New-York tribune., 1876-08-19
STARVATION IN THE CITY.
EXTREME WANT AND ITS CAUSES.
CASES OF SUFFERING AND DIsEAsE-wHERE CHARITY

SIR Much is said about the present suhoilhS
among the poor, but those not brought INTO contact VIII"
form no idea of the misery which exists the gen
teInan who passes the day in attending TO bis business
down town and at night rjons his family in the country
never dreams Of the agony that almost within bowsot
Of his closed residence up town during lhe "in'oi'
when the city is full of benevolent people and the ma
chnery of relief is in active operation extreme suneils
IL sure of mitigation in some way or DINER but NO" INC
doors OF those who could give are Closed even TIC s.'
sum earned at other times by family sewing, Washing
house-cleaung, etc. is withdrawn ana ior many po
widow and her helpless family there is no way oi ESCAPE
from actual famine. No..
Yesterday | called upon a poor woman In Thirty
sixtb-st widow with three little children ana dausi
ter age 49, This woman was not stoud crea'"'e wiz"
ont sensiblitv and capable only Of physical suucrhs
She was serupnlousy neat in her person ana surrou
ings her face was intelligent and refined ana her srif
mar fautess Before her husbands death they were III
comfortable circumstances. Now all they have hao LOT
weeks has been what she and her daughter cou!d earn W
making calico shirts at Jy cents dozen! BY beginning
very early in the morning, and working steadily un
near midnight through those terrible days III Juy 'ney
have been able finish dozen shirts or the MY
cents thus earned thirty cents were pledSed l"f lcn
leaving t,centy cs day 10 feed Gre persons! she 'oiu
Inc that she and her children often suffered lroiu
hunger not having the means TO buy loai OF
bread and being too proud to beg. No wonder that per
eons IN such straits purchase the cheapest tOod ~ WI"
s:ay the gnawng Of hunger, without reference 10 us Nv
ness for a human somach and when disease ana uea''
follow they are ascrlbed in the health reports 20 any
other than the real cause Starvation Who shall tel. no"
often tie diseases reported eyers marasmus cholera
nfanum sunstroke, are branches OF anSe uee wnsSe
trunk is famine .
One wond suppose that among the very poor tie IN
stinct OF selfpreservatJn would develop aGsote sen
jshness But it is not The poor widow IS ever ready
t. divide her mite with poorer than herself sur
prsed woman the other day the act of giving piece
of bread to blind who had felt his way up I" Aer
door On inquiry found that she ana her children were
then al o'clock taking the first food they had tasted
that day. sOre bread and potatoes given them hy "o
man in the house. No, Ii is superiuty, not want
that hardens the heart.
Many hearrendng cases have been brought 10 my
notice by the Rev Mr. McCafley, rector OF the Esco
pal Church Of our sIvior (IhirdaVe near IhIt! hA'
t who is laborng among the poor east OF Third-ave
At his request l visited yesterday a family an Last
Thiry-ffth-st. The husband, laboring man. had Ion:
been out of work y,liug which pawnnrORcr would
take was gone, the children were almost naked ana e
room presented the appearance OF extreme "re'cHeE
ness. The floor was covered with an old rag carpet
which was fairly slippery with accumulated grease ana
filth and emitted a sickening OdOr | begged lheh l"
throw this carpet away the lifted up and
showed me that the floor full of ra-noes through
which tie children might break their legs ana '''t ue
Garnet WAS necessary to up these holes ana 10
keen the children from wOunding Their feet Wlth 'lh-
ters and projecting heads of nal.s.
Among the numerous cases visited by MI. McCairey
select the following:
Mrs Buik ut No. 34S East seventy.fourthst widow.
with five children utterly without means, and unable to
get work.
Mrs. Galding and her sister at No 323 Fast ,euty
fousthst both widows, Of them helpless from crOmc
rheumatism actually suffering from want oi food.
Mrs wilson, a widow with several children, living on
eecond-ave near Thir;ynntl-st,, bad been q hours
Without food when visited BY Mr.. McCafrcy.
Mrs wizzaGd a widow, living in tity-:ourthSt near
In yyVlpu Slo al II
been slowly starving for weeks past. When MI Nc
CaTrey visited her she her knees At TIE wash
tub her limbs swollen that hccould not stand
Mrs Carroll, in East Thirty-eiglth-st, widow with
three young children aud older girl who works in
factory at Greenpont and SO per week This is all
the family have u live upon. They had been almost
wholly without food for As noms when Mr. McCaifcy
called.
Mrs Lencking a widow with one child, living on First
ave. near TLiry-fit!st takes i'll washing bat can get
no work now. They have had so hitlc food Tor some time
past that both she aud the cult arc mere sHeeI"HH
scarcely anlc To walk
These arc not isolated Parallel instances come
daily 10 the notice Of every vino makes visits among
the poor and Mr. Mccartney list is full Of them
sperhaps useless appeal 10 those who are always
ready to contribute racing or boating club, or who
viii pay thousands Of dollars for tiOttinG horse sHch
people cannot be expected &c assume any additional bn'
dens But has not the time arrived when those VINO do
give 10 benevolent objects should discriminate between
those agencies which lie and those which minister
TO less pressing wants These exceptional times such
as VIC have ever had before aad may never have agau
but while they is 1t not better that the endowment
Of high schools and colleges the rearing Of monuments
the fitting out Of scientific expeditions &C., &C. should
be allowed 20 lie over sud the funds be opped to Iescu
ing widows and orphans who perishng with hanger
And so too with building expensive CHURCHES. Do We
not mock God when we build 10 His honor the lofty
spire whose shadow fans upon the home OF want when
We have not the means 10 reevei Nor is it possible
70 do good to the soul OF man whose body sHlamcrng
for sustenance. "stOp, STOP" said poor wretch to Nr
McCaIrey the other day, don: say word to me abon
Christ II He was a good man He wouldn't Jet me ana
y children staryc for the want Of hit of bread" Ana
the clergyman added, in relating this 70 me- tell YOU
Doctor there often religion IN ha loa Oi bread
than in seven sermons"
Mr. McCifrey Is lsboring entirely alone Tho funis in
lis nosscssion have enabled him give only few oavcs
of bread To each family, and occasionally small sum OF
money and as he has thus far received less than $50
from others his private means are nearly cXlau5ied
He ought not 20 be cf thus OsTuggc single handed VIII
not others come his aid be with ever small sum
Ard win not benevolent persons generally awaken to
The fact mat is terrible and widespread suffering
in this city that escapes the public eye, and tAat greater
sacrifices arc required in the cause OF humanity thar
ever before in the history OF this country Especially
persons in the rural districts, where there IS conrara.
tiyely little suffering ought to remember "ith their
bcuuty those who are fanishjng ia the larger cities
Mr. McCagrey's address is The ROY. D. H. Mccartney,
No 55s Lexingtonavc" Contributions VIII also be re-
ccvcd and Acknowledged by the Rev. Dr H. DJc: at No
bible House, or by the writer.
ANDREW II. SMITH, NJ d..
No. llO East Thiriy-cighth-st.
Ye,e. York, Aug. l6, 1876.
SICK AND DESTITUTE CHILDREN