Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-01-14
Within the Walls of Paris.
PARIS, Nov. 2Slh, 1870.

The distress occasioned by the state of
spige in which Paris has now been for
more than two months is very great.
Many Of ;he shops have been entirely
closed. There are innumerable bpggprs
III the streets, most OF them women and
children. The men who beg are poor
crlppes, and expose some corporeai de-
tormty that prevents them being drawn
for the army.
There is one point in the FRENCH char.
acter which Strangers cannot fail to re-
mark. A begear seldom asks in vain. |
have seen a group Of Gardes Mobiles
around all unfortunate, each of whom
has given something from his scantily
lined purse. In various parts of Paris
.caDtines and soup kitchens have been es-
ra.blished to supply the poor AT IA reason
able rate. AT the present time thousands
Of persons are forced to avail themselves
of the advantages they offer, who, before
the war, were able to earn respectable
livelihood.
Paris is topsy-turvy now. Many of
the large apartments i'll the most fash
ionable quarters OF the town are inhabi-
ted by persons who have taken refuge in
Paris from the country and working peo
pie from the taubourgs. They inhabit
the enormous elegantly painted and gid
ed rooms rent free. n few sticks of
furniture, sabots aud Nouses contrast
strangely with the decorations. Saloons
are turned into laundries, and ragged
linen hung out to dry on the balconies.
From the windows aud balconies of the
upper stories of one of those new houses
in the Rue de Laiaveltc, looking over
Baron Rothchild's garden, stockings,
shirts and female under linen of every
description We're dangling when passed
II is something to have Il roof over their
heads, but the poor required food, aud
the cantines are great boon. In no
quarter OF Paris do they render more
Service than i'll the Third arondisement
the mple-one ot the principal cen
ters of ParIsian industry. I'm that dis
trict the captines work admirably, and
deserve special notice. There are at
present sixteen, but the number will be
increased 10 twenty-iour. Upwards of
$4,000 persons are now daily supplied
with t0od, but the support is not equal
to the demand. There are between $50
and 200 employed in the cantines. A
room having been obtained from house
proprietor, u stove, Il counter for the dis
tributlon aud two or three benches are
installed therein Tor the persons waiting
their turn TO be supplied. Tables there
ale none, as the tood Is not to be eaten
in the cantine. The distribution is made
by p woman cook and two assistants in
each room the accounts aud checks are
kept at the Marie. N.othing is scld at
The cantine, and persons dcslrous of Oh
tanning food must first obtain tickets at
the Marie, which arc available at any
cantine III u e district. They are OF dir
terent colors, and entille the bearer 10
receive eilher OF the following portions
Half litre Of soup or fifty gfammrs of
meat. goo grammes of rice, rs of dried
vegetables, 500 grammes OF bread.
Two distributions aee made pen day
from ten TO twelve aud from four To six
O'Clock, The cantines are also opened
from eight till half-past nine a. m. and
from two to hali-past three p. IN. tor ihe
issue OF numbers indicating the order in
winch each will be served. When The
distribution of food is made a National
Guard takes his position near the coun-
Ter, calls out the number, tells the cook
the quantity and quality OF the portions
required and places the vouchers in the
till, which is taken every evening 10 the
Marie for examination. Simple as this
service appears, it requires great organi-
cation, of which the public is not aware.
1t may be divided into branehes-the
material and the distribution of free tick.
cts. The first is composed OF director,
who occupies himself with the general
supervision, the choice OF localities for
ths oantines, their fittings, the .connec-