The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-12-03
A REonaANIr WOW EFFECTED
EARNEST WORK RESUMED

for the Improvement OF the Ionuition OF tho
poor was held last evening 10 the Council
Chamber at the City Hall, DR.. Peter Parker
ia the chair, who stated that the meeting
was called for the purpose Of hearing the
reports Of the secretary, treasurer aud gen
eral agent of the society and the election OF
officers for the ensuing year.
The secretary being absent, Mr.. l.. W.
Kennedy was elected temporarily.
note was read from Henry d. Cooke,
esq, rcgretting his inability TO attend the
meeting.
Mr.. <. X. Browne, the general agent Of
the society, then made the following report,
which was unanimously adopted; aud IL was
ordered that 1t be entered upon the records
of the society.
The reports, after showing the extreme
poverty which existed among a certain class
Of our people at the commencement Of 1867,
goes on to show the efforts made to relieve
them, as follows!
II was easy enough to relieve present dis.
tress, but there was a necessity for the atop-
tlon OF somc plan which would afford perms.
ccmber, 1851, a meeting Of macy OF the ,proml. |
the Ptovident Aid Society was organized, and |
Hon Peter Parker WAS elected president, and |
Alexander shepherd, esq, treasurer. This
ment OF directors, visitors and collectors for
each ward The city was thoroughly can
vNssed. public meetings were held, eontribu.
shows, for that winter there were collected
and dsbursed for the RELIEF OF the poor ell 900
In cash, 900 worth OF fuel, besides 5000 OBJ
tanned OF the Freedmen's Bureau through Gen.
o. o. Howard, making the total benefactions
Of the society that season $4,000.
II is to be regretted that \ more detailed ac-
count OF the operations OF this society for this
period has not been preserved In convenient
haA nd
Surice 1t to say 1t was the p,rent OF many
thousand blessings to the poor, and doubtless
sacrificing lsbors of Its Officers, p,tFon' and
member. will never be forgotten they are all
on the = day OF December, 1865, the frat an.
nual meeting OF this society was held 10 the
Council Chamber OF the City Hall, with its
honored president In the chair, when reports
were msde and cot mittees appointed, one OF
which reported At a subsequent meeting held
December 2s, ls6s, at the Fourth Presbyterisn
church, the following list OF nsmes for o GERS,
who were elected for the ensuing year, viz:
President, Hon. Peter Parkeri Vice president,
Mr., WIN, Dixon; secretary, Colonel James X.
O'Beirne, treasurer. A. X. shepherd, esq aud
board OF directors, consisting OF two mem.
bers from each ward.
AT this meeting addresses were delivered by
the clergy and lstty, and subscriptions, mostly
In cash, received, amounting to about " 0)O,
N,o OF which wac contributed by $. Wolf
esq, behslf of an executive committee, OF
whit Mr.. John Hitz was chairman, 10
charge OF funds the proceeds OF rec Mt con
poor.
Committees were appointed at this meeting
to wait 90 the Mayor and city Councils, aud
request that all mOneya Appropriated by the IN
for the relief of the poor be allowed to be dis.
butsedby the society, and To request Al appro
priauon OF $500 for each ward OF the city, with
which TO purchase fuel for the poor, also, tC
address circulars Of appeal to the pastors o
the various churches IN the city to take "
collection and to the public, setting forth tn
amount OF suffering which exists, and solicit
ing donations.
ors, held Thursday, December 81, 1898, In tn,
Board Of Trade roons, II was resolved that
general agent be appointed toait as executive
with an ONCE and depot In the central part oil
tn, atty.
nominated aud elected general agent OF the
Messrs. Joseph E. Fitch, ] p. Tustla and J
NJ. Latta were appointed 4 committee to re
vi.e the constitution and bylaws OF the so
clety.
by the general agent, on the corner OF Louis
ans avenue and sixth street, for the receip
Of such articles of money, fuel, food and cloth
ing as might be contributed, AMI two soup
houses established under the superyision q
the committee, at different points of the cit,
Directors and visitors were supplied with tn
necessary blanks and instructions, collector
with books, the city dlstricted, and the %
cieiy catered again upon It's active operationI
AT meeting of the Officers and board 0
direct "a, held at the office OF the genera
agent, January l. lsJD the constitution an
hy-iaws OF the society were revised, chsngiD
Its object and plan OF operations somewht ii
aud changing ITS tmc TO the Nv sahin
Association for the Improvement Of the Cor
dltlon Of the Poor and providing for tn
Hon. 5. p. Chase, W. W. Oorcofsn, o. W
RlgSsand II. II. Cooke, esqs, were elected su,
The principal distinguishing features OF Il
new constitution, which was prepared wi
great care and ability BY tho comm ittee, ait
examining the constitution and bylaws
similar organizations la different cities, n
contained 10 the different articles of the sam
in the fundamental rules by which tho as.
