Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-12-13
POVERTY AND LABOR.
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Are and what they Need.
There are but few persons In our city,
outside Of the police circle and the 70
portorial world. who have any idea Of
the number Of homeless, houseless and
hungry wanderers In our city At present.
Our sensational reporter visited the
Adams street station-house at II o'clock
last night, aud went through the wards
occupied by these dodgers. Every eve
ming, about o'clock, squads Of strong
and athletic men march into the station.
house and apply for lodging for the
night.
THE APPLICANTS.
Colonel Forrest, the station.house
keeper, has record hook, divided of
into the following headings; Name,"
Z" Nativity" Occupation, Age. "
Each applicant is called up and is re-
quired to raswer TO the above inquiries,
which answers are written down by some
Of the officers in charge. The record
shows that sin ce the first Of the month
seven hundred and forty persons have
been supplied with lodging. From fifty
to one hundred and seven wanderers
nightly are thus cared for The
nativity column shows that almost
all nationalities are represented.
The occupation column shows list OF
laborers to be the more numerous.
Among the artisans are numbers Of tin
ners, moulders, machinists, BARRIERS,
blacksmiths, carriage makers, one prin-
ter. stone cutters, harness makers, glass
blowers, cooks, etc. These men came
recently from Chicago, st. Louis, Gin
cnnati, Pittsburg Boston, New York
and other cities. They came South in
search of work, the winter season hav.
ing set in up North making employment
hard to procure. They say that the
newspapers Of those cities published
that there was plenty Of work for labor
ers and mechanics in Memphis and
other Southern cities. On coming here
they are unable to get away; so they
remain objects of charity and too often
become criminals by committing acts of
larceny.
WHERE THEY SLEEP AND EAT.
The upper cells or rooms of the
station-house have been prepared for
them as lodging house. Following
Colonel Forrest, who carried lamp, up
into these chambers a sad sight was
presented. In one room, 20x40, beds
are, placed around the room on the
floor close together as they could be
packed. The dodgers lie with their
heads to the walls, and are huddled up
as closely as sardines in box. Cover
ing is also furnished by the officials, so
that the people sleep warmly at least.
The atmosphere in the rooms is not the
purest in the world, in consequence of
the numbers therein breathing and in
haling the same atmosphere over and
over again, while offensiveness is added,
too, by the dirt and filth on the cloth
ing of the unfortunates.
In the morning the slumberers wake
up and appear again in the office, where
they are each presented with ticket
bearing the following inscription: Cit
liens Relief Association. South Mem
phis Soup House, AZ Beal street, near
corner of Main; hours, II am. to A
pm. This entities the holder to meal,
and this is all they get during the day,
unless they can procure something to
eat by begging or by work. NEXT eve
ming they appear at the station-house for
lodging, and this many of them have
done for weeks. Many of them are ar
rested for stealing and are sent up by
the Recorder each morning, but new
dodgers appear nightly, having just ar
rived from the North.
THE REMEDY.
1t is impossible for these laborers and
mechanics to find work in Memphis,
even if they were all willing to work.
But what shall we do with them2 Win
ter is rapidly approaching, which brings
no increase of employment to the labor
ing man. Memphis cannot support
them as paupers unless the balance left
of the funds received in aid of Memphis
be expended for this charitable purpose.
Some action should be taken by our
Relief Committees as to these lament
able facts now made public by our re-
porter.