Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-13
THE ASSOCIATED CHARITIES OF
WASHINGTON.
A Little Work Done In the Seventh
Subdivision.
IN INTERESTING DESCRIPTION BIZ DR. sUNDER-
LAND.

| To the Editor Of The EVENING STAR:
In the midst Of daily pressing duties, have
| oeen giving what attention could In a small
way to the working of this most excellent plan
To- aiding the deserving poor and exposing the
frauds of the Idle and unworthy am not well
acquainted with the details Of the work In other
parts OF the city, and, In truth not very fami-
| ilar with the general work of the seventh sub
division in which / reside. But / see possibiH-
ties in the scheme. which If it could be efflci-
emily and tremendously carried out, are worthy
the consideration of every phiianthropist
The seventh subdivision, / am told. embraces
about one hundred squares, lying between It'll
street west and LIST street east and between
New York and MARYLAND avenues north and
| south.
! Ny residence is on reservation 10. between G
street and Pennsylvania avenue and Sd and ~
! streets northwest. Within few weeks this
whole square has been thoroughly canvassed.
and every place of human habitation On 1t has
| been personally visited and inspected with
these four objects in view:
First-Io obtain members, who become such
ey paying the annual fee of two dollars.
mecoia-lo secure proper persons who are
willing to act as friendly visitors.
| Third-TO ascertain what other charitable
! associations OF any kind exist through which
any OF the persons residing on the square bestow
| their charities.
| Fourth-Io ascertain the real condition of the
/ poor living on the square
AS to members. no less than thirty have been
obtained, thus turning the sim of sixty dollars
! mo the treasury. AS to friendly visitors. three
ladies living on the square have volunteered
| their services to act in this capacity
| As to ether charitable organizations some have
| been found connected with the following
| namely: B'ni B'reth. of Jewish synagogue:
Lodge OF Legion of Honor; Hebrew benevolent
! association.of 9Th street. Odd Fellows, Oriental
! 20 10; Italian benevolent society: societies of
| Catholic churches OF Rome; benifcent society of
Trinity church (EpiscopaD orphan ASYLUM;
| women's Christian hone; Masonic lodges chap
| tiers and communicates. AS to the families of
the poor ana destitute. they consist chiefly of
CO'Dred people living in tie alleys OF the square
| most OF whom get work of one sort or other
washing. jobbing. going into service and so on.
! There are few among them who cannot manage
| 10 i've by Their labor n ordinary circumstances
| cut Il. severe cold weather or in cases of sick
ness IL goes very hard with some of them
Among them were found those who wanted en-
| ployment-as seamstresses, laundresses waiting
gins, rs BARRIERS, pOrters. laborers, drivers and
Joooers There are no less than ninety numbers
| comprising dwelling houses tenements Offices
| stores. groceries. barber shops, tailor shops
pubic and private boarding houses bars, drug
stores and hotels On this single square A writ
ten report OF the exact conditioner the people
residing on this square 50 far 1t relates to the
and specifying each one of these ninety numbers
on the square has been made and transmitted
to the president of the organization of the sew
enfh subdivision. Gen. MISSY. local office.
| through the kindness of MIR. Williams, of the
carpet store. corner of D and 7th streets north
west, has been established at 621 ID street north
west. where Mrs Judge Smell, our local agent.
i assisted by Mrs. Dot!, attends daily except
Sundays. between the hours of II and IL o'clock,
to meet applicants for aid.
A tiiOUSan0 cards have haan pr;pfoj for tho
use OF the members These are filled out and
signed by them as occasion may require The
meDdicant appears before Mrs Smell with one
OF these cards or tickets properly authenticated,
ana that excellent lady, with her assistant pro-
cee1s at once to invest gate the case and if it ia
ound to be worthy one and rightfully belong
ing TO the subdivision aid is promptly rendered
Ii the case belongs elsewhere it is sent to the
local AGENT OF the subdivision where it belongs
TO De properly disposed of. In this way at least
| beginning has been made upon this great and
seif-denying work. But it is yet only Begin
ming. when We think Of the ninety-nine other
squares III our single subdivision where the
same kind of preliminary ork ought to be
done, and of all the other subdivisions of the
| city. we shall have some idea of the magnitude
of the task.
Each local office ought to be furnished with
information like that contained In the report
above mentioned, carefully colated and sys-
tematiZed for immediate reference Catalogues
OF applicants for aid as well as Of supporting
members should be prepared aud so arranged as
TO he OF easy and rapid reference
In promoting this the friendly visitors on each
respective square, by noting the changes and
conditions of the resident poor and reporting
the same TO the local Office can render most
valuable assistance
But It Is not mere temporary relief alone that
should be tie sole object OF this noble charity
The chief and ultimate aim should be to help the
poor who are able and willing to work to helm
themselves. Hence each local office should
become as it were a bureau Of intelligence
between employer and employed In this way
a benefit may be conferred in two directions
and the tendency would be to the advantage of
all classes.
1t Is obvious, however, that vast labor must
be gratuitOusly performed in order to deyelOn a
system like this into effectual working order
even when confined to the permanent resident
poor claSs-aii the subdivisions shonld he work
ing in harmony and abreast of each other, the
central organization having oversight o. all. and
being banu OF union for all. Persons qualified
to aid III this work must take hold OF it in their
respective localities, and the agent of the local
Offices must be assisted by the timely counsel
and Cooperation Of those who are quick to see
what needs to he done and prompt to act for
It's accomplishments This cannot be brought to
pass in day; time labor and patience will be re-
CURED to approximate the system to ANYTHING
like perfection. But ! believe it can be done
much to the relief of the entire community. Who
VIII aid In the good work? Nothing more hu-
name, christian or benihcent can engage the
good offices Of the generous and philanthropic
people Of cur city. But aside from the Door
whom we have always with US, our civ is ne
culiarly likely to be oyerrun, With
floating class : made up OF Migrants
from all sections of the land. and
all quarters OF the world who drift in here FINN
every eiIS5le cause in every mysterious
manner. Some OF these, no doubt have been
overtaken by misfortunes they could not avert.
while very many come here to ply their trade
presumn9 upon field of promise
For all such cases some arrangement shouId
be made between this organization and the CITY
authorities by which each case may be readily
disposet OF according to the circumstances.
especially where the pretence of the mendicant
is that he or she is travelling and wishes aid to
reach some other point more or less remote. 1t
should be remembered that this organization
vas from the first intended to be an association
or all the charities Of the District and that quite
large proportion OF the existing charities are
already represented in it. It Is most desirable
that those stil standing aloof may be brought
In at the earliest moment. SO that cooperation
may be established with the hospitals dispcn-
saries. orphan asylums, lodging houses. church
societies, Masonic, Odd Fellows, temperance and
other organizations. and these various associa-
items so haflnonZed as to become reciprCcai,v