Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-01-01
Meeting of the Proyid.ut Aid Society.

Meeting OF the ProyIdeut AID Society.
meeting OF the Directors of the Provident
Aid Society. organized for the purpose of pro-
yiding relief tor the destitute poor of Wash
ington, was held yesterday afternoon al four
O'Clock in the City Hall. The weather being
Of very incleInsnt character. but very few
members were present. The President. DR.
Peter Parker, occupied the chair, and Mr. B.
Ii Steinmez discharged the duties of Ssere-
tary.
Reports from committees being called for,
Mr.. ". NJ SlOwen, from the committee APP
pointed 10 wait on General Howard of the
fTsedmen's Bureau, To solicit his cooperation
with the Association. submitted letter which
be had received from that officer. proposing to
contribute fifty dollars per week from his De-
partment for each of the seven soup houses, OF
would place the whole amount (ScSJn) in the
hands OF the Provident Aid Society. To be by
them distributed IN equal proportions through
out the different Wards of the city. The offer
was accepted, and the thanks Of the meeting
tnd.Ted TO General Howard for the very lib
cral donation.
Rev. Dr. Hall. from the Soup house Commit
TEE. stated thai Their, had been no meeting OF the
committee; but be would state that in all the
Wards sOUp-hOuses had already been put in
operation, or would nc running in a few DAYS
The sOup-hOuse in the First Ward was wen
under way. the ostlre expense last week being
ts.l-s~: ia the Second W ard. for the same pe-
mod the "a pense had been 81 %: in the Third
FOURTH Fifth. and Sixth Wards soup-houses
Were Iu operation, and much suffering had been
alIcNiatad UpOn a. economical a scale as possi-
Dft. IN StNflllD w ara ullGl KEW
felt on account of its size, but preparations had
been made for the establishment OF a soup-
house there and ole would go into operation
to-day One very important question was,
how these Soup-hOIISes Were TO BE- run. and
upon this point he desired 10 hear some opin-
ION expressed.
Mr.. Slowen hoped that the present commit
tee would be continued for one year, and that
they manage the business in such manner as
IN their Judgment may seem best
Dr. Hall thought it was well thar he should
he s..,fe l.a,r
and some one better adapted 10 the work be-
placed IN his stead. His knowledge of such
ihinEs, he said, was very limited.
Dir. Alexander X. shepherd would modify
Mr.. SlOwen's motion. so as to continue i'm OF
nee the present soup house committee until the
houses ars established in all the wards after
" hlCh the committee should report the plan of
OPERATIONS and establish limit of expenses
pr week or month Tor each house. If some
tznit was MOI fixed upon. the association would
soon he involved in debt in sustaining them
In tn Fourth and Seventh Wards, the expense
wOUEt be- much greater than in others He
hoped some practical plan xOnId be adopted,
by whleh the soup houses could be successful
~ and lndlciOusly carried on. Gen. Howard
had OneEsd To contribute fifty dollars per week
In either money or provisions for each ward:
thu entire expense might not exceed seventy
hye dollars This sum- he thought, would be-
sufficient 70 run Them and then the A. association
could get along Instead OF giving orders on
grocers for goods, applicants for money should
fe sent IN the soup houses to get their supplies
In conclusion ne renewed his motion: which
adopted.
I'm motion of Mr.. Shepherd. the committee
was authorized to make arrangements To draw
on General Howard for the amounts TO be given
by him.
DIR. Parker read a note from Maria written
IN iady's hne hand, enclosing ten dollars for
the Association.
