The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-27
THE RELIEF COMMITTEE.

Report Of the Investigating Com.
mittee.
The Investigating Committee have sub
mitted the following report to the Relief Com
miNee:
Gentlemen of the Relief Association of 1875:
Your Investigating Committee beg leave to
submit the following report of their action
taken since their last, on May IA. 1875:
Your committee are in daily receipt OF ap-
plications from persons in every condition OF
life, embracing laborers, agrculturists, me-
chanics Of every grade, professional men,
many of whom have filled places OF honor
and trust in the commercial world; ladies who
have moved in the first circles of society, and
the same tale of poverty and restitution Is
being poured into our ears daily by persons
who q few years since were in comfortable or
affiuent circumstances, showing concluslveiy
that it is no longer confined to the laborlng
classes: most of these from no fault OF their
own, but from the decay of our commerce,
the absence of manufacturer, the failure OF
crops, and the disturbed condition OF our po-
litical affairs
sonal observation, that poverty is on the IN
crease. and you will see by our statement that
much good has been done by this association
in relieving the labor market. That much
more will be required of us before the COM
mancement of the business season, to keep
starvation from the homes of our people-the
bone and sinew of orr land. In providing
homes and employment for the hundreds who
have applied for relief your committee have
not encouraged persons to leave the State, be-
ing satisfied that our country parishes need all
of the available labor that the city can furnish
and that our planters and farmers can give
employment at fair rate Of wages to all who
are willing to aid the agricultural interest and
at the same time help themselves in way;
that while receiving aid from this association,
thew can retain their self-respect. Taking
this view. your committee has in most of the
cases received from persons leaving the city
an obligation to return the price Of their pas
sage to this association, in order that the
small amount of funds in its treasury could
be used to its fullest extent.
Your committee have received further en-
courapement from many of the steamboat
CAPTAINS and owners; also from the St Louis,
Chicago and New Orleans Railroad, the Nor.
gan Steamship Company, and Louisiana and
Texas Railroad; also the Florida line OF
steamships. Honorable mention should also
be made of Captains Delahoussaye and Hodge,
Of the steamer Bastrop, and Capt. Forgay, OF
the steamer Ida, who have kindly offered,
where subsistence is furnished, to transport
all destitute persons, holding certificates from
this Office, free of charge. The Coast and
Lafourche packet, Henry Tete ct fifty
cents for each person the Coast
packets w. S. Pike and Carrie Thorn at 81
each. The steamer Natchez, as far as Vicks-
burg, at 81, and nearly all the balance, with
but few exec ptions, at one-half rates. These
evidences of sympathy and cordial support
have been very grateful to your committee,
and will, when prosperity again reigns In our
midst, be doubtless remembered with graft
tude by our people, and the seed which they
have cast upon the waters be returned again 9
thousand fold We have also been much
cheered by the resumption of work upon
several important railroads in this State
and Mississippi, and the employment
of several hundred men thereon; also
at the near prospect of the commencement
of the great railroad leading to Texas. and O
the immediate opening Of the Mississippi
River at its mouth by means of the jetties OF
Capt. Eads as the probable means OF affordine
employment to at least three thousand mer
who are thoroughly acclimated and who vii
undertake the labor at much less rate thar
they would have accepted heretofore. Al
these works may not commence for severa
months, and as in q few weeks tn
small amount of funds in the possession @
this association will doubtless be exhausted
the amount of $458 was generously contribu
ted by our patriotic fellow-citizen, 81. D. Og
den. Esq; 500 BY Thomas A. Adams, Esq
500 by Simon Hernsheim, Esq; 500 BY
Behan. Thorn & Co.; 500 from II. Dudley
Coleman, ESQ.,; book.keeper Duncan, Sher
man & Co., SIS; Miss eanie Patterson, $14
John Talmage, Son & Co., SIS; VIM. Cham
beers, $25; B. F. Sage, S. This COMMITTEES
respectfully recommends that an appeal b
made to the public for further aid.
Messrs. Isaacso1 & Seixas have added 1O0(
pounds of canned Texas beef and Mr.. Tai
mage four barrels of excellent rice and fifteer
dollars in cash. You will, therefore, see tn
Urgent necessity of appealing to our mer
chants and business men for additional aid te
continue the work of relief, and We are conf
dent that an appeal will be met by a generous
response on the part of men who have beer
famous all over the land for their deeds o
charity. It has also been suggested to you
committee that persons u sE1ll6r mean
would add their mite to tie cause o
humanity by patronizing literally a.
entertainment, to be held at some future tim
not far distant, at one of our large halls, or q
the grounds Of the Agricultural and Mechani
cal Association, which we learn can De nat
for that purpose free Of charge. Our news
papers and printing Offices would doubtless
add their mite, while the best talent our cit
affords might volunteer their services.
The committee makes these suggestions t
the as ociation with the hope that they ma
be acted on as speedily as possible. The as
socianon, as represented by your Chairman
ana his efficient assistant submit, in conclu
sion, this account of their labors:
J We have received applications for employ
ment from about 800 persons, 237 of whom
are classcd as plantation hands and laborers
100 persons as drivers, hostlers and garden
ers; 200 persons as mechanics, 100 female
and the balance males of every profession
Many of these persons have been furnishe
with transportation by parties to whom the
were engaged, and consequently do not ar
pear upon the books OF the association
About 6tty families have been reported desti
trta. bnt in most cases the relief tendere