The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-02
LADIES, MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATION
Annual Meeting and Report.

The annual meeting Of the association took
place yesterday afternoon, at five o'clock, in
the Depository. Chalmers-street.
The following annual report was read by the
Rev. c. 8. Vedder, and was adopted:
REpoRT-JuNE s, 1858, TO JUNE 5, 1869.
Three years have passed since first the ladies
Of the Mutual Aid Association commenced their
work, and now at this, the end of the year, we
think it wouLl prove interesting to recall some
1 of the events which have transpired, and see
how our Heavenly Father has, by His provi-
dence, signally blessed our endeayors, and aid
ed US when most we required assistance and
encouragement.
sociation was originally founded, and with
what variable success the first and second
years OF its establishment were attended; how
| it struggled with oil the difficulties consequent
upon want Of sufficient means to effect the
object for which it was intended, and how at
times the ladies would be compelled to suspend
their operations for week or two to recover
| their exhausted treasury, and to ponder ways
and means Tor its continuance. But through
| all these they were providentially enabled to
remain firm, and our difficulties. thus far,
| have tended rather to strengthen the position
| we hope to maintain after few years.
We commenced in June, 1858, with balance
in hand Of ssS 73, debt of $500 resting upon
| us for the purchase Of material to provide
work, and $50 for the insurance on the DEPOSIT
| tory. The ladies immediately directed their
attention to the discharge OF these debts, and
| the providingDf funds necessary to carry on
| the association. In the accomplishment OF
| this object it gives us pleasure to add that
our fsllow-citizens we're not regardless OF our
| necessities, but came willingly to our aid, and
a. of nf
Managers, and the generous assistance. OF
several musicians, amateur as well as profess
sional, concert was given, from which We
realized $441 80.
'InJuly We received donati on Of 500 from
MIR. VIM. Aiken. In August $100 from Mr..
Thomas Moore, Of Plairfield, New Jers ~, VINO n
on hearing Of the object OF the association
had become interested In its proceedings, and
wrote to the president enclosing the above,
and desiring further information in regard to
it. On receipt Of this. his interest becoming
still more enlisted. he gave within the two sue
ceeding months $500, making total dona;,
tion Of $500 These together with IL several srsa
ourselves entirely Of debt, and make
some necessary repairs on the DEPOSIT
tory, leaving aSgood balance to work upon.
Since then We have had the pleasure
Of acknowledging, from time to time, the re-
ceipt Of the following donations, VIZ: From
two "Friends" OF the association, 500; from
the former Ladies' Depository OF this city,
some deposited funds OF the above society,
which Is now in an unorganized state. Within
the last two months We have received kind
expression Of interest, united to desire to re-
lieve the wants OF our people, in the form OF q
donation Of $3.50, from MIR. A. A. Low, OF Brook
lyn, New York. Also various donations,
such as fuel, stationery, biscuits, ice, &C.,
ad N
moment when most needed, and for which the
donors will obtain the reward Of their genero-
sity in the kind feelings entertained towards
them in the hearts OF the grateful recipients.
In several instances, We have received funds
with the special request that the names should
be withheld. These have been generally ap-
propriated towards the purchase OF garments
Tor distribution among those who had former.
" lived in comfort and luxury. Thus sadly
ave the rsverses Of the late war been felt IN
our midst.
The new branch connected with our deposi-
syrups, jell;es, wines aud cordials, referred to
in our last report as only commenced by way
Of trial, has, during this year, proved wonder.
fully successful, and has been the means not
only of extending the utility OF the association,
but attracted the attention OF those abroad ss
well as at home, the interest manifested in our
SS1s reSS sSsfsIs bs g. last
enabled the ladies', about thirty IN number,
who furnish the depository, TO make large
quantities Of preserves, which have amounted
in value to more than $1,000, and much more
good might have been effected IN this line
bad there been any certainty on the minds OF
as ss s a t 1sa ss sss SGS S Se o1Ss
preserves have been received from the North,
our own population being too impoverished to
assist Us much In this way, and great part OF
our success In these sales, ii is but Just to add
has been owing to the great efforts put forth IN
our behalf by several hnd friends OF the aaso-
cistion residing at the North, who have exert
cd themselves to make known our institution,
interested others in it, and obtain orders tor
us. To the "Female Employment Society" " OF
Brooklyn, N. Y, we are much indebted for the
recent disposal Of preserves to large amount;
also to the s'Lades' Depository" OF Baltimore.
This branch is subject to the same rules
and regulations % the needle-work-the per-
centage charged doing little more than & de-
shipping, dr.ssse, ac.
Through means Of our organization, the la
dies making preserves are enabled to obtain
their material at the lowest possible rates, ss
the association purchases by Wholesale Tor
them. In this way We hsye assisted much
larger number than we could otherwis have
done. In stating the above. We would ackno r
l6Q&0 LUo hluuuCo6 ouVWA sn0 ooooSAesAoa ~
Messrs. F. & J. Bodine, Of Philadelphia, in
selling their jars at reduced rates, and for ioe-
raj donations. Also, the Messrs. Paul, Of this
city, for their reduction OF sugar in our favor,
and for their iberality in gratuitously packing
our boxes during the last season. We have
been greatly encouraged to proceed in this
part OF our work by the constant large orders
received, and the satisfactory reports OF the
purchasers, as sell as by the benefit which
seems to have been produced to those engaged
in it.
In regard to the needle work, it is only ne
cessary TO add that this, too, has been quite
prosperous. The number Of garments made
up during the year has amounted to 1900
pieces. This includes 515 pieces Of ordered
work, when the material was furnished alto
gether by the employer, for which We received
pay, and 985 pieces of store work, by which We
mean that prepared simply for ths purpose OF
supplying work, or in accordance with direct
order where we furnished ali the material For
the cutting out OF this work We have paid over
$183. Large quantities Of needle work as we'll
as Of the preserves have been sent North in
accordance with order received, and the ex-
pressions in regard to it have been most satis-
factory to us, and have very frequently been
the means Of procuring further orders.
From the $50 entrusted to US last year BY
the :Ladies' Depository" Of Baltimore, princi-
pally in goods, we have realized an increase OF
$16 30. This, We admit, is quite small, and
might have been made more remunerative, ex-
cept for our complicated accounts, which pre-
vented us from paying special attention To
this amount. During the coming year, how.
kD ho fofn