, 1873-11-20
THE POOR.
Operattons Of tho Relief and Aid
Society and the County
Agent.
Proposition to Establish a Free Lodg-
ing.House for Homeless Wan.
derers.

dererH.
Perhaps tho only branesaes In thls city which
havo received an impetus from tlo harlnoss of
tho ti1nes arc tho Chicago Relief and Aid 3d.
oioty, tho County Agency, and tho various otl1or
local charitable institutions. In tho Office of tho
first named tho number Of daily applicants is
largely III oxcoBs Of what 1t was at this tmo last
yoar. There Ia no doubt that tho inorcaso
In tho demand for help Ia not iu pro-
portion to tho increpao OF nocosHitoua oaaes, and
that many Idle and unthrifty persons are taking
advantage of tho bard times as an exouso for
throwing tlioir lazy bodies On tho public chari-
tioa for support Therc iB no reaHon for mnny
Of tho applications for relief nado to the Chi
cago neliof and Aid Society and tho County
Agent. Tho general excuse Of applicants iH
that they oauuot find work, and Is in many casoH
a frivolous ono, as thore is still lots OF work to
bo done In Chicago waiting for hands to do 1t.
Tho old provorb which says TINT "beggars
muat not be ohooRorB" ia By no moans
fully appreciated by nine.tonths OF the
artisans who ind thomBolvos suddenly thrown
out Of employment. They must got exactly tho
kind OF work thoy want, aud, forgetful Of tho
fact that hard timos are folt by employers at as
high wages as usual, and, failing to do 30, they
1.-Two ns long az they Gun On any money they have
managed to lay by them, and then, moaning
about hard luck, drift into tho current Of shift
lesa men1icanoy. A blacksmith called at tho Of
flee of q local charity and nude his moan, wind
Ing up with tho usual appeal. Now, Mt the pres
ont moment thoro aro not to besoon bnser spots
In tho city than tho horse-shoeing Embellishments.
In many caBoa has to wait for
houra before he can got his horHes shod.
Yet some blachemitls, WHO cannot get
the exact work and wages they wish,
h1omo. prov;danco and trrn hoocara 11,e
ahar,t,,,a % soa,a.;oa ,ro o,v,ro ~ tta tonaono.
cnat'taolo hoo'ot'ea "fc a"ate VI 'ne sohoonoy
OF many to live upon ohaIlty father than upon
what thoy consider underpaid or unpleasant
tie case Of oach applicant and exercising tho
utmost discrimination in n1ordug holp. 1t
would he we'll for parties having work to do to
communicate with the managers Of tho Chicago
Agent, who would have no difficulty in finding
PARTIES able, although perhaps not particularly
willing to do 1t. Tho general appearance of the
applicants ut tho Office Of the Chicago Rolief
and Aid Society would surprise niue
out Of ton people making q Walt Of IN
bear any of the evidences Of the poverty which
is supposed to bring them there. They cit down
in the cosy Office, in row, waiting their turns.
md present very well-oad and comfortable
appearance. The haggnrd cheek aud sunken
eye are lacking In almost every instance. The
Secretary Of tic Society, who, with D. heart full
Of charity, combines an oxco1ient knowledge Of
the Ways Of tho people he las to deal taar with
sitting Of their morits. The consequence ia as
might be expected, that not moro than quar-
| tor OF tho applications are approved. Al all
times exceedingly wnry, in tho present condition
Il more than ordinarily astute fraud to got ahead
| Of him. About sixty people cach day receive
help from the Cthicago Relief and Aid Society at
an ayerage daily expenditure Of $500.
Of The Society 70 and out his viewa upon tie
idoa Of charitable lodglng.house in which tue
| peunlloss waifB thrown upon our city during the
| wlntor season could got Lodging and board Tor
| day or two, and pc Kept fron fteezlng to DEATH
ID has boon the iot OF moro than ono home1eas
wretch. Ito sad that formerly uhicago had nag
no lcas than threo lodging. .houacs ut which such
people could ind felago. one OF tnese was ~
| tho old Union street police station another IN
| the basement Of ~ englne-honse. Application
reopening OF theae houses o. refuge, bat WILL
communication. He thought that tho idoa should Y,
receive the proper and prompt attention Ct tho
much misery. ~ ~
| At tho County Agenta otiico the reporter
found very livo!y state OF attalrs. Ihe little
place, Which Is much too small foE the work dono
| 80 - fS0 -" E4tIf
and tho atmosphere OF the paoe was Intensely
close, although tho fresh alr nag treo ingress At
couple Of open wlndows. About ~ rellef,
seekers, principally femasos, comprising aged
| grantmothers, m'ddo.agod mgtrons with we'll
grown noys' young mothers with nabes IN N a1n9,
and girls OF all ages, waited patiently Tor tholr
turn to come. Tie work is done methodlcally,
and the various claima arc adjusted In much
| quicker tlmo than one would imagine. Ono by
one they go to M opening IN partition NaIl
and receive such goods as are kept on stock IN
the room, and supply OF tickots for
food and -, fuel, which they Obtain else
where. The air OF ,paupersm tR much
more clearly marked here than at the
Chicago Relief and Aid Society. and yet there
| are many among theso applicanta Whosa appear
anco is BY no moans in keeping. with the object
which brings them to the Agents otilce. a chat
With tho County Agent revealed tue fact that the
work OF the Agency is very heavy Just now. Here,
too, thoutmost caution Is used in aGordlng relief.
III all cases whore any doubt Is folt aa to tho
necessity Of tue applicant both no and tue party
recommending him as q tit object for assistance
| have to make afhdRyite as to the truth OF their