Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-10

n4N' OoiinistlHS OF McSSrS. W. &. Iaupln, r. D.
Lyrlch. i. Wallace. II. ?. Riddick. ]. A. Tala-
Zero and H. n. Lewis. was appointed to solicit
subscriptions for the relief of the sufferers.
RELIEVING THE DESTITUTE.
The Committee Begins It's work-Some
Touching Stories.
The citizens relief committee met at parlor
TO- Wizards Hotel, at 10: 80 this morning. At
the time Of meeting there were present ].
W. Douglass, S. W. Woodward, T. A.
Lambert, Chas. ]. Bell, o. G. Staples
and John Joy Edison. A letter was read from
Mr.. b. II. Warner stating that he could not be
present as he had been subpoenaed to serve on
the coroner's jury, and he added that he
thought perhaps he could serve the city better
on that jury. Later in the day, however,
Mr.. Warner found time to Join his COL
leagues in the committee and took part in the
work OF the day. The committee took hold of
the business before them in a systematic and
orderly way with the determination to
accomplish the most good possible. They in
tend to regard money placed in their hands
as sacred trust. which must be expended
with caution and certainty that it goes
to the right places, but they want to take
care of every family left in need by this
great catastrophe and to do SO without
ofense to the delicacy of these families who by
a sudden accident are for the first time in their
lives, placed in a dependent position They
decided that the names of those aided should
be kept secret, and they are anxious that every
needy case shall be presented to them by some
one that they may do the utmost in their power
to relieve suffering and want.
PROVIDING BURIAL EXPENSES.
The first action of the committee was the
adoption of resolution appropriating a sum
not to exceed $3.50 in each case for the
burial of those who were killed, who, diving. did
not leave their families in a position to be
independent. A number OF applications for
assistance were made immediately after the
committee got to work. and the stories told by
the friends of the afflicted families made
vivid picture OF the terror of the calamity
which suddenly befell them. Families who had
been independent, living in fair comfort
but spending from day to dav the money
earned by the head of the house. are left sud
denly without resources and without u dollar
for the necessaries Of life. In number of cases
there are large families of small chill
dren and frequently impending sickness has
added an additional care to the sudden widow
hood. The first thing for the committee TO do,
as II appeared to them, was to see to the burial
of the dead and to relieve the immediate
wants of the families of those who
were killed. The injured. thew were not SO
as their salaries from the government would
still 90 on. but in all cases where their aid was
required they proposed to give il freely and TO
do al in the name of humanity to re-
leve the suffering which they cannot en-
tirely cure They have. of course to guard
against all eXtravagance or expenditure of
money that is not absolutely necessary. since
the families now left destitute must be cared
for by the citizens until such time as Congress
shall come to their relief. and every dollar used
unnecessarily now will be sorely missed before
this relief Is secured.
CASES REPORTED.
In one case it was reported that one OF the
injured men was i'll need of a reclining chair
being SO badly injured that mis- position could
not be changed except by the adjustment of
the couch or chair on which he recliued
letter sent to the acting secretary of war
asking for the chair and other hospital furnish
ings necessary. 1t was decided that if the army
hospital service could not furnish the things
needed they would be secured by purchase or
otherwise.
W. K Ellis reported that one of the yic:ims
whose body was one of the last taken from the
ruins Yesterday, had left a wife and five
young children without a dollar in the
world for their support The family had
no means to provide for the burial Of the
body. which had not yet been taken
from the undertakers place to the house.
Word was sent to the widow that the funeral
expenses would be paid, and that if she was in
need of money today the committee
would give her SOS today, which was
done later. A letter was received from
Thomas Anderson and others stating that 'the
widow of one OF the victims makes an earnest
appeal for immediate relief. She is left TODAY
without any means Of support, not having even
the wherewith to lay away her dead.
Her condition Is deplorable. She has one
child and is about to again become q mother "
Il,.n ttnna
dollars and authorized the family to incur an
expense of not more than $50 for the funeral
expenses.
Rev. S. Shannon reported that the family of
another section left wife and three children
under age. the youngest nine years old, in
great restitution. They needed assistance to
bury the dead and money for the necessaries of
life. He said that the family had not penny,
no money nor life insurancepolicy being left by
deceased. The family had been deeply in
debt on account of misfortune. During tho
past two years they had lived as humbly as pos
sible. and by the rigid economy Of the wife
the debts had been about all paid off
and they had few months ago been able
to buy a cheap carpet for their little parlor
This was the only carpet in the house and there
were only few cheap articles in the house
The widow was. he said. good, economical
woman, who deserved the sympathy of the
public. She was, he said, extremely helpless in
this emergency.
BURIAL SITES OFFERED.
Messrs. H. o. Towles, Louis Clephane and
Philip F. Larner, on behalf Of the directors of
the Glenwood cemetery, appeared before the
committee and offered the gift of five or more
sites in Glenwood cemetery for the burial of
those killed. This offer was very gratefully
received Mr.. Towles, when told that an in
jured man was in need of an adjustable char,
said he would send one to him at once as
loan.
1t is the desire of the committee that all
needing aid shall let their needs be known to
the committee, giving information in the fol-
lowing order:
Name.
Address.
Condition financially.
Name of widow.
Number of children and age.
Whether life or accident policy.
References.
Notes.
ANOTHER MEETING THIS AFTERNOON.
AT 1855 the committee adjourned until
this afternoon. They will meet also at 1890
Sunday morning.
Contributions in the War Department.
h.,