The evening world., 1893-09-18
THEIR CHURCH IN TRADE,
Bloomingdale Reformed Church
Selling Coal and Wood.
Rev. Madison c. Petsrs's Plans for
Helping the Poor.

Inc BloOmingdaIe reformed Church
has gone into business as the silent
partner OF the Miller Wood and Coal
Company.
The Rev. Madison c. Peters, who rep
resents the church, opened shop this
morning at the corner of Riverside Drive
and Seventy-ninth street, and hired
eight men to saw wood.
'"es.' said Mr.. Peters. this Is a novel
enterprise for a congregation. | have
seen some appalling distress, and | have
hit upon this plan to help my people to
do their share of relief work.
Things are not in shape yet. This lit
tie office will be finished in "a day or two.
but We have stock of wood in the
.ard. and | have just hired six men to
saw and split it. We pay them 81 IA
cord. That isn't much. but II is living
wages and great deal more than the
work could be done for by machines.
Tive other men have been put to work
in other directions at $l1j II day. The
Miller ompany VIII look after the trade
management.
Il propose to get my congregation to
buy their fuel here. and 50 enable me to
hire men who have families to support,
nd who are willing to work. ] had a
lot of tickets circulated in the mission
Sundayschool yesterday. They We're
given to the children of the poor. to ba
given to their parents or neighbors
known to be out of employment. The
presentation OF ticket here will get
the holder all the consideration we can
possibly render.
There were eight applicants for work
bright and early this morning, and
am happy at being able to engage
, them
ten minutes at a stretch. All the un.
fortunates don't come to me, but 7 get
my share of their visits and troubles.
where 1ihpr the Ejfth 10
and other swell-head ministers of fash
ionahle churches; 1t is easier to get
an audience with the Mayor of New
York or the. President of the United
states than II is to sec these exclusive
preachers. priests. rectors and bishops.
Il don't know just how many men W.
can employ. 1t will depend entirely upon
I'VE shall give the preference to the
poor man in the Sixtieth streets west of
the Riverside Drive.
coal and wood yard scheme of relief
better than such institutions are usual
ly. The grocers, butchers and provision
of trade. Their supplies are Of superior
quality; but after the choice goods are
gone there remain others that cannot
be disposed of at regular rates. Now. |
have succeeded in making terms with
a number of merchants about here who.
on the presentation of our ticket, VIII
sell supplies at or below cost, In other
WOTuS. n uOllaT VIII nave Inc buying
properties of $50.
"Thc advantage of this arrangement
Is. that the groceries, meats and dairy
products will be much better than they
could possibly get in the corner shops
of their own neghborhood.
Think of It, 10000 people. too poor
to pay their rent, put into the streets
of city absolutely honeycombed with
churches. church societies and charity
organizations!
THE Charity Organization is spending
$4,000 year inyestigatinE cases and
does. i have absolutely no Respect for
that institution. think IL is a stupen-
dous mistake. 1t Is wrongly named. II
ought to be called The Organization for
Il have nothing but admiration for
the efforts The World makes and is
making now to help the poor. The, Sick
Free Bread Fund falls rifle short OF
the sublime But ! wouldn't make II
free bread ] would sell it II i were
in command. l would charge a penny
| loaf. That would wholly remove the
pauperizing clause that critics like tC
harp upon, and with some reason. If
the average distribution continued to
be 1000 loaves a day. there would be an
World could save seventy families n
week from eviction-from being scat
tered and driven to despair or destruc-
ton"
''If times don't get better 7 mean to
get horse and wagon myself and 20
from house to house ev,.y day for pro-
visions. Twelve families in my, congre-
cation waste enough good, wholesome
and really tempting food to feed
twenty-five families. This food ! shall
sell at the rate Of one cent "A ration ] al
ready have clothing bureau. Cast of
garments, shoes, hats. bedding, &C,
that formerly went To the second hand
dealers l sell to people who fancy them
for one cent to five cents an article"
NELL. NELSON.