The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-03-27
CHURCHES BEAR TIE LOAD
H0BOKEy'S POOR CAN GET NO AID
FROM THE CITY.

The Story Of the Suffering Told in 'Ths
Jersey City News" Has Stirred thu
Interest of the Charitab1e-Organiza
tions That Help the Poor.
The story of the sufferings of the Hobo
ken poor, related in yesterdays JERSEY
CITY NEWS. has stirred the charitable to
renewed interest, though the deplorable
condition of affairs was already partially
known to them. That the facts were cor
rectly stated everyone freely admitted.
1 saw Andrew Miller, Overseer of the
Poor, in his office in the City Hall. He
said that every day he had to turn away
persons who were in dire need Of assist
ance because he could not help them.
81 make an investigation in every case
where assistance is solicited" said he.
land find that scores of families who are
legitimately entitled to assistance from
the city are in terrible straits for the
necessities of life; but until the Council
appropriates some more money l cannot
relieve the suffering" /.
I asked him for the names OF some OF
the most deserving cases, but he refused
to give them to me, saying that the poor
people who came to him for assistance
were lust as anxious not to have their
cases made public through the press as g
wealthy man would be who was compelled
to accept a temporary loan.
THE CHURCHES ASSUME H BURDEN.
The clergy and churches have to bear
the weight of the city's liabilities to its
poor at the present time, and are dong
their utmost to relieve all the cases that
come before their notice. Rev. J.B. Kug-
Ter, pastor of the First Presbyterlan
Church, said that he had more calls Tor
help at the present time than ever he had
before.
"AIl the applicants are not connected
with my church. either" he remarked,
"but all are welcome to what little help
we q give them. There are several
families who have come to me who cannot
get assistance from the city. In one case
the husband is paralyzed n a confirmed
invalid. There is a large family of chill
dren who are too young to earn any
money, and the wife does the utmost to
support them by taking in washing. Her
efforts do not bring in enough to PROVIDE
her sick husband with the nourishment he
needs, and she is obligedto seek assistance
from some outside source" Every Church
in the city has calls upon its generosity at
the present time and responds nobly to
the call.
CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.
Besides the churches there are several
charitable organizations in the city, each
taxed to its utmost limit. The Helping
Hand is an organization for providing poor
women with comfortable garments, which
they are taught tomakeu up for themselves.
It is managed by ladies from every Prot
estant church. and at the present time is
as busy as can be.
There is a day nursery in connection
with the Working Girls Industrial School,
under the care of Mrs. Riker, where
women who are compelled to go out to
work can leave their children free of
charge. The Catholic churches, too, are
pressed with applicants for assistance, and
do all in their power to help all those who
are thrown on their hands. The poverty
of families in the Third and Fourth wards
has become SO evident that a fair will be
held at the Methodist Church on Thurs
day and Friday evenings, the proceeds of
which will be used to alleviate as much
suffering as possible.
The action of the Council in not giving
the matter attention when Mr.. Miller re-
ported that his funds were run out, has
caused much feeling, and it is said that a
petition will be drawn up and signed for
presentation at a meeting in the near fu-
ture. 1t is hoped that some action will be
taken in the meantime.