The New York herald., 1871-12-20

the chairman OF the committee. VIII be OF interest to
those Of our readers who may have contributed to
ths special fund, as well AZ to the general public
whose sympathtes have been aroused by the dts
tress occasioned BY the Chicago connagration:-
! In the discharge OF the duty the committee dill
gently spent the 9Th, 9th and 10th days Of Docom-
6er The whole management. and control Of the
general relief lund WAS found TO be IN the hands Of
nsss snS Aha s ss s Of so,1s wnos @
OF the society were commiIted to an executive COM
mittee composed OF the several chalrmen Of iu
man. To the members Of the society and OF the
sub committees an introduction was obtained. and
sne work Of relief % and could Be easily reached From
an Of them every iac,ty ana nep was recelvea IN
rs were desired and requested.
BY invitation the committee was present at
several meetings OF the Executive Committee and
permitted to listen 10 the reports OF the chalrmen
OF tho several sup-committees, which were full and
most instructive; and to tae debates thereon, that
individual M members, % ana showed The % CONCLUSIONS
which were reached The books OF account were
contributions received and OF disbursement and Of
balances OF money on hand and where deposited,
On wnss w a nea s e Sas
phould be withheld from the knowledge OF the COM
Under the guidance OF members Of the society the
committee visited and carefully inspected the
depots OF supply and distribution OF food and cloth.
Ing and Witnessed the mode OF managing the vast
and complicated work. Also sought and obtained
q satisfactory knowledge or the extent and import
Committee,n winch embraces the construction OF
houses and ''barracks for the shelter and pr0lec-
tiOn through the inclement season, OF no less than
40rty thousand peoples and also the construction OF
hospitals and provision rUr che sick ana tnfrm.
The administration OF other departments Of this
grand and imposing charity were also, with the ad
OF Intelligent and Wiling friends, examined, and
such Information obtained regarding them as time
and opportunity permitted.
Your committee iurtner1 obtained the views and
advice OF prominent gentlemen who were earnestly
and oonssantly engaged In the work Of regei but
sources Evidence was thus furnished that, to :
of deserving persons who had lived In competency,
n not luxury, and been suddenly reduced 70 abso-
obtaining Of help through the ordinary channels,
and who need to be sought out that aid might be
aven sa Z them IN any form. In order TO reach this
Of the society the "Bureau of Special Rellef was
crested and Is performing an Important work.
rived are thus Indicated, In order that Just opinion
may be formed OF their reliability. The gentlemen
composing the Board Of Directors or the Relief and
AID Society are among the leading citizens Of chi.
cag0. The chairnen OF The various subcommittee
were Cnosen % or .nelr peculiar illness for tueir re-
are exclusively devoted TO the public service, hav
Ing for me time gwen up ail attention to their pri-
wearled labor are worthy oi ali admiration.
Mention must also be made OF another source OF
lnlOrmati0n which supplies the deficiencies OF every
other and obviates the need OF an extended report
here upon the operations OF the Chicago SocIety--
namely. their own forthcoming "First Special Re.
chairman Of the Executive Committee, whose
warm. warm sympathles and comprehensive, peney.
sound Judgment and eminent ability In the prac.
teal affairs OF lie. These qualities command, as
ulness OF the report casts light every branch Of
the subject OF rolief and removes, IL is believed,
era important points, and renders clear the policy
which ought to be pursued IA dlsposng OF the Gem
been accidentslly delayed. but It's appearance may
pe soon oXpectcd. :, ,, ..~
Of g 81 sn
different views, led 10 the appointments OF the Com
sorry notes by tho shelter Committee from the app-
cauts for relie for the cost OF houses, upon whom
shelter In any form was supposed 20 be conferred
tion Of the fund lu The hands OF the committee Of
the Chamber Of Commerce to any other oDJecls or
IN any other mode tnan those chosen by the Chicago
Relief and AID Society.
As to the nrst 1t Is nowhere denied that the pro.
vision Of shelter for the houseless ct this Indictment
season s nearly as as mpSrant % S 1Sr the preser&ya. w
gould delay be allowed without natal conse-
4uences The society. therefore, acted promptly,
.barracks'' themselves. or Of furnishing material
to those applicants FOR relief who were owners or
land. TO all persons VINO were found to be worthy
ahd destitute the house was given. Those who had
UO68e03e0
or were deemed by the Shelter Commitlee to pos
sess the ability to repay the cost OF the house,
were M required @ to give notes M having year to run
viii probably be collected. Whatever amount may
which the original sum was bestowed. The device
or exacting note Is found TO be safeguard
against the arnnces Of ,he numerous imposlors VINO
seek 70 OBTAIN aid on pleas Of pretended loss and
destltut0n. Tie shelter Committee s complete
success. The results show that the measure was
- IHOr 10 " nrno
cuted on principles which ought to control the
management OF great business enterprises
troll cf the Relief Fund and the mode or dis
pensing tho vast contributions or money ana ma.
people of Chicago to the Reiief and Ald Society.
and was thus bestowed because of the known ut.
ness Of the s, citizens SO chosen to MI the
when 1t is further known that the so
ciety has thus lar discharged Its duties with
reasonable ground for withholding entIro confidence
In the wisdom OF their plans or tho integrity OF their
execution 1t does not seem possible that any
other agency could so well perform these duties,
ana therefore, III the opinion OF the committee the
na appropra,t,oa u, ION 81 the % %prnciha part Of the fund
confded 10 the Chicago Relief and Aid SOCIETY.
ae s0e as On hsna n rs
dollars. Until this sum snail be expended the fund
held by the New York committee ought TO remain
at the credit OF their treasurer III It's present sale
IS il may be required for immediate soursemeni.
quire INTO the mode IN which benefactions were
distributed that were known to he entrusted to prl
vate agencies. or this Glass were the gifts Of Mr..
A. 4. Stewart anu those which were disoursed by
MIR. john Crerar. The friends OF Mi. stewart, TO
whom his wishes were expressed were
had employed an experienced member
Of the chicago Relief and Aid society
to examine personally into the character and cir
cumstances Of every applicant Tor portion OF the
fund.- and on his written report the grant OF RELIEF
was maze to depend. This fund IL being gradually
expended, and the wishes OF lne generous donor
regarded with oil ndelity. MIR. Crerar exhibited
satisfactory evidence tnat tho various sums OF
money entrusted to him mad reached the parties for
whom they were intended, ana tnat the record ar
vouchers OF each transaction were preserved for
presentation 10 the donors.
The history OF other contributions OF similar
character and large amount was impaired TO your
committee and In every case proved most sattsfac-
tory.
The result OF the foregoing inquiry into the his.
tory OF special relief suggests mode IN which inde-
pendent or private contributions may be safely
transmitted and secured 10 the Intended recipients
non. .rea,dpnt Of Chicago cannot be competent q