The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-16
THE RELIEF BOATS.
Manner in Which the Needy in the Inun-
dated District Are Supplied.

Manner in Which the Needy in the Inun-
dated District Are Supplied.
The Chamber of Commerce relief commit
tee has quite feet of relief boats patroling
the streets and alleys of the inundated dis
trict distributing provisions and fuel. This
fleet is under general command of Captain
w. P. Walker, jr. Each boat is in charge of
member of the committee or some other
responsible man, and is propelled by crew
OF able bodied oarsmen. The first relief two
boats under command of L. r. Keck, patrols
Pendleton and Fulton. The second unoer
Officer Sheedy, with three men, one boat,
plies between Broadway and the Water
works.
The third, under Elliott Miller, one boat,
plies from Central avenue to the foot of Fifth
street.
The fourth, under Officers Knox and
Hardy, works along the river front in the
neigh borhood of the public landing
The boats used are furnished by the steam
boat companies, and most of them are large
enough to carry dozen or fifteen persons.
Along the routes above mentioned there are
quite a number of other boats sent out by
the associated charities and by individuals.
1t seems hardly possible that family could
escape the observation Of all the boats sent
out for their relief.
A reporter of the Commercial Gazette ac-
compaiiied the relief boat in charge of Cap
tain Walker on its last regular round yes
terday afternoon, and saw bushels of bread,
bologna and coffee distributed The boat
bore little white flag distinguishing it as a
relief boat, and the paople in the houses
recognized and hailed it as it passed. The
boat always responded to an appeal for food.
except when it was known that the parties
asking for food had recently been given an
\ oh oh it,Sf Of :;
were not rare. While Captain Walkers boat
was leaving basketful of bread, bologna
and coffee at one house on Second street,
another relief boat passed, aud informed the
captain that they had supplied that family
within the last ten minutes 1t is a common
trick for the people in houses having win
dows on the street and also on an alley in
the rear, to lower their baskets as the boat
passes on the street, and then again when it
passes down the alley, and in this way get a
double supply.
Some of the people who are now living in
the second stories of houses in ten feet of
water, and who are dependent on the food
and fuel sent out by charity, are living better
and having more TO eat than they have often
had before. 1t was remarked by one of the
committee it is better that charity be i'm
| posed upon hundred times than that one
| worthy person should be neglected 1t was
noticeable yesterday that with scarcely an
exception among the thousands living in the
flooded district everybody seemed cheerful
and disposed to make the best of it. The
cases of distress unreiieved now must Ger
talnlF be very rare indeed. and the most
chronic mplainers dare not say that Gin
cinnatians have not come nobly to their aid.
RELIEF TABLES FOR THE HUNGRY
The various places established by the As
ISOLATED Charities where refugees can go and
satisfy their hunger, presented sights I'M
usual yesterday. Hundreds OF hungry men
came and eagerly partook of the bread, boiled
ham, crackers, soup and coffee prepared for
them. The Pearl street market has been
| temporarily abandoned as a market place.
and the market usually held there will be
held at Sixth and Court until further notice.
The market benches were placed together in
q row in the middle of the market-house and
long table improvised out of them Tin
platters to the number of 127 were placed on
this table, and the refugee men came IN and
| stood beside the table until they had eaten
all their allowance, and then gave way to
new hungry recruits. At least 500 men were
| fed at this place alone. Women are fur
nished with food at their homes or in other
convenient places. The best of order pre-
vailed among the men at the table. They
did little talking, but ate greedily what they
found before them, and turned away thank
full for what they could get.