St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-14
SHOWING OF RELIEF WORK.
PRESSURE or APPLICATIONS COW
STAR7LY INCREASING.
NEED OF INVESTIGATION.

Woman With an Ample Income
Applies for Aid, Stating That
She Understood the City Is
Helping DISQUALIFICATION to
Aid Without Pauperizing
Distributions of Clothing.
f Secretary Jackson, of the Associated
Charities, has submitted his monthly
report to the executive committee, an
abstract of which is as follows:
The pressure of applications for in
.vestigation is constantly increasing.
Dec and 5, we received more than
fifty applications for reports. Our
records show that about 80 per cent of
these had not previously received re-
lief. The day after our annual meet
ing, Oct y, we had sixty applications
awaiting investigation. Before Than ks
giving we had reduced the number to
twenty-five; but today it has risen to
119. Applications come in faster than we
can possibly attend to them, with our
present force. The increase in unre-
ported applications must continue I'M
less the Investigating corps should be
increased. Thus far in December
l have visited, on an average,
more than six families per day,
a large average considering the distance
to be travelled. Much time is consumed
in cases of especial emergency reported
by benevolent individuals. Sometimes
valuable time is lost in special inveStl-
cations, which might have been saved
had those reporting taken more pains to
assure themselves of the facts and to
state them accurately. Recently gen.
tleman reported to the Relief society an
urgent case of sickness and restitution
Other needy cases were postponed for
this one, but it was found that the FAM
lily had competent physician, fuel and
food for present needs. with relief from
the soldiers relief fund in immediate
prospect. Next morning, visiting four
families, whose cases had been post
poned. it was found that the tour fam
lilies combined had no more food and
fuel than this one family alone. We
should like to visit every family within
twenty-four hours, but in these times it
Is impossible.
Among the notable events of the past
month was the annual meeting and dis
ltribution of the Needlework Guild.
Their plan of collecting new and serv-
iceable garments from large number
of people is successful and seems very
desirable. They collected about $500
useful garments, of which about one
half were distributed through the relief
society, and the remainder were given
out to various Institutions and relieving
agencies.
at must not be supposed. because so
many families are visited that they are
dealt with only officially. Some receive
further care. We endeavor to secure
Eeighboring friends for some, to inter-
est church officials in others, occasion
ally secure some employment, SO that
the Individual can earn what he needs.
81 say frankly that nothing is so dis
cOuraeing as the sight of so much suf-
fering, for the relief of which we can
make no systematic and continuous
efforts. But, on the other hand, not
few are saved from the pauperiZing
effects of aims which they would receive
but for these investigations. For ex-
ample. Nov. 90 four new families were
visited. The first family wanted wood
and clothing for boy. 1t was found
that they had over cord of pine wood,
and could afford to pay something, fer
Clothing, The wood was refused and
the salvage bureau was asked to furnish
the clothing at a nominal price. The
second was widow who owns house
from which she rents two tenements.
The mother and her eldest son earn
something. She had applied because
she heard so much was being distrib-
uted, and she wanted her part
of the tax which she expected to
pay on account of assistance rendered
by the city. Her case did not come
within the rules of the board of control.
At the third place admittance was re-
fused for the first time in my expert
ence. Inquiry developed the fact that
there are grown-up children who make
no real effort to earn living, and only
the mother seemed to be proper SUBJ
ject for relief. The fourth family had
been in this country only few months,
and is receiving some aid from rela-
tiveS. The father has good trade, and
was told that he would be subject to
return TO his native country If he solic-
its aid at the outset.
81 have visited the Friendly Inn, and
found that it is doing commendaDle
work in its improvised quarters. 1t
offers an efficient refuge to single men,
who have hitherto been accustomed to
make nightly appeals to the sympathies
of our citizens, because they had no
means of providing themselves with a
refuge"
The fourth "parlor conference" of the
Associated Charities will be held at the
Parish house Oh the evening of Dec. 81 .
Mrs G. A. Severance will read paper
on university settlements. Mrs. Condo
Hamlin will review Walter Besant's
"All Sorts and Conditions of Men," DR..