Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-24
HOWARD BESEvoLEsr UNION.
Reports Of the oneers Of the Society


Inc annual meeting of the Howard Benev.
oient Union was held this week.
Reports of the condition and work of the
Union we're made by Mrs DIR. Wilder. secre-
.ary OF the board of managers. and Mr..
'icNurnle, Chairman of the executive COM
iaiItee- FROM these reports it appears that
sne SAM OF s34o.75 was contributed the past
year Tor relief purposes. OF this amount
s l'o was realized from membership fees, $50
rom an entertainment given at Granite Hall
and 1922 Is from collection. taken in the
several churches and at the general meeting
neid In Granite church, SUNDAY evening,
January 3, 1884. Relief has been extended
70 % families, embracing about 100 persons.
az cost Of Sl75 20. much larger number
OF cases were Investigated, but some of the
aPpilcants were found to be wards of the
ofand Army others were turned over TO the
care OF the overseers of the poor, and the
balance proved TO be imposters. In some
instances the executive committee has been
imposed upon by fctitions statements of des-
TUITION and distress. but owing to the excel
lent care and Judgment displayed By the lady
ana gentlemen visitors in their Investigations.
such cases have been very rare The fami.
lies assisted are distributed in the several
wards as follows: ward |, fourteen; ward 2,
"tN u. slA NdEu Z, none. ward D.t two
ward s. six; ward 7. three total, 80 families.
One perplexinR difficulty is alluded to by the
committee in the discharge Of their duties.
VIZ How TO relieve the women and children
10 destitute families and at the same
time withhold relief from their adult male
members. who are able to support themselves
but either from habits of drunkenness or
lazlness would rather live upon the food fur
hlHhed TO their wives and children than helm
themselves
The board of managers say in their report :
"A valuable auxiliary to the objects and
work of the Union was the stores Of clothing.
etc, generously placed at its disposal by the
old Howard Benevolent Society.' and the
active and efficient personal co operation
given by its members whenever and wherever
their labors could be most usefully directed.
/ This service is gratefully acknowledged by
the board" Acknowledgements are also made
for the occupancy and use of the comfortable
and convenient rooms. rendered by the ven
cradle Mrs Cyrus Briggs, for the meetings and
work of the Union.
! The managers also saw in concluding their
| report 'In reviewing the work of the first
year OF our organization, the board feels that
good beginning has been made in the adop-
ton and prosecution of more systematic
and etfectual methods for the relief of the
necessitous poor, and at the same time to
guard as tar MS possible against imposture
AMI 1t confidently inv kes for the ensuing
year an equal measure of successful benevo-
lent effort on the part of the members OF the
Union and the community generally"
! The treasurer. William X. Smith, Esq,
reported the total receipts in the treasury
for the past year, S34S IS; disbursements,
S226.l0; balance on hand, Sl22.65.
| nnta I'm, tl.h no. 81 rs
filed as follows Miss Harriet Stanley, Mrs.
j. Maher, z. o. Vckery, Mrs. J II. May.
| Vacancies in the executive committee were
| filled as follows Mrs. o. n. Blockington,
Miss HELEN Hinkley, Mr.. f. E. Davis, Mrs
| +. ii Beale.