The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-19
}. L. SCENARIOS REPORT OF CHARITIES

To the Editor of the Eagle.
"The poor We have always with you" is
an old and true saying and Wichita, with
all its wealth, its manufactures, its citi-
Zens ever on the rustic for business, has
| its full share of those who are so unfortu-
nate as to be left without the necessary
things to sustain life which must be sup
piled them from the store of those who are
more fortunate.
Wichita being without its regularly or
! ganized board of charities, had no special
| person to look after the destitute, except
| in the way of provision which is supplied
by the city through Sanitary Policeman
| Williams thus many donations were given
without investigation, which is worse than
| not giving at all, for in most cases the
right things do not get into the right
| places or too much is given, and in some
| cases this winter the things given have
| been taken, sold, and the money spent for
drink; which would not have occurred if
we had board of charities to look after
this class OF our citizens that need help,
and | hope that before another winter
| Wichita may have such a board with its
proper officers.
About Christmas I joined hands with
Sanitary Policeman Williams, and we
have labOred together, he looking after the
provisions and | after the clothing.
Through the columns of the EA-
GLE, generously donated, many wants
were made known and generous con-
tributions were made enabling me
to supply the wants of all thus
far. l visited every family reported, per-
SOnally, making a list of the number in
the family and the things most needed.
During the four months l have visited
fOrty-eight families with over a hundred
children, all of which have been supplied
with more or less clothing, some the third
time. Six mothers with their seven little
babes, have been supplied with clothing
for themselves and their little ones. Some
OF these little ones were without clothing
several days, kept alive by being wrapped
in piece of an old blanket to protect their
sides clothing l have personally dis
tributed over one hundred pounds
of meat, fifty of which was kindly donated
by Mr. johnson. Mr. johnson has also
given Mr.. Williams fifty pounds. H. NJ.
Grafton has also been another generous
giver. Many pound of meat being given
to feed the hungry. Several families have
been supplied with milk, bread and other
things from the homes of our generous
citizens. | wish to thank the aid societies
of the Baptist, Congregational, Christian
and Presbyterian, also the young ladies of
st. johns church, and the guild Tor gener-
Gus donations of children's clothing, not
old, but new and neatly made wish also,
to thank Mrs. Z. J. Foster, president of
the Children's Home, for her generous
donations and the teachers Of our
schools, who sent new cloth to
be made up, and the prOprietOrs of the
shoe stores for shoes given, not one Of
which refused TO give when asked.
No one knows more about the restitution
and need OF the poor in our city than |, for
have looked into their empty rooms.
found them without beds, children sleep
ing on pile of hay in the corner with not
dollars worth put all together, in the
place they called home. Think of a mother
of four children, the oldest a boy of II,
Smelling corn and the boy taking it to a
feed mill, and having it ground for the
family to eat. This coarse meal, mixed up
with water and baked with fire made of
sunhower stalks gathered by barefooted
children in the cold winter being their
only food for weeks, before they asked for
help.
| have tried to distribute your gifts fair
", giving to each as best Icould, and ! can
say that in nearly every case they have
been thankful for the things received.
The call made in the city papers last Sat
urday and Sunday has been answered in
part. only, but doubtless more will come
in. l hope this report will be satisfactory
TO all. j. /. SEWARD.