Mr. Shepherd. A. Treasurer. submitted his
r"pOrt of moneys Received since the last meet
ing a. follows: New York avenue Church,
- ~ ID. 4. Lauck- collections l-Pension
Office $50; Indian Bureau. $40; Interior De-
paTtment- proper. S126; Charles Mallard. 421
18th street. So; Lewis johnson. SlpO; Third
Ward Committee S6s.SJ; Navy Department
{addlt.onal-) Sol; Edwin Owens, -; Maria =
$lG- Samuel Lewis -. Total. s79l.i9
Also from VIM W heatley, six pairs of shoes:
and from George Seitz- IS leaves Ofbread
Mr. SlOwen rendered a statement of the auan-
fIfy of fuel which had been issued throu Oh him
10 the destitute OF the First Ward during the
past week Ninety-sIX quarter cords of wood
had been distributed at a cost of sls3 55
Mr.. Guliek desired TO know by what author
Hy Mr.. Slower had distributed this wood
Mr.. shepherd thought this subject had been
bully discussed at the last meeting of the asso-
eation- Two hundred dollars had been appro-
Prlated for this purpose for each ward. and as
MIR Slowen had not expended this amount he
had not transcribed his authority in the prem
Uses. No ward should Ia I've the advantage over
another, and the directors of each ward ought
10 have control of the distributions This was
point which should be- established.
MI. Gulck called attention TO an application
which had been made To the society by a mother
anu TWO tulIuIcn lOT means To reach New
Orieans- General Howard would grant them
transportation a far Richmond, Va. but
beyond that point they could not get without
cfner assistance. He suggested that the Presi-
dent of the Society be authorized TO prepare a
letter 10 be- handed by the parties 10 the super
Intrndents OF the different railroads over " hich
fhey may Ia We 10 pass
Mr.. Shepherd thought the President should
b. authorized to make a written statement of
the circumstances of the case, which should
also be signed by the Mayor.
The President said that. in view of the fact
that many applications of the same character
would BE- made to the society, the proper yyay
would be 10 make arrangements with the pres
routes at half fare
Rev DR.. Hall was opposed to all the motions
Inc society was never designed 10 cover such
cases, and NJ did not think it had the power TO |
TAKE any steps III the matter al all. His SYM
Iiihy Tor the parties involved was as great AZ |
that OF any one; and assistance should come
from individual contributors. He moved that |
The motions BE- laid on the table
MI. Slowen stated that General Howard had 1
told him he would grant transportation nome
10 any person recommended TO him by the |
froNldenI Aid Society "a worthy objects of as |
sistance.
On motion. the applicants were referred 10 |
tne directors of the ward in which they reside
Nh. shepherd submitted several communlca-
rIOns- which he had receiN ed and among thers
an Offer from the Washing on Dramatic Club |
ogiye an exhibition for the benefit of the poor
suggesting s.IOodles." ssIriSh Tiger >, and 4
'Nan, the Good for Nothing as the plavs m
be performed; also, tender from Mr. Carusi
OF The u.s. of his hall for entertainments for TN.
relief OF The poor; also. an offer from Nessrs
Magill Witherow TO do all the printing for
the Society graiuitOusly.
The Constitution and BY Jaws adopted at |
TIE last meeting, were read by Mr.. James H.
Tustin- and on motion of Mr.. a. II. Shepherd
20 copies were ordered TO h. printed II was
also ordered that fifty large cards b. printed
having the names of directors visiting Commit
tees. and their residences. location of soun-
houses, &c TO be distributed about the hotaIs
and other PLACES. for general IN formation
Ne following report of distributions of fuel
and grOcsrIes up To date was submitted by Mr.
shepherd First Ward load coke: second
ward = cord wood, loads coke, SIP cro-
cerles; Third Ward, cords wood ~ loads
coke. >3l groceries: Fourth Ward & cords
wood - loads coke. so groceries: Fifth Ward
- cord " God. lOads coke, Sl3 groceries. Sav
-nth Ward cords wood, 5lOads coke. Si7 gro
c.Ilss. Iotal-llz cords wood, II loads coke.
Si.f2 groceries.
MI Pugh called attention to the great dit
noulty Of asoertaining the proper parties 10
whom TO apply for benefits contemplated nv
the society. An old lady, upwards OF SEVENTH
var OF age, had been travelling about the city
all day through the storm in order To Obtain
c-ruhcotes sntitling her to draw wood and
finally when the proper documents had been
procured n was too late 10 have the wood sent
10 her house The result would have been thai
che would have suffered for fire that night had
he not gone to woodward himself had an
armfuh OF wood sawed up and carried to her