The New York herald., 1875-03-01
PICTURES OF POVERTY.
K Weeks Work at St
Johns Guild.
Caring for the Families Of the Killed and Wounded
in the st. Andrews Church Disaster

Caring for the Families Of the Killed and Wounded
in the St. Andrews Church Disaster.
Last week brought heavy burden to st. Johns
Guild IN the care OF Its many poor. The storms OF
snow and rain increased the sufferings OF these
people, and they fairly besieged the place. begging
in the most abjecr manner Tor relief. The average
NUMBER OF applicants was more than q thousand
for zach day, and. has been repeatedly stated in
these columns. every thousand applicants repre-
sent nve thousand individuals suffering IN the ten
ement cellars and garrets from lack OF food and
from cold. The same scenes OF picturesque misery
we have SO often attempted to describe were daily
visible. Age with It's many in1rmties and youth
with its feebleness contributed to ill in the
shadows In the grouping, and the dying and the
newly orphaned and wholly unprotected and help
less were the prominent figures.
RELIEF ARRANGEMENTS.
Early In the week the easements Of the two
buildings Nos 80 and 54 varick street were thrown
open to their fullest extent. and the main once
on the first floor OF No. So was given over to the
clothing bureau. Many ladies prominent In New
York society were daily at work In the sewing
room, and some OF them assumed supervision OF
the details OF ether departments. All had appa-
rentiy taken heart from the generous response to
the HERALD's appeal OF last week, and seemed de-
termined to deserve the warm support the public
fresh and preserved meats were donated to the
Guilds poor early In the week ana were distrib-
uted, in addition to the usual supply OF ofprovisons
The Guild gives to each applicant four pounds OF
nour our pounds OF homlny, four pounds OF corn
meal. three poundS OF oat meal. and quarter OF
pound Of tea. Rice. fish, and meats are also dis.
trlbuted on special occasions and to the sick, as
wen as large quantities OF bread, milk. and canned
fruits and vegetables when they are received.
VICTIMS OF THE CALAMITY AT ST. ANDREWS
CHURCH.
Early on Friday morning, while many In the
city were still ignorant OF the lrightful disaster
that had befallen ST. Andrews church, volunteer
visitors OF the Guild were busy Ia visiting the
homes OF the sufferers ana In providing ior theiI
wants, vying in their efforts with the members
OF the Society Of St. Vincent de Paul, whom the
volunteers have always regarded with an admira'
tion and sympathy that is doubtless reciprocal
Mr.. Horatto w. p Hodson the Chairman OF the
Sixth ward council Of the Guild, despatched
very sympathetic letter to the Rev. Father Cur
ran and rendered the immediate services and re-
sources OF the Guild In that ward toward the care
OF the families or the killed and wounded, and
hastened, with many other members, to theii
immediate succor. II was at once arranged td
defray the funeral expenses OF two OF the victims
who had left helpless orphans and the immediate
wants OF the children were Immediately provided
they had been provided with comforts by the vol
unteers and that at the time their parents were
killed there was no money in the house so far al
they knew.
THIS ACTION OF THE GUILD
resulted IN the relief Of q family or eight chil-
dren wholly orphaned BY the death of their
mother who was crushed In the ruins OF the
church Their iather had been dead for some
time. They lived at No. IS vandewater street,
and their name was McGlnn. AT No. 13K Van.
dewater street the volunteers found another
child, Katie -, who was also wholly orphaned
py the killing OF her mother in the crush. she
was taken TO the residence OF ner aunt' wno, ,h:
being very poor was placed in the care 0l the
Guild. Several other cases came to the kno ledge
Of the writer THIS wl recall the @ prompc pro ana
OF other great public calamtles. At the time OF
the Eleventh street disaster. some Two years ago.
when the insecure walls OF q tenement house
iell in ana crushed many workmen tine Guiid
won the encomlums OF the press and pubic by
Its earnest ana thorough work or rellef. Later.
on the occasion of the fire which consumed
large district in Greenpoint, leaving many iami-
sissancs M go Of I the nniortnnates. They repeated
their work by clothing the victims OF the recent
Thirteenth street tenement fire, and IN lact tney
are ever ready, by prompt and organized enor1s'
A SKELETON CHILD.
In company with one OF the volunteer physl'
ton baby at a house In South Filth avenue Suner'
ing iearfuly from hunger, the mother had peen
20 3, OF sSn and 70 @
poor creature had endured tortures the bare
thought OF which should make q won woman trem. @
BILE. The little, crying infant had been starving
Ior days in her arms. When tears would no
longer dow from the swollen eyeds, ana tne
teeDle voice was hushed from weakness. She had
still lelt The touch OF the little appealing hands.
and comprenended all the fulness OF ITS dumb
agony; but days and nights had passed. aud the
teverish Indications OF pain had showed us In
crease ana Its added intensity. In the meantime time
dred makeshIts 10 preserve lie In this little being
that had drawn sustenance from her best blood.
THE INFANT WAS POUND BY THE DOCTOR
and the writer in condition OF LIE before which
an artist would snudder ana his pencil iall mo.
ve'V love to call divine was gone wasted nesh and
shrunken bones, In which were stu preserved;
little iae 'pV1a waste " God % had % placed a soul Tne
eyes showed that in their Infinite, powerless
longing Bnt the little cenGned h v,aa nard M no sSed
leaf. The limbs, shrunken to shadow OF Whas
they had been in heathIthe leg no larger than na1
smtes old age till 1t alls IN the crumbllng dust.
In the chlld's eyes hopeless longing; IN ths
was scene to be long remembered, and to raise
up friends for tnat doctor when ne moved about
with more than q woman's tenderness and mure
than lecturers nerve preparing those two Tor
RETURN TO LIfE
The cellar seemed glOrlhed. Where munger ana
cold aud night had been there came m 10 IT, the light
and promise OF the morning. Tne DARK colored
once OF q table seemed toucned by tne wand ol
magician, to expand into bouquet OF vloleta
the lnQeScrlDaDlc glory Ol Boou aCtiou AAeu VIC
room. Its perfume ioated IN the air.
While few scenes are ever witnessed BY the
visitors OF the Guild that present more heart-
rending aspect than the above there are those
which, partaking OF all that Is gloomy ana terri.
and sublime proportions. Here Is one, oil
LITTLE CHILD SAVING HER BROTHERS
from starvation. She less than ten years od
and she lives in Mulberry street. She goes OUT
daily to work before any OF the chices or stores 10
the lower portion OF the city al opened she IL
but irail child, with slender llmbs and hxure
famished fro want and reddened by cold, out she
Is noble. She SCRUBS. All the morning haf COW
cred by soap and water. she toils IN cleaning the
stairways aud corridors OF the insurance
Offices In the great avenue 80 near
her miserable home. Broadway Is. In fact
only iour or hve blocks away rom tne garrel
where she sleeps That garret IS her little corner
In the world that Is sweetened Dy the name of
home. There ner two feeble little brothers live
From theIe her lather and mother were taken IN