Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-03-18

The committee for the Relief of the Poor
decided in January TO 20 from house to house
and ask for cast-oif clothing for the poor of
the city. There are only seven members of
the committee and our city is large, and
though we attempted 10 do this work sys-
tematically, we are afraid that this canvass
ing was not as thorough as ii ought to have
been. But wherever We went, We met with
most cordial reception large bundles of
clothing were sent or given to us, and we
have received Sl15 in money. Most Of it
came by mail and unsolicited give list of
the donors
Hon. Geo. F. Edmunds, $500; Mr. L. j. Phelps,
5000; Mr.. Edward Peek, 5000; Mr.. Henry
Mr.. U. 4. Woodbury., 81 90; Mrs. b. B. Smalley,
i Fsr Mr.; M EnS Nes , :eS hss Mary
Mrs burton. $500; Mrs. sarah Blodgett,
sI.tc Mrs. y Hi, sl.oO; Mrs Barbour, 800 !;
Mrs NJ; Brown, 500; Mrs; 7. iilll, sl.oo; Mrs.
| H. Colburn, So cents Mrs. Bigelow so cents Mrs.
| heeler, 50 cents; Mrs. IL. Z. Smith, 80 cents.
In many poor families that we visit, We
find that the father can pay for fuel, rent and
provisions, but cannot provide clothing. In
one house that We called at in the evening,
we saw four children, the oldest seven years,
the youngest baby Of nine months, all
asleep in bed in the same brown dresses that
they wore in the day time. They had no
other clothing and no stockings, the mother
said. Tie mothers often have but one dress,
and that is ragged and worn. The clothing
you have given us, has made these poor FAM
lies comfortable through the cold weather
Our largest hill has been for shoes.
We have furnished clothing for twenty
| eight children, who are now in the
public schools We have found very little
sickness. 4 boy eleven years old frOze both his
feet the physician whom we asked to visit
the child told us afterwards that if we had not
taken care Of the boy it would have been
necessary to ampuiate one or both Of his
feet. The mother was ignorant and in
efficient, II widow with nine children. We
have given warm clothing TO several old poo
pie, among them II helpless paralytic,
another an old woman, a widow for fifteen
years, who told us she was chilly, chilly all
the time. We have distributed clothing Ia
eighty nine families. Our work has been
much less than it was during the two pre-
ccding Winters. The men could get work
and the women did not need TO sup
port their families by sewing. We
have had sheets and pillow cases made, and
thirty nine pairs Of pantalOons, but as the
women who sew well are not now destitute
We have devoted ourselves especially Il
clothing the children or making the old ant
feeble more comfortable. We have very lit
tie clothing left, and MS We know of somt
sick men and destitute families, we would
) be very glad if any one who has pantaloons
undershirts or any cast-on clothing, woult
send the same to Mr.. Greene, Overseer of the
poor. We are very grateful for the larg,
quantity of good clothing that has been Civ
en- to us, and for the liberal donations o.
money that We have received.
KATHARINE HAGAR,
Treasurer Of the Society for the Relief OF the
Mas Il. NJ CLArP, President.
Mrs. liza J. RUSSELL,
Miss A. H. ALLEN,
Mrs. MARIA BENEDICT Committee.
Miss FANSY SHAW,
Mrs. L. ID. TUREnL.