citation Is governed, aud In the excellent dir,
lions to visitors, all OF which are published
pamphlet form, and have been widely cIrc
Additional committees were appointed, a,
Lle petition Congress for an appropriate,
oh OOOO for the poor, which amount was a
prohristed, but by mistake given to the Mayo
OF Washington and Georgetown to be distrl
uted Frequent meetings OF the boards
poses Of IN liking reports Of their work and
suggesting means whereby their labors cou
be mo.t systemati'tily and sueeessfuIIy a
Macy OF these reports were graphic, sho.
log an amount of wretchedness and destitI
ton almost preeuding belief, and giving d
tails OF such cases sufficient to melt the ST. on
est heArtF.
In some instances, families Of widows =,
children were found by our lady visitors wi
were totally naked, who had been without 70
several days, and who were living or diving
shelters UNIT for brutes. In mtpy cases I
persons called upon expressed great willie
ness to work for a livelihood, but had soug
Ia vain for employment. some were VIII
SIN TO go out for work, but hal not garner
sufficient to hide their nskeducss,
Interesting reports were made from sol
houses, where were issued daily some TIN
hundred gallons of soup HuI two thOusa
loaves Of bread TO hungry crowds, ayeragi
about hye IN family. The larger prOporti
Of this class were cOiOred. Occasion ,liy "A.
OF imposition were reported, where n,rtl
relieved were unworthy, where charities we
duplicated, where bread hni fuel were sold {
liquor, but II was generally GIuceded tn At
were better that dozen such mistakes shuu
be make than that one worthy person sh ou
suffer Teams were sent out IN different p,
OF the cry to solicit contributions OF secoI
hand clothing and food suitable for sick a
inhrm persons, which were quite successf
and all Of which were distributed.
An employment branch was opened In /
ONCE OF the general ageht, and under I
supervision OF Rev. Geo A, Hall; large nu
Der were found homes aud en- plOymenf ther
by ''mlnishiug the amount Of suffering NJ
crii e; but hundreds Of IibJreTs, mechani
seryant-meu and women, both white and CO
Orrd, even cultivated ltdIes, who I'D beeo ul
reduced, and Intelligent meu, able to nj no
Orable positions, applied auNIOuHly for NJ
kind OF work rather than to beg fOf fond III
could not be furnished with such work, h
cause the demand far exceeded the supply.
reference 10 former report Of the gsner
esen'i nma we number OF neTson. teliev,
WAS l2OoO, valued at " 40 Oli number reliey,
by groceries, 5,sjj' at al expense Of u, 2O7 o
number relieved by soup, bread aud meat Al
p,TjJ ut an expense OF tJIbdlg number i
lieyed BY clothing, 40, valued At Is % IS, at
expense OF tJJi total number aided or reliey
during that time, 2T,Bst some OF this amou
OF expenditure was received by the May
from the corporatton, but the greater porti
was By voluntary contributions, The spi
OF charity and liberality ever manIIest
towards this association By the people OF ii
community In behalf OF the poor 10 truly co
mendable aud has been appreciated aud eh,
ished with heartfelt grAiiluds by the reel
ents OF their generosity, with the SMILES a
tears OF the widow and the orphan, \ cuften
DTDmntlV ed Ia.
ment.day by Him who will say, "inAsmuch
ye have done l. unto one OF the least Of the
ye have done II unto me"
Alta public meeting held March II, 1869,
the CITY Hall, II WAS
"Rsiolpcd, That Congress having generou,
appropriated t3O, 900 for the relief Of the d
utute of the District, which 10 deemed SUI
nieht Tor the present necessities OF the poo
to be distributed by the Mayors Of Wsshil
,oa ahd Georgetown, and this ASSOCIATE
having exhausted the funds at Its co IN 4 q
10 deemed eXpedtent and proper to ~
penn Its operation for the pTuacnt season"
AccnrlIlgIy, the operations Of tie AHaoei
llnn were soon after suspended.
ne