The New York herald., 1876-12-15
THE POOR AND THE WINTER.
IDLE wonxlsonrs rnoorIso TO THE Arxs-

IDLE woRKINoMEN TRooPIEo TO THE AIMs-
HoUsz-BRooKLrx's pEsrIrurrox.
The indications are that the distress among the poor
In this city and Brooklyn Will be very great during the
coming winter Tho HERALD has shown to what
extremity the iaborng class has already been re-
duced by the hard tines and every day that passes
seems but TO add TO the number OF applicants for
lief not merely at tho private charitable institutions
but at the police courts. where men, willing 10 work
but unable get work do, aud who are ..too proud
10 beg and too honest to Steal" only too glad
be sent the Island, whcre they can find food
and shelter for the winter. In the ten day house
OF the Tombs Prison twenty-four able-boded
waited yesterday morning 10 be taken to the Work.
house they all had the piti.ul story to tell OF
want and misery. Some OF them native Amer.
leans. A HERALD reporter interviewed few OF them.
Edward Nolan said he had been twenty five years in
the country tailor by trade, and had been idle
for three months He worked for some time for Meyer
4 son. OF brooklyn.
Laurence Farrei, also tailor. said he had been idle
since July last
thirty years America had been able get work
tor live months.
Francis Lumbcrg, German, said he tailor,
and was applying the Court for rcllef be-
he could get no employment.
James Brady, brickaycr said he had boon out OF
Tor months aud Edward Dunn painter,
told The same story.
i very respectable. looking middle-agcd man, with
fringe of white beard cncrcny his melancholy lace,
au who gave his name as Thomas Holmes, said ne
had been unable 10 gel anything TO do at his tradc OF
making shoes Tor three months. His son had sup.
ported him during that time. but he too, was now out
q cmpoymen%I Warden QUINN Of the the prison aud
OF much distress in the city before
BRooKLyS.
There arc upward o 10000 Iaborng men and me.
chnnics OF employment Brooklyn, and tho
prospect OF change Tor the better Is TAR from cncour.
aging. sThcrc Is no hope Tor any work before spring.
is the often repeated expression OF officials, both city
and county, when approached by tho idlers who
antiy appealing Tor work Tho ladies OF the sew
churches are rcorganztng their sewing societies
aud soliciting cast oil clothing whcrowith to cothe
the poor Tho 81 Vincent de Paul Society
conferences report the outlook for the
OF great misery and they arc exertng themselves
obtain To relieve the Immediate necessities OF
their fellow beings in distress. The Society for I'M
proving the Condition OF the Poor has largo iu-
crease OF applicants already their books On
December 20 the Commissioners OF Charities Will begin
their weekly supplies TO The destitute Each
person desiring relief will be required to answer certain
questions before the Commissioner for tho district
which tho applicant resides. Tho Will then be
referred TO volunteer visitor, who will report
the worthincss OF the case before 1t will be given.
MAYOR scIRoEDER's vIEws
Mayor Schroeder in speaking Of the general distress
among the working classes, said, YESTERDAY that he
had found, in Brooklyn, whole families the verge Of
starvation. "rhc wealthy, and those In moder-
ate crcumstances,' His Honor said ''should make
traordnary efforts relieve the dreadful suGcrngs OF
the poor believe tnn between $780, 600 and &400, 900
must be raised. Three out Of every four OF tho
skilled laborers OF Brooklyn have been out OF cm-
poyment tor tho past two winters, and have pawned
or sold everything they had. One widow had
ceived heip except from her poor neighbors Liv-
ing in house. sick, with four little childron
she had lett furniture baby's chair, stove
kettle Somo bedding the floor, but
there were no shoes and not enough clothing to cover
not morsel OF food in the house. man whom
helped last winter writes letcr to me, saying that he
had 10 send his children 10 school without any food
yesterday He says that his family consisting Of four
children, himself and his wife. must perish unlcsS
something is done Tor them"