The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-10
BUREAU OF CHARITY.
Rev. d. C. Garrett Elected Its
New President.
THE RELIEF WORK OF AUGUST.
Over Zoe Persons Aided-Ths Board OF
Friendly visitors-superintend
ent Dooley's Plans.

The regular monthly meeting Of the board of
directors OF the Bureau Of Associated Charities
was held yesterday afternoon at the rooms OF
the bureau. The directors present were Jerome
Catiin, Joseph Shipper, Rev. D. C. Garrett,
Mayor J. 7. Ronald. 7. r Fleming, W. " Rine-
hart and < 2. Witrler. Vice President Catlin
presided.
The resignation AZ president Of the board and
o. director OF Rev. 8. A. Bright, on account Of
ms removal to Olympia, was regretfuily &C.
cepted, and Rev d. c. Garrett was unanimously
elected president Dexter Horton was chosen
20 NIL the vacancy ON the board Of directors.
Messrs Fleming and Catiin were chosen as a
committee to cooperate with Treasurer Furth
In the matter OF collecting the outstanding dues
of members of the bureau.
IL was determined that an effort be made to
more Intimately acQuaint the members OF the
bureau with its spirit, purpose, work aud out
iook' ana that q general meeting should bs
called President Garrett and superintendent
Dooley were made committee to make the
necessary preparations for and to call such .
meeting at an early day.
M Dooley reported that during Augustine
nrst month OF his uperintendency-the bureau
had succeeded in eniisting = corps of friendly
visitors, already numbering forty-seven of the
foremost women of Seattle. and that one-half Of
these were already engaged in visitation. They
had organized themselves into q Board OF
Friendly Visitors, for weekly conference and
discussion, with officers - follows;
Mrs. Charles F. Fishback, president; Mrs.
Bailey ALERT, Mrs. John Leary, Mrs. Wallace
Nutting, Mrs. g. II. Heiibron, Mrs. E. F. Blaine
and Mrs. w. r. Ballard, vice presidents: Miss
Evelyn Ayerst secretary
All clergymen associated with the bureau are
ex-ofiicio members Of the Board OF Friendly
Visitors
During August the bureau investigated thirty.
three cases OF reported want, involving eighteen
men. twenty-eight women and ffty-six children
"a total OF lO2 persons. Besides these, many
applications were disposed Of by advice and
such help az may consistently be afforded in the
ONCE, and many were manifestty unworthy of
outside investigation. OF the cases investi
relief was obtained from the county for 81 per.
sons, representing seven families and SIS: sent
to almshouse, 2; helped per city authorities, 1;
neIped per Ladies' Relief Society. including
three children sent to Orphans Home, 10; OBJ
tanned support in hospital per First NJ. E.
church, l; obtained nursing and medical care
Tor z; relieved per private sources, amt cunt $50,
II; obtained employment for 20; returned to
other counties obtained transportation for six
OF preceding), 8; restored Loaf children, L OF
the l02 persons involved, seventy-two remain
subjects Of friendly oversight and visitation.
For particular interest and person al assistance
during the month the thanks of the bureau are
due Mrs Backus, of the Ladies' Relief Society,
and Fred Gasch. chairman of the board OF
county commissioners
Superintendent Dooley, of the bureau, has
prepared the following paper on the charitable
work now being done by public and private
agencies in this city, making some suggestions
for its extension:
true charity organisation society seeks not
only to represent the benevolent spirit and as
ISOLATED charitable enterprise OF city, not only
ynary concerns, but to be an institution of sub
jective benefit or education to those whose
political aud social as well as benevolent inter.
always safely let pass the task that can be
omitted without self-injury. The central
tartan interest, discussion and reform; enc
crossed in all that may concern US in our rela-
tions with the dependent, delinquent
om ms to s to Nc. ony s
and agitste needed improvements, but
through the cooperative influence of . large
board of Friendly Visitors to inaugurate such
reform. We shall esteem il our duty to be init
mately acquainted with the best principles and
methods elsewhere observed, and that we may
be able to use to the fullest our own local re-
sources, to know the condition, workings, needs
and results OF all existing public and private
agencies vi relief in the city and to endeavor TO
cooperate with them in every possible way in
their legitimate work
There are in the King county slInshouse
forty-iive inmates Gncuding six women)
ranging In age from Il to IS years. half
of them hospital patents, having to be fed
in their beds and requiring constant medical
OF those not confined to their rooms, little 10
expected and less obtained in work about the
buildings or upon the farm, not so much alto
Rether as one strong man might he able to do,
though two former inmates are employed at SIS
per month each. The resident physician, DR.. F.
Is. Whiting, is an intelligent and sympathetic
man, disposed to minister to the minds as well
as TO the bodies of this particularly unfortunate
class The superintendent, Mr.. Rey burn, seems
TO be not only humane and judicious
officer, but practical, methodical and hard
working farmer. The patients are well fed, and
everything within aud about the place 10 clean
and orderly. Forty acres of the seventy sur.
rounding the buildings are under cultivation,
and crops and stock indicate particular atten.
ton and successful management The farm 10
beautifully located, four miles from town, the
electric car taking YOU to tho door for centa
The buildings are OF wood, old and unsanitary,
and, should u fire occur. serious loss of life
would be almost certain to ensue. They should
he replaced at once by new and substantial
brick or stone edifce with modern hospital and
domestic couvenienees. On the whole, ii 10 one
OF the besl-managed institutions of its kind TO
be found anywhere. have known hundreds of
aims houses. and TO fairly praise one Is not an
easy matter. more difficult or thankless task
than the proper administration of such an in
stitution could hardly lie given the board of
county commissioners.
In administering the eleemosynary affairs Of
the county, which are very considerable and
trying. Mr. Gasch deserves great credit. lie is
cautious, yet very patient with those who are
not too eager to shift their private burdens upon
the public. Though a very busy person, he
finds time 10 disp.a y the man in the official,
himself doing much in invests CATION and in Wis.,
ting the abodes o. distress. Between 500 and
500 per month are dsburse1 by him for out
side relief. He can say mo" like the crack OF q
rife or yield with the friendliness OF a parish
father, yet manilesty never forgets that he IL
handling public and not private funds
Institutions are necessary evils some OF them;
Others are unnecessary evils The best Is but TO
supply certain defects in the normal mcthod-a
mechanical contrivaace, whose tendency Is al
ways Institution ward: To merely coTnplicats
the condition IL organized TO combat
Surely 10 enlightened pubic sentiment can re-
gard well-illed institutions OF relief or rspres-
sion beyond certain wsll-dehnet Imitstlonsl
as indicative OF social progress, but the reverse
The Chii3Een's Home, under the MANAGEMENT
of the Ladies' Relief Society, 10 certainly within
the welg-iefned limitations IL Is needed, aud
is a gem In 1ts wav.
Ii has thirty-eight boys and girls ten OF the
laI,erl between and Is years of age. They
have a kindergarten for the smaller children,
and those of the older not imperatively needed
20 assist the mstron attend the public schools.
Oue can hardly speak too highly Of every feat
ure OF this institution one of the least insitu-
uonal. most clean, most hoEne-like in discipline
Is plainly seen in the faces of the children
that have ever visited. To the matr0n OF the