Omaha daily bee., 1891-01-18
Experience Of The Bee Reporter in the
Homes ofthe Needy.
THE STRUGGLE FOR MERE EXISTENCE
Tales OF Suffering Which should
Touch the Hearts and Purses
Of the Happy and
Prosperous.

been averted by the mercful tempering of
the wintry blasts is not to be caculated.
There are, within the limits of this happy,
prosperous. wel-lighted and well.fed city,
scores of cheerless and forbdding places
where poverty and hunger are constant
though unwelcome guests The needy ones
who, from necessity aud not from choice, are
wont to call these places "home" find in
them no realization of the comforts
and enjoyments that to the majority of the
human family, are so closely associated with
that sacred word. After visiting them, one
d0u BITS the sentiment of John Howard Payne,
that has found responsive chard in so many
hearts, and is will nigh convinced that when
home becomes so humble as this there are
other places far more desirable.
True, no cases of heartrending destitution
have been discovered this winter, and it is
possible that the cases that have been re-
ported do not meet with so ready and gener-
GUS relief because of the absence of this
feature When the details are particularly
part of everyone to. give spontane-
ously to relieve such abject want,
and the object of the charity is amply pro-
vided with necessities and even luxuries,
which will last until the case has entirely
slipped from the mind of the greater number
of the givers.
The scores of cases that demand attention
and assistance this winter present their needs
in a general call for charity and the response
| is neither as prompt nor as generous as would
be the case If narrowing details were pres
ented to awaken the sympathies of those who
are naturally charitably inclined.
There are undoubtedly many cases where
| all needed assistance is given by lxlnd-hearted
| neighbors and all knowledge of them is
| withheld from the public, but where the case
| demands constant support the strain is too
| heavy for few to bear, and it is then that
an appeal IS made to the general public for
systematic giving.
Comparatively few of the citizens of Omaha
| are accustomed to bestowing their charities
| Systematically. The nearest approach to a
| board of relief outside of the Office of the
| county poormaster is that in connection with
st. Timothy's mission and superintended by
| Missionary Reedy.
| A BEE reporter accompanied Mr. Reedy on
| one of his trips to note the condition and sur
roundings of some OF the families who are de-
| pendent for support on their more fortunate
| fellows.
1t was found that the majority of them ex-
isted in one room novels, some of them fairly
| wind and weather proof, and others Offering
| but little resistance to the encroachments of
| the elements.
The first place visited was the little hut
/ near the corner of Twentieth and CASTELAR,
occupied by Mrs. Stuart Reed, a hstc & I: /:
| whose case was recently published in THE
BEE when her husband was sent to
the hospital for the insane at Lincoln
Previous to that time the destitution of tho
| family was not known, but when THE BEE
| called public attention TO it number Of
| charitably disposed ladies and gentleman in
| terested themselves in the case, and it was
[ ater taken in charge by Mr.. Reedy. The
mother of the family of five children is al
most helpless, suffering from an organic
trouble, to remedy which surgical opera
ton is required The operation is provided
for, together with the necessary medicines,
and it is stated that $40 will furnish such ap-
pllances and bandages as may be needed.
I. n,,l< al L.
enough to be of some service, and the family
would be self-supporting with the mothers
health restored. Mrs. Reed is very ener-
getic and intelligent woman, and appreciates
keenly her dependent position.
The next case Investigated was out among
the hills south of Hanscom park, where q
family by the name of Taylor reside in a
rough board cabin. Sickness was the cause
of their destitution, and the medical help
that has been donated has put them on their
feet again, and it is not probable that they
| will need further help.
| A family named Miller was next visited
They live in lOXl2 box near the corner of
| Twenty seventh and Mason. The ground is
leased for So month, and the occupant owns
few hundred feet of lumber that entered
into the construction of his humble abode.
Just now, in addition to other cares, he is
worried because Of notice to quit the prem
ises. All of the surrounding property has
been raised to grade, and the wretched little
crib Is down in a mole ten feet deep so that
the roof scarcely rises above the level of the
adjacent street.
This, of course, is another one room affair
and the furniture consists of two beds, two
chairs, a threelegged chair backed up in one
corner, a badly cracked cook stove and two
children. A few dishes momentarily threaten
| to tall from narrow shelf over the table,
and two or three show bills and advertising
calendars serve as bric-a-brac and cover long
cracks in the walls al the same time.
The head of the family who was formerly a
canvasser in the employ Of the Metropolitan
! company is very low with consumption, and
looks as though the end might come at any
| time. His cough seems to shake the house
from foundation to ridge pole Mrs. Miller
is energetically endeavoring to support the
! family by washing, but the cost of medicines
makes it almost hopeless work. One child
was buried about two weeks ago and charitablo
people betrayed the funeral expenses. AS.
sistanceis being rendered the family, but the
outlook for the brave little woman who is
struggling along against such Overwhelming
odds is anything but encouraging
| The next stop was at the habitation of Jens
Larsen, day aborer, who resides with a
constantly increasing family on Fourteenth
''away up'' compared with some of the fami.
lies visited, in that he has two rooms in
which to divide his poverty
| His rent has been paid by the Danish so
ciety and free medical assis tance has brought
him through severe case of blood poisoning
With little more help Larsen will be able to
again provide for his family.
Mrs. Sisse is widow with three children
who reside in primitive little hut ON Locust
street, east of the railroad tracks. One boy
aged thirteen years. is a cripple, with a false
joint in one leg below the knee, and the
mother is afflicted with a running sore on one
hip, that renders her helpless much of the
time. She makes an attempt to eke out an
existence for herself and children over the
washboard. The family is sadly in need OF
continued assistance, and a physician who
has examined the case says that a brace
ought to be secured at once for the crippled
| boy.
Assistance was asked by family named
Ruby living near the corner of Ninth and
Garfield avenue. The father is sevcnty-six
years of age, and is suffering with asthma
There are five children, all girls, the young
est only two years Of age. Missionary Reedy
intmated that q man with the apparent vigor
of the head of the family ought TO contribute
more to their support. A little clothing aud
a few provisions together with places for the
older girls to work will probably be all they
will require.
The most pitiable case that was found was
that of Mrs. Ralph. at the corner of Thirty
third and Maple streets.
Her usband was addicted to drink and
finally ran away and deserted her, leaving