The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-11
Practical Responses to the APP
peal for Relief.
INTERESTING COMMUNICATIONS.
Contributions to st. Johns Guild
for the Downtown Poor.
MORE SOUP HOUSES WANTED.
SIXTH WARD POVERTY.

In addition TO the numerous cases OF starvation
and poverty discovered in the Sixth ward by a
HERALD reporter and published yesterday, the
following are on the leaves Of his notebook
FROM THE GRAVE TO CoMFoRTLESs HOME.
On the first floor OF the house in the rear OF No.
81 Mulberry street lives Mrs. Connors, widow,
with three children, all helpless On Monday
night when the HERALD reporter, under the guild
ance of Detective Cadeu aud by the assistance OF
hts lantern managed 10 find his way to the poor
woman,s room he found her with her chin resting
on her hands aud her elbows upon her knees. She
was moaning, and rocked restlessy rom side to
side To the reporters third "Good evening" she
responded with look OF vacancy. When her
attention was centred on the visitor she talked
quite freely She had just returned from Calvary
Cemetery, where she had left her daughter,
Young girl aged seventeen years. Six months
ago she was at the cemetery on a similar mission
having at that time lost another daughter. aged
fifteen The woman and her family are in abject
want: out she was too much engrOssed with her
loss to fully appreciate her condition. There in
her little room, with her cold and comfortless chill
dren she was lett to darkness and her own sad
thoughts.
HARD CASH.
Mrs. Julia Cavanaugh, on the nrst moor OF the
rear house of No. 10 Mulberry, is worthy old wo-
man, with too much responsibility for one OF her
advanced age She has crippled husband and
two young children, belonging 20 her son, who was
wounded during the war in the left lung. He OBJ
tanned an honorable discharge, but never got a
cent OF pension money from the government
although be applied for it frequently.
THE ITALIANS.
The Sixth ward Is the home OF nine-tenths OF the
Italian population Of New York. In Mulberry
street, Baxter street, Donovan's lane and the
ROW" there are immense caravansaries for these
impecunious foreigners. Here they are huddled
together ike sheep In pen, and when they retire
at night to sleep they lie packed like sardines in
OIL 1t is q notable fact that the Italians when
away rom home are even more clannish than the
Scotch. son OF the sunny chine will travel
twenty blocks, and pass twice as many grocery
stores to deal with o cOuntryman who is In the
huckster business. In their social relations they
are just as exclusive and the honest poverty that
selves Tney DO not go into the streets
and tmplore aims VITA lugubrlous faces
destrian sees IN his daily walks through town are,
In majority OF cases, professional beggars-men
who have Piled the trade they now pursue for
years in their own country. They have reduced
begging to positive science, and make 1t pay. 1t
is pleasant TO know that this class OF Italians is
not IN the majority. Many poor and deserving
hard against poverty and starvation. These fami-
iles owing to their poverty, are oblged to reside
IN the ''slums" OF the city, among the worst
classes OF their countrymen. Their inability to
speak the language makes their AFFECT conotion
trials to one another, but their tales OF woe
elicit others still more awful from their auditors.
Tue Lurulp Cannot De DleQ, anu bnebe poor peOpl6
can only give one another sympathy, which, to
use New York phrase, 'buys nothing" Their
wants are comparatively unknown to the English
speaking charitable societies, and consequently
they get but little rehef except from the Italian
society, which, owing to the great demand upon
ITS resources, can do but little for them.
Late last night a HERALD reporter, in company
with detective, paid visit to the lodging Of
Ganganilh Tophaggi, in Mulberry street. In II
by Is room were crammed man, his wife and
seven little children. The woman was nursing
babe apparently about two months old: the man
a nil and tha
room was lighted by taow candle in bottle,
and placed on an empty hour barrel in the middle
of the room. Three OF the children were sleeping
on an ordinary iron bedstead and the others were
lying on the floor. In one corner OF the room was
hand organ. and upon 1t an emaciated monkey.
When the reporter and his guide entered the ami
NAL laZily opened one OF its eyes, surveyed the
visitors, then closed 1t, and returned 10 his dream
agg1, by the aid OF his ten-year old son, who is a
bootbIack, and who speaks toerable English, In
formed the reporter That he had not been out o
the house for week, owing to severe cold, IRON
which he was suffering. The last day he was on
with his organ and monkey he got seventeen cents
which he spent for bread. Since then the whole
could make, which was very little, owing to the
muddy state OF the streets and consequently SINAI
demand for Shines"
At the back Of No. IA Baxter street, in Donovan:
lane there are twenty-five Italian families nuddlet
together. They are all in needy condition ant
some positively want food and clothing. The rail-
comes down through this house and makes IL unin
habitabe. The stairs, on which the leak water ha:
frozen, are encased IN ice and are almost impassa
bic. The bansters are mass OF ice and eacf
night rost adds to the pile.
Opposite, IN No. IL Ba xter, is another ItaliaI
house which Is nlled with restitution. The thret
houses on either side are in similar condition
In fact the whole street 10 flied with families hi
want help and food. The men are strong ant
healthy, but can get no work TO DO. II Is impossi
Die 10 indlvidualize their cases. as only Ia rart
instances do they speak any English