The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-22
HARD TINES IN ELIZABETH.
POVERTY AND DEsTITUTToN AMoNe
WAGE EARNERs rs HIDEsPREAn

Foorhouss Filied snd FooTmaster Over
rue with Appeal. for Food and CosI-Ths
TsriE Axit.tios Thopaht o be th- Cause.
Poverty and restitution are widespread iu
Elizabethport. the lower end Of the city o.
Elizabeth. It is estimated that in that part Of
the city alone at least 1900 more than the
usual number OF persons are out OF employ
ment The greater number Of these ZOO are
the heads OF families The Citizens Relief
Com mlttee. Of which John L. Rankin. the
Mayor. Is the Chairman. though It has been
la existence but short time Is already pro-
vidinE food for more than 1 100 destitute per.
sons and new applications 10 the committee
from heads OF families numbering in some
cases as high as twelve each. are coming In at
the rate OF thirty a day. Last Monday there
were iiftJ new applications. and no day this
week have there been fewer than twenty-five.
Besides the eleven hundred odd that are be-
ing fed by the committee. Poormaster J. B.
Lutz Is providing for $50 families. which is l7J
more than he has to do with in ordinary times.
He Gays that not a day passes but new appl-
cations are made to him. and that al the pres
ent rate Of increase the money Appropriated
by the city for his use will be used up very
soon. To the wage Garner OF the city the sit
uation looks as bad as II possibly can look
There seems to be no prospect OF any
Improvement 10 business In the near future.
Some factories are working on short time.
Nearly all are working with greatly reduced
forces aad there is constant danger that still
greater reductions will be made and that
some Of the factories may close down entirely.
The people blame the agitation Of the tatiI
question for the trouble
Elizabeth has variety Of manufacturing in
terests The principle one is the sewing ma
chine industry. Tho factory OF the singer
tho gbpra n NayarE Iay m
ordinary times gives employment to 400
persons 1t is known that IN the last few
weeks the force has Teen reduced so. and
there + very persistent report TO the effect
that the number so far laid of is 1000. Dell
mite information could not De obtained
yesterday at the factory. The men who
have been laid OIL were earning good
wages. some OF them were frugal and had
some money saved. These men are drawing
on their reserve funds. and the funds are get
ting very low. More OF the men laid OF had no
savings. and they and their families were de-
pendent on the charity OF the public In II week
or 80. II is not possible to give list Of the in
dustries OF the city and the number Of m en-
who have been laid OF in each, but the average
cut In every industry was said Yesterday to be
not less than one.Guaster in any case and in
some it was one-halt. In few 1t was three
quarters.
Poormaster Lutz had Just finished his days /
work relieving applicants for charity when
THE Sun reporter saw him. lie said:
II is impossible Tor me- to tell you the num-
Der OF persons who are out OF work who usu-
allv have work at this season OF the year but I
think a conservative estimate is i. 500 or 4 UUU
The mum Der OF families who are actually des-
ttuts is hard 10 get at too but know tnatthe
number applying to ne has increased two
thirds In the last month. BESIDES those that
the city provides food for. there are those that
each church congregation cares for some.
The Catholic churches, provide for their own
ihe9 bn tRei sa mo nT & room
In best times, and there IL no doubt;hat among /
them there is, even greater restitution than |
among other denonihattops Iatnef CNtiii |
OF It. Mary's parish called meeting Of the |
.ocirties OF his church last night lie said that |
while all knew tina; the destirution was great |
there was considerably more than anybndy |
had an idea Of, and they must have assist !
Besides the people that are being cared for
in the way have told. the aimshuuse is iul! /
chapel there will nave 10 he utilized. The per. /
sons who amy t. me ior AID are nearly al OF .
an siSds o. sR.9 ab"r there are cnre
penters. masons. and machinists
The rooms Of the rescue mission At the cor |
ner OF irst and Livingston streets. LiIzAheth- !
port. whore the Citizens Ieiiet Committee has !
It's Headquarters We're crowded to overflow.
was made up about equally OF men and |
women. Their cases had all been inyeI: /
charity. The rear room II the com mittee was
packed with groceries o. all kinds. and from
coriing to their wants When ali had heen /
satisfied II wa time Tor the new applicants to !
come in. lncre were tSenty;eisht .: them.
and there was not d!sreputaole- shocking per-
sOn among tho lot.
Une man had been out Of WORK Ave months
his grocer and his butcher he could &c, 10
further credit and there was nothing 10 eat in
a factory. ami he lad earned good wages
har, times had caused him To- los" the Job.
a ga N hEh hAF fl - at
hours The ather was away looking Tor work.
lie was factory hand. And 50 the stories
went.
II needed trip around with Secretary Car
roll q the homes " the Applicants 10 show
enough to wiring charity from the pocEet III
shylock. In one place there was u woman
rags Wefe wrapped a6ou; her There was mo no
FIRE in the stove 4 scEAwny eat sat on top OF II.
Where are the children ASKED Mr..
lin there" said the woman. pointing to the
SECOND room OF the thre--room apartment
There was bed in that room. and in II were
three itren. Ihey were wrapped IN thin
luilt aad were hutdiing close together. This
DAY and they had 10 Keep in bed TO keep from
ire"ZinG 10 death.
Another house visited WAS such 10 outside ap-
o. PROSPEROUS man 4 glance at the inside
showed m9'i ia d!- ,Lsn, r2xsrtT man "a;
dependency. There was neither iirs nor food
n the = ace, and from the character o: what
hut one inference to lie drawn. that was
that all that could te spared haI been
either sold or pAwnel Inc woman
whose, face was ,Pinehed. dragged herself
atOut her household duties. She wore sho.s
from which tie sUles had been worn OF. There
was half lua! o. bread on the. table, IL was
Try and hard. The other hall had kept the
Iami!Y two DAYS Destitute ss they were this
'AmilY had not applied for aid. The man ard
conan were both too proud. They would
rather staTye thar beg Their need hat been
made known 10 the committee by a stranger.
The greatest suffering Al present Mr, arro,l
,Ald, was among this class Of PEOPLE, lie told
d one case he found the other day The
scholars in the PUBLIC schools in the city had
vote! to hiring whatever they could in the way
oi provisions 10 sch4p. for the ie4rGers 70 send
10 the con Wlttee. The day OF this resolution
lie committee got a letter intOTmin. them
hat the family referred TO was in distress Mr.
aTrOIl knew the family.
! went 70 the house he said, and tho
Eoman came 10 the door. She Knew ! was
Sitn the committee. What's the natter !
said TO her Are You little pinched She
pushed q the roots Of her hair. and thiuk I
you'd have shut the doorin my lace; j. the
nan out OF wUTE " I said to her. Yes she .
laid he's had nothing 10 do for ak months
Z took good dea! Of Grging 10 get her 10 tel.