National Republican., 1888-02-19
N lNl COLD AND HUNGRY.
WHERE THOSE HELPING THE POOR cas-
FIND 4 FIELD 10 WORN.
The Great Rclicr That Has Already Been
Done Nobic work of the Police Open
Handed Charity From Generous Citizens.

IN continuance bI ms llltUOpu ll' hE-
rr3hlr,N representative vino made the in
vvstigatiuu some ten day, since into the sui-
iuriug of the poor Of the southeastern section
If thr city, on Friday last took advantage of
the beautiful day overhead and again wcndcd
his way to that locality, first visiting the
popuous section Of colorcd persons in what
is known ~ "Eurgy Bottoms" Just south of
the Capitol huildiua, and not u rifle shot
thcrrirom. Within radius Of less than Il
ulrmilc nearly fifty families were found in
need Of relief and most all were courcd.
owing tu the lack of education and pre-
viOus condition nf the negro race. they are
naturally improyidcnt, and du not seem to
realize the value Of money. When work is
good they enjoy life, and a, Il consequence
when hard times come they are left to the
charity OF the white population, Although
some terrible eases of dcstitutiun were dis.
covered yet the majority were simply poor,
and a- they are not deferred by modcsty or
pride from making their wants known they
have received such relief from the police
fund a. could be- furnished to them.
In frame dwelling in the block bounded
by Ncw Jersey avenue and First, VI and y
street, southeast, very sad case uf dc>titu-
tiun wl~ discovered. In this house lives a
white family by the name of Rogers, consist
ing of father. mother. and three very small
children \ few years ago Mr. Rogers was Il
wcll.to-io farmer in Maryland and prospects
seemed bright iat rcvcrscs came and in
very short time the farm had passed into
other hands. He moved tO this city, bring
inr hi, family with him, and went to work
A. "a lHbrrcr, and for awhile did fairly well,
But trouble seemed to pursue him. His
wife became sick and he also >uccumbcl tO
the power of disease. For nearly two months
hc hu, not been able To earn Il penny. the
furniture slowly disappeared tu hc cNChangcd
for bread, fuel or medicine, and when the
reporter called at the house little or no fur
nturc was left, The wife was still sick and
the Husband. although out of bed, was weak
and wasted while playing around the house
were the children, barc-limhcd and feet
ditto, not one Of them having pair of shoes
m To- wear. The police have relieved this
ease, hut more Is needed.
y short distance away, on second street
between Virginia avenue and ! street, there
was found most deserving Culurcd woman
named Hamilton. In this house lived
u,u-armcd widow with four children the
oldest h"iug but | years of age. one of the
tlllItICil llu~ lttll SICK ll over ltllf lplltIlS
All the furniture To- hc seen comprised two
"shakc-duwn' beds, tt table, stove, and some
tubs, tlatirDus Nc.. for washing purposes
The children were all Scantily dressed, and
il could not hc wondered AT wien il is con-
>idur"d that the only income of this family
j. vi NJ thi. unfortunate woman is able to
earn 10y doing washing. The police fund
also assists this family.
Just around the corner was found another
COlOrcd widow, who had five hungry chill
Ircn to feed and rluthr ont of her earnings
10y washing. The oldest child, Il girl, has
been an invalid for three years I'm answer
'u the reporters inquiry the woman stated
HAT She was able to earn about Sll per
month 10y washing. She pays - per month
Vui. and thus has 80 per month to support
family of six. The scribe did not wonder
It hcr asking for and receiving aid from the
puljcc fund.
ON street, between Half and First streets,
II a unc->tury frame dwelling of three rooms,
i've three cOlurcd families, aggrcguting iit-
ecu persons. ,Munt misery is found in all
he rooms, and the occupants would un-
luublrlly have starved but for the police
learning of their condition and relieving
them. In the front room was found mother
and three children. The mother has been
confined to her bed by sickness since Deem
her IL. and the three small children show
the need Of her care. ThcrpOur little bodies
are wasted away for want of proper nouriSh-
mcnt.
At III X street is Il family of seven colored
persons. Il father and six children. The
father was engaged in washing clothes
thereby rndcavoring to get money for the
support of his mOthcrlc>S children. Every
thing here bclukcncd distress in its worst
form Houses, l2i2 and 1881 First street
wc,y also vi>itcd,amd found to contain poorly
fed and illy-clad rulOrcd people. In the lat
ter house an old cUlurcl woman, over 20
year, of age, was sick in ben, and her only
attendant a little boy of - years. In this
house, like the rest, no food or fuel was to be
seen and the furniture was not worthy of
the name.
Leaving the colorcd district, the reporter
made his way along street and thence out
Georgia avenue To Lincoln Park, and numcr-
Gus destitute CaSCS were come across doth
while and cOlorod. In Il crumbling brick
huu>c uu Georgia avenue was Il white family
of father mother, and four children Two
of the children were quite III, the youngest
being threatened with that disease So fatal to
childrcn-dipIthcria Furniture was nearly
gone, food and coal ditto, and clothing very
shabby. is a description that will CnN4-T this
caSc, The father Is wiling, 7rr1d anxious to
work, bat nGnr -ItAtlt thC, thC obtained. This case
Is also ~ he police list,
Another house ON Georgia avenue holds
two or more white families who were able
to get along until the day of the reporters
visit, when pride had 10 give way to the
"nawing Of empty StumuChs and the cold
weather, and application was made to the
Iinh precinct station for relief. The eases
will he Investigated, and if found needy, re-
lirvcd.
Nearly every resident of East Washington
remembers Fred. Lohmunn, who kept the
restaurant opposite the market ON the corner
of seventh and 4 streets, After his death,
four years since, the widow CndcavOrcd To
continue the business, but finally gave il up
L a
except t. few friends, In u miserable
apology for Il house, No, 2l3 Tenth street
southeast, the reporter yesterday found Laura
lUhmnuu Naiuly cndCaVOrimg To- earn liv
iug for herself and children by taking in
washing, They occupy a long narrow room
in the house and the furniture was very
-cauty, Mrs. luhmaun sadly told the story
Of her struggles tu raise the three children
since the death Of her husband, She sue
crcdrd fairly well until this winter when N
last she wu- forced to acknowledge that there
Nd. no bread or coal in the house and no
money Il" get them with. Besides, her rent
- per month"; is behind six weeks and she
ha- been notified tu pay Up or leave The
oldest child, a bright manly boy Of II years
j. eager Ia work ami help p,uppurt the cmuthcr
The Second child, a gin of l. years has been
provided for hy Il nciglbpr, while the third,
Il child ufG years, j. at home,
The Filth precinct is the largest inlthc city
and extends from Pennsylvania avenue and
South capitol street down To and across the
branch and down the Potomac river until
opposite AlcNuudrl The suffering in Ana.
costa and the country adjacent is said to be
equally a. bad rs in the section named, 1t
is estimated that in this precinct alone there
are at least jp families in need of help in the
line of food, fuel and CLOTHES
Every morning, and in fact all day long,
Lieutenant Bother ruud the officers of the pre-
cinct can be- found busy dealing out the pro-
visions and otherwise cndcayoring To ale
There Inc any urr~pu skputirnl runuuh ia