Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-21
A CHAPTER ON CHARITY.
WHAT SHALL BE DONE ABOUT THE HOW
ARD BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION?
The Case of the Society as Presented
Ccneisely and Illustrated by
Tales Of Distress.

The Howard Benevolent Association of
Sacramento was organized December q.
1857. 1t is corporation. It's history is one
of the pages of State history, and its reputa.
ton is worldwide. Some of its notable ex-
tensive acts OF relief were seen in the cases
of the food OF 1851 ,; the food of 1873 on
the occasion of the explosion of two steam
ers, and on the occurrence Of epidemics. But
its constant charities from day to day, while
less prominent have been no less effective
and noble. 1t has existed 264 months 1t
has disbursed in charity about $780, 900 ex-
elusive of quantities Of food, clothing, medi-
cine and household supplies contributed direct
| by patrons, which, IN money value, would be
worth $50, coo. Every time it relieves a per-
son in distress it issues a dispensation. In
the % years it mas issued III, go dispense
tons.
FINANCES.
For the year ending October 7, 1879, it
received from subscribers, $40 927 %; from
| the State, 81 $50; as interest, 1919 a; by
collections, $3.50 So from donations and
benefits. 81 80 So and drew from the bank.
SIS, $50 80, which, with $3.50 OF on hand De-
tober l, 1873, makes 50, 597 IS as the total
receipts. 1t disbursed for relief Of the poor
in the year, IS. $50 S. October l, 1879. it
had in its treasury of availsbe funds, S2l1 9S,
and outstanding loans, S. 36S 70. There was
due from the State 1912 30, which, with
S5S 81 unpaid interest, made It's assets
So 95l 81, against which it had bills audited,
sob 90 leaving the net assets IS. 43S 81.
r. Dale is President; l.. Bien, Secretary
w. A. Hougntop, Treasurer: w, Z. Cole
man, John Mcneil, z. II. RUSSELL G. w.
Chealey. j. Z. 5heehan and d. Lubin, Di-
rectors.
MEMBERS
It's active members are limited to thirty.
They are J. H. Carroll, 7. NJ. Lindlev. p.
Fl. Russell, C. T. Wheeler, Newton Booth.
Richard Dale, W. P. Coleman, Dr. Mont
gomery, John Mcneil, L. A. Epson. G. w.
Chesley, Joseph Hahn, Daniel Flint, S. La
venson, Charles McCreary, G.. H. Swinertnn.
Louis Bien, E. r. Hamilton, l.. Elkus, Albert
Gallatin, w. F. Knox, W. A. Houghton G. |
Robin, W. r Knights, NJ. 7. Brewer, L. Bird |
sail, j. I. Sheehan, L. III. Moor, G. w. |
Rapp, ID. Lubin. Whenever vacancy oc.
ours among the active members, one is chosen |
from the list OF subscribing members to FIJI |
1t. Thus one must be subscriber to be an |
active member, and an active member to be- |
come Director
Inc society never gives money, but dis |
bnrses only through its officers. 1t helps no |
single, able bodied men. 1t is sometimes i'm
posed upon, but uses all possible guards to |
prevent unworthy use of the charity funds. |
Its sources of income are interest on invested |
funds, church and election donations regular
subscriptions by citizens from SO to 81 and |
even % cents per month. Mr. Cushman is |
its Steward. He and some of its officers in
vestigate every application for aid. Many |
people give the Society clothing, outer and |
under-shoes, hats, ETC., and others regularly |
contribute food. All these contributions are |
given out by the steward from a depot on
Seventh street, between X and L. Just now
the Society is in close quarters. 1t is very
hard up. Its officers begin to weary of we'll !
doing, and complain that the people do not
give enough to enable crying want to be re-
lieved by the Association. 1t is question if |
the Society shall live or die Ali this, and |
all that follows. Is the statement, in brief of |
officers of the Society, and presents the case
of the Association FOR public Judgment.
WHAT THE SOCIETY EXHIBITS.
The Society books show that at this time it !
is extending aid to . men Is of them are
well and want work, II are sick and infirml, |
n women wives, widows and heads of de-
serted families, with few sinele), and ISL |
children. The disbursements of the Society
for January, 1880, were S6SS 81, exclusive of |
clothing, bedding and food contributed by
the charitable. The income of the Society
for the same period was $3.50 20. Its avala-
BILE means, February 1st, amounted to
$3.50 Sc. The bills for February will amount
20 over 5000; therefore, by March LIST. the
Society will have but little over 5000 with
which to continue its work. 1t has in bank
and receives interest upon 81, 500 This
is its reserve fund, which it refuses
to TOUCH holding that to do so would prevent
the Society from acting in the case Of some
great emergency, as fire, food, explosion or
other dire happening. To encroach for cur.
rent charity upon the reserve fund would cut
off, it is held, source of revenue and soon
work the dissolution of the Society 1t has,
therefore, unanimously resolved to hold the
reserve fund rehgiously sacred. The regular
monthly expenses of the Society aggregate
for stewards services and rent of depot but
SS3. The Society asks the people to guaran-
tee it 800 to $500 per month per year, and
the officers of the Society promise in that
case to add to it annually sum equal to
$500 per month. This addition they expect
to get from the annual charity ball. which
usually nets $1,000: from election boxes
which yield from $50 to $40 year, and from
special donations outside of regular subscrip-
lions.
RECENTLY
The Association sent Quito citizens some 700
postal cards, to be returned to the Society
with blanks filled expressive of the desire of
the citizen for the maintenance of the How
ards, against the Towards, or preference in
supporting the poor by institutions supported
by taxation. The cards were accompanied
by circular setting forth:
l. That the Society has acted for years as
the almoner Of the peoples charities, without
fee or reward.
2. That without more subscribers it cannot
carry on its work, it having less than 100 pay
ing members and its income will not exceed
S225 per month.
3. That it will receive no more State aid,
and that the simple question is, shall the
Towards disband!
L. That the Society believes if it ceases its
labors the poor relieved by it will become
county charges, and that will necessitate in
creased taxation to provide an enarSe
and a new corps of officers for it:
and the Society believes that, as public
charges the needy poor will cost more for
support than they do when aided through the
medium of the Towards
5. That the establishment of larger aims.
houses will but invite the destitute from other
counties. That, in short, the Howards stand
to-day between the people of Sacramento and
the increased taxation to follow the erection
of a new aims house.
6. That the Society is conducted by bust
ness men, in business manner and its books
and its vouchers, for every dollar received and
disbursed, are open for the inspection of any
one. No one, except the Steward receives
any pay for services rendered 1t works for
charity's sake, and to save taxation to the
community. Most of the Directors and ac-
tive members have been connected with the
Towards over twenty years, and feel Just
pride in the Society
To this statement and appeal the Society
has received in return but rs of the postal |
cards, and the vote stood
Against the Towards ............... 81
For the Towards observation-disclosures. IS
In favor of increased taxation ............34
Against increased taxation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 80
A number, it will be seen, voted both for
the Towards and for taxation. The effort to
get public expression by means of postal
cards may therefore be deemed failure, and
the officers propose now to make another
effort to ascertain the desire of the people in