Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-22
THE EVENING STAR.
July ee. 1881


nec2kcS Oh the f-Oof ls3SI " inter.
A SATISFACTORY EXAMINATION or THE ACCOUNTS
The following letter explains itself:
..Aessrs. Reginald FeaciaR. f. B. Mcclure.
Lesois j. Dacts-Gentaemen: The Commissioners
of the District of Columbia. TO whom was en-
trusted the disbursement of the funds collected
for the relief of the poor under a resolution
passed at the Willard Hall meeting in January
Last. have notified the undersigned that their
accounts Of receipts and expenditures are ready
for examination, and have requested the APP
pointment of a committee of citizens for that
purpose. You have been selected as gentlemen
who, it is believed, will be willing to give part
of your time to the public to perform this service
We hope you will be able to make the requisite
examination and report the result in such form
as may be published in the newspapers. We are,
gentlemen, with much respect, your obedient
servants, (Signed,)
A. B. HAeNER, Chairman
GEORGE A. BAKER; Secretary.
June IS, 1881.
REPORT OF THE EXAMINING COMMITTEES.
ine above-named gentlemen accepted the APP
pointment and report that they have examined
the statement aud vouchers submitted by the
commissioners through their agent the chief of
ponce, and lind from the same ''thot the sum of
Sll, .S3 was received. and that the sum of
Sll 75l So, or so cents i'm excess of receipts was
expended In most efficient and satisfactory
manner. They also find that i'm addition to the
cash receipts considerable quantity of supplies
In the form of food fuel. clothing and bedding
was contributed and distributed As this fund
and the other contributions were the sponta-
neous expressions of sympathy with and desire
to relieve the sufferings of the poor unprepared
for the trials of severe winter and as good
was accomplished to an extent disproportionate
to the facilities afforded those managing the
contributions, upwards of 5000 families having
been relieved, We deem it a matter of some
interest to refer to the admirable method adopt
ed by the Commissioners in distributing relief
over large field, and to the relative demands
made by the necessities in the future. Major
Brock, the chief of police, directed his men to
examine into the wants of the poor in their re-
spective precincts, and upon reporting the ne
cessities of the individual, an order, signed by
the lieutenant of the precinct. was given for
whatever was most needed i'm the special case,
which order was supplied by the merchant to
whom 1t was presented and returned to the lieu
tenant who issued it; he tested it, and it
was then paid by the chief of police
By this method every dollar was dedicated to its
mission, and the strictest integrity misused in
carrying out the trust imposed upon the Com
mlSSiOners The relative necessities of the poor
last winter are shown by the following state
ment of the expenditures of the fund and may
furnish a future guide for the charitable who
may make contribution of articles instead
OF money. The amount of cash contributed
was Sn 50, which was distributed thus
For groceries, S6.0S7O6: fuel. IS 26646: boots
and shoes. Sl42.60; cash I'm small amounts.
sl2o.97; carriage of coke, $50; dry goods and
bedding, S4674; overpaid, so cents. In conclu-
sion. We take pleasure in congratulatng the
charitable upon the sufferngs they relieved by
their generous and spontaneous response and
we beg leave to commend Major w. q. Brock,
the chief of police; for the admirable method he
adopted, and which, with the aid of his officers
and men, he SO effectually executed"
Signed by the committee.