 10 TS ,ro waTns
for some time by breaking his hand Inc other children
were at home Their mother said their having no SHOES
the cause Of their absence rom school, ~ VAS Iea
sad TO see the pnng, weary expression OF these Gagged
Sssns sss was SnsI spparesf and al means at their ds
pOsa 70 secure comfort seemed TO have been used
neon the same floor This apartment betrayed greater
comfort than the ones previously visited IL was oec
he said that her husband had been dead some years.
but that in the last case she had not knowh want
ia the late and having the remaining one VINO
had been M o but Ts SS nSSa her band Upon ex
nrSng surprise that had not received pension un
Der such circumstances she replied with sad earnest
eight side" She gains subsistence
fSavpF this house, the next cali made was down base
mont tenanted by German Jewess, who was also
could not have healthy but the widow spoke even
Shssry Of Der Sdng In answer ID query 9
20 the but that since the hard times had SET IN
had scarcely earned enough 20 provide herself win fe
HI this case, as N all others the reeI tnat was a9taeu
accepted with real gratitude ana though out nte
was said in the way Of thanks the face showed great
deal on Ouitting this pTsOn-like abode the stairs
of the adjacent tenement house were as
The occupants Of the Of the next visit presented
sad sight, and had melancholy story 70 tell Ihey con
Ested OF two women OF whom about sixty years
Of age, and The other Nerging on mney. 1hose Women
were mother and as1gLteL On entering, Ihe room % % was
the daughter beudng that II was Oarty possible 10
senersl ssNeot showed that her days were numbered
These poor people seemed more than usuae
Mug on the sidewalk An ignorant woman, and con
vinced that she could not ASe she %SuiH nos 1 Soy @ 70
has expated this fOOlslness by three years suffer
ing OF most intense agony In the end OF December her
daughter who though somewhat Inferior has supported
the family by washing and going out to work. slipping IN
disiocaed her shoulder Owing to the kndness OF the
gentlemen Tor whom she worked she was enabled 70 pro
Ienee did not end here for dnrng tho time she was u
able her arm. they provided her WIN tne neces
Fares OF life ana gave her the OF s., with which TO
battle through her Illness Though stll weak she IS aDe
70 do tte ana yesterday had been fortunate enough
10 procure some washing through the exeriOns OF one O
her old customers Ia addition to being the solo support
who is partially parayEed, and unable 10 gain his living
Under al these isfortunes she seems TO bear up Wth
wonderful fOrttude considering the dead weight which
upon hands Their abode showed 70 great adva
fags BESIDE some those passed IN reaching their roc
An extra ticket which was given 70 her ier some lsLe
decacies for her mother she received with great hhnk
hieSest story the agea rance OF tle room ia the rear
was very wreched It's sole articles Of furn ture were
In bed vas the gaunt figure Of poor little girl VI some
eight years old. Tie mother, respectable young woman
epitited for. until day or two ago, aund all their
troubles nesswas added, ana its presence under
Her rent she paid by cleaning down the house orubbng
Che stairs dSe and eked out bare livelihood by any
was in Dyisionst where eoored family were
ATng supported by The eXeItons OF te nothsF' widow
nutdiness than shown in the other places visited Her
one son had rot been WELL and she hersef was much
prostraiei by shr0pic rheumatism. Az ~ most other
were All that prevented her from .ttafyst;ga.
she iphsbitants Of the first room visesd in the
VIE. Tiiis baniGef was tho fIthes. e any f5ts
odor The man was down sick with the bowel cOmpant
~sg an old table Tbey hid children, all unkemPt,
ragged and vefy dirty who were huddied around the "a
'.e on which there had lately been some food In this
ease not the slightest attempt 20 preserve dAA5n6y or
sieaiiess csUd be seep ana te e.iae set by the 6p
cesranee OF ths mother us suoent TO account or that
ye children. and the orderly appearance OF eyeFfmng
and the evident effort 70 preserve some IN Der
THIS woman ssiued her living by machine WORK pnt At
vii nresS Mt 10 the public soe idea Of the fearful
misery existing This that Of woman
And her husband in the tenement house
sdi9ning The mans to ue ana throat completely
An holes by sefOfl and the ony things he vas able 70
sWailow were biscuits soaked IN tea. Tho woman was
xery sickly and absolutely destitute; her husband had
been n nasOn bat was now, OF course, deDarred from
SSorEing These cases quoted represent tho common
forms of wrcfchedness, and viii slhce for our purpose
,e COuipties 81 Relief OF the Thirteenth Wari has
during f short period Of OPERATION done enormous sefY
ace It's ofce is at the junction OF East Broadway ana
(;rand-st who're destitute persons may Apply TO be
visited IT, after examination tue case IS thougm WOr
ty OF relief ticket Is given 70 the person. OF persons
for q certain quantity VI eat groceries, ~. lhey are
constantly visited and on the iaintest lndcaboh OF u