Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-29
FIELD FOR CHARITY.
An Instance of DestitutiOn for the Benefit
of City Sannaritans.

An Instance of DestitutiOn for the Benefit
of City Samaritans.
The REGISTER has called attention, at
div rs times, TO the immense field now in
our midst for charitably disposed people to
assist the poor. Yet apparently nothing has
been done toward relieving the distress ex-
cent BY few individual ones. A reporter,
during his rounds last week, learned the
following particulars Of sad case and 1t
is published to show the people OF this city,
that in their very midst, women and child
rem are suffering for bread, while the rich
people are celebrating Christmas, spending
iargs sums of money for costly presents,
needless, or more properly speaking, igno-
rant Of the existence of such suffering
Officer Montgomerys wife, in some man
ncr, ascertained that q widow woman living
in North Wheeling, was in destitute cir
cumstances. She repaired to the house
last Wednesday, and found the lady
and her three small children living in one
room, with no carpet on the floor, and only
| q handful Of fire in the stove, there being
no fire place in the room. The woman was
lust leaving the house as Mrs. Montgom-
ery entered, who upon inquiry as to where
she was going. learned the following She
had inst sold her last bed tick for seventy
Eve cents, which money she intended 10
s,end in purchasing pair Of shoes for one
The children Gall of them being without any
covering on their feet, except stockings
! made by their mother out Of rags Of
pieces of cloth). Fortunately a pai
of little shoes was one o
the offerings brought by the
lady. The room was an extremely opeI
one, the cracks in the floor allowing the colc
air to penetrate freely, How in the world
Tho women and children kept from freezing
to death no one knows, Tor there was Ger
tamil not sufficient quantity of covers OF
the bed. The woman bears good reputa
ton, and has been making her living b,
washing and sewing tor the people in Nortl
Wheeling For the last three months worl
Of all kinds has been very dull, and In
people whom she washed for had to d.
! their own work on account of hsr'
times. This threw her completed
out of employment Mrs. SYlvis and Mrs
Montgomery took the woman large baske
Of provisions and some clothing, yesterday
which will relieve her Of want for day o
two. :,
| This is only one of many cases in thi
city. Some people will probably remarE
How is it that there are more destitut
people this year than any other? This ca
easily be answered. The workmen Of on
mills have done very little work during til
last nine months and their families now
their own work, while when the mills al
running steadily the work is done BY Il
poor women in their community. One thin
is not generally known, but which IS tru
and the writer will be borne out in it BY Il
merchants of this city, and that is, Il
wives and families Of the millworkers
this city spend money more freely than Il
rich people, when their husbands are workir
steadily. Now, when there is no work, the
same wives and families do their own vol
from necessity
A committee ofladies should be appoint
in each ward in the city to make a person
canvass and assist such persons as a
really in destitute circumstance. L
writer will guarantee inst If such Is Dol
: numbers Of destitute and starving wv
r and children will be found in this city.