Telegram-herald., 1890-10-19
GRAND RAPIDS POOR
Larger Amounts PAID AnnEailv by
the Valley CRY.
4 soRMsC NTH IgE PO0RxlSIER
soaas of tas Fypss Tk4t A. Ter Help
Sssas 6za az4 taaE4s ssat-s<S
E4aiitss Bs.aS Cares Tor -
gh< Cttg tg-So@aPsrissas

PAYS 0ut more money for tie support
ot tae poor annually than many cit.es
of nearly foas times = sze- Last year
tie expenditure MAS 50 go ia roand
hgures. For the SAME pegi0d Detroit
PAID cut muea Iess SUM. and though
Tie INDECENT Of the First City may Dot
have been 50 literally supplied, they
weEe certainly veil and mere justly
looked after
The lrouble n this city is that the
city eooncil OF Grand Rapids is penny
wise aai pound foolish" remarked
fOolmastsr Ksuse Yesterday. "For ln-
stance, had % make fight % obtain
a CLERK Al the munihcent salary of $ q
week. u was an absolute neeessty 20
have one, aed previously l had been
paying him e. Der week. Now the couu-
ell are making fuss abou, paying him
four or five months back wages. In
this city look after the poor as we'll
as | can. but the labor involved is en-
treiy TOO great for any one man 10 un-
deriskc. In other cities a careful study
has been made of the poor question,
covering period of many years.
P0ormasters are retained in Office and
not turned out. as theyare here. just as
they are learning something about the
business"
morning with the poormaster in
ms Office at the city hall would show
that all kinds and conditions OF people
are seeking after asSistances. At present
there are 325 families being cared for
10y tue city, and as the cold weather
cOnes on the number Will bc largely
increased. Tins does not include pa
tlents al the Institutions and homes.
With all these people 10 look after It
would not seem surprising II many mis-
takes were made. In fact POormaster
kruse acknowledges it. He says that
undoubtedly many families supplied
with provisions VINO are not entitled 10
help. Again others are likely TO be
turned away who are IN the direst
straits of poverty.
Yesterday morning q comely, pale
faced young woman entered the Office.
She was unknown 10 all present.
said. My husband is sick and we are
actually starving"
There WAS tInge of sadness IN her
voice, but II had been hardened to some
extent Toy the cruel pangs of hunger
and want.
I'VE must have it," she said, in
suppLcating voice.
After nquir.ag where she lived she
rr,s Il . l.. l.
looked alter IN n few DAYS.
This is the first tune | have ever
asked for assistance and IL | can not
have it Immediately | do not want it at
all, she sad, bitterly, rs she left the
Office.
Here Is, undoubtedly, a deserving
case, but there are hundreds of the
same kind. Why. people come here
who are better dressed than any Of my
own family remarked the pOornaster
after she bad LETT.
I'VE haven't been here for anything
FOR twO weeks, and mama sent me down
foI our supply" SAID little girl.
She was also a stranger, and IL was
with some difficulty that 1t could De
learned who sac was. She was ques-
toned as 10 little brother WHO bad
died with dipthera, etc., aud finally
gwen an order on the supply store for
% pounds of flour, one pound of tea,
two quarts OF beans, two pounds
of meat, and q quart Of kerosene oil,
and several other articles. These con-
stituted the weekly supply, and she
went away apparently well contented.
rs she carried them oil IN 4 small
nand cart.
The next person who came forward
WAS a woman who WAS we'll known TO
the poor authorities. She WAS cr.nging
IN her tone, and she bemoaned her
poverty. She was given the customary
order on the supply store.
Aud 20 1t went the entire morning.
There were people who 1--we entirely ON
charity and those who are only oc-
casionally visitors 10 the poor Office.
There were the lame and the halt, the
tmld and the bold all huddled together
waiting for their turns. Necessity had
driven the tluId ones there, while the
bold or many OF them had come
through custom.
There are many who receive the
city charity who have plenty at nome,
while Others are turned away with
breaking heart. The reason of TINS IS
the nclp ia tie city poor Office Is insult
ficIcut aud Inadequate to look after the
poor DO great and growing city Ike
Grand Rapids. In Detroit there are
three men who DO nothing but
visit the homes of applicants for
charity. The finest discrm nation is
used. There are many instances where
help Is refused, as II IL found that
through Incidence the familyls reduced
TO poverty. Again they have plenty
and are boarding up their earnings and
they make an attempt TO have the city
support them. Ia other instances the
poverty = due 20 the drunkenness of a
husband. These worthless individuals
arc compelled 90 20 10 work or else 20
20 isil. The inspectors in looking into
these cases observe the minutest details.
& cleanIy home is often more indicative
OF poverty than a siOvenly kept one.
In Grand Rapids POormastcr Kruse
and boy assistant have TO attend 20
everything. Very often Mr.. Kruse =
not enabled 70 VISIT all who cal OF. him
for help. The result IS, that in many
instances, he is obliged 10 give away
property withO1ta proper investigs-
non Every family receiving aid from
the city should he visited each week.
This would require inspectors who are
intelligent men. Their salaries would
amount % considerable, but "a the
poorrlaster says, no doubt thousands
L. S. Govt Report, Aug. y, 1889.