Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-08
CHARITY OF A YEAR
As Disbursed by the Society for the
Improvement of the Poor.
THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING
Of the Organization Held in the Grant
Street 3. I. Church.
REPORTS AS READ By REV. E. BALF0UR

That the people of Pittsburg are inter-
ested in works Of charity was evidenced by
the large attendance at the fifteenth ami
versary celebration of the Pittsburg Asso-
citation for the Improvement of the Poor,
which was held last night in the First
Evangelical Lutheran Church on Grant
street. "Sweet Charity" duet rendered
by Mrs. COCKER, soprano, and Miss Nell
vain, alto, proved one OF the evenings feat
ures, as the ladies have voices of rare sweet
ness.
Rev. E. Balfour, pastor of the church,
conducted The devotional service and read
the reports of the society. The Secretary's
report showed that there were 1.155 families
aided materially, and in the registry of oc-
cupations only "a persons were instructed
ir any special line of work or had learned
trades. Five hundred and twenty-eight
families were assisted, owing to sickness;
420 were widows Sc were deserted wives, 81
were crippled, 10 were blind, and 143 on the
lists were suffering from the consequences
of intemperance, directly or indirectly, and
there were also q families where the hus-
bands were in prison.
The visitors, who number II during the
winter and 9 during the summer. have
made 10, 454 visits to the poor in their homes
and ., 2,467 in their behalf, making a total of
21,921. One hundred and eighty-six
children have been placed in Sabbath
schools. and 81 enabled, by provisions of
clothing, shoes, etc., to attend public school.
Twenty-eight children have been admitted
to the different orphanages, and % patients
received in the hospitals of the city.
LUxURIEs FOR THE SICK.
The diet dispensaries in connection with
the central and branch offices have supplied
the sick with beef tea, mutton broth. milk
and with luxuries furnished semi-weekly by
the Fruit and Flower Mission.
Prayer meetings in three different sections
Of the city are held every week and are con-
Quoted by the visitors with the students of
the Western Theological Seminary,
and have been we'll attended by
mothers and their children. The society
needs the cooperation of the community in
the repression of mendicancy, said the re-
porr, and without it we fall very short of
this intention on our part. We can give in
stances where little children, little girls
particularly, are encouraged to beg by
thoughtless persons whose first impulses are
to pity and give little or much, as it comes
to hand.
On March 1, 1890. the society entered the
new offices at 76 Sixth avenue, whose light,
pleasant rooms were kindly given by the
committee of the Free Dispensary building,
and which is decided improvement on the
old quarters.
In closing, the Secretary, Mrs. S. E.
Lippincott, paid splendid tribute to Mrs.
William P. Shinn. who died September II.
The report of the Children's Temporary
Home and fresh air fund work suid The
home was closed this year from July 1 to
October 1 for this reason: The country
home, at Oakmont, began its operations and
afforded better provisions during mid-sum-
mer than could be given at that season of
the year in the city. During the nine
months of activity 85 children were in
mates, and 66 of them were removed within
that period by their parents or friends or
placed in other institutions.
ACCOMMODATIONS AT oAKMoNT.
The demand for accommodations for a
greater number of guest OH the Oakmont
Home was imperative, and the managers
resolved to add rooms to the building where
mothers with delicate babies could have
apartments separate from the long dormito-
ries and thus increase the comfort OF all the
inmates.
Circulars were printed and sent to those
interested, stating the need OF money to
build and to meet the necessary expenses of
providing for the children, asking for
81. 800.
The amount was secured, and we have a
balance of 81, ,2S5 to begin the coming year.
The erection o. the building was delayed by
the impossible roads, and it was not COM
pleted until the latter part oi July. The
children, however, occupied the old part of
the house from about June %. Three hun
dred and eighty-fve persons were benefited
bv a two weeks visit to Oakmont this
season.
The report of Treasurer Thompson was as
follows:
RECEIPTS.
November, 1889, balance fresh air