The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-12-29

but they very sensibIy want TO know
the truth about the matter before they COM
mlt-sthemselYes. irrevOcably to any special
-llne. OF action lin the premises. They
are not, however. at liberty to leave their
/ offices and places Of business to look up
> the stories Of those who ask their assist
ance, and therefore a CALL reporter con-
) stftuted himself, their deputy. Gaining ac-
cess to the register. he selected at random
twenty names;- and started Onf through the
mud"to call atthe addresses given, and see
personally how. 1t Jared with the families
:: of the men whose only dependence is the
.werk of theil hands. now enfOrcedly idle.
7. The first place visited was the house of
X. c. Collins in the rear of .223 Langton
:: street: The door. opened into a tiny
i: kitchen. the floor of which was still We:
from. a. recent thorough: scrubbfng. Be-
: side the stove espectable-looBing middle
: aged. man. sat in a discouraged attitude
: liking idly out of the small window, and
= pretty: young girl OF IS, who was busted
about the household: work. came forward
TO receive the Visitor, and showed him into
sitting-reom which. though small and
low:ceilfDged, was as peat as.hands could
makelt: NO; her mother was not in, but
one of the children could bring her in a
minute as she was just alta neighbours,
and..in a minute" Mrs. =. Collins arrived.
wiping her wet.hands on her wide apron
as: she came
=: Pm. just doing a bit of washing for a
:. neighbo she said ALPHABETICALLY She's
mot able. to do; it herself, and: every little
coun Is: these times only wish l could get
J. WORK TO do oftener, that's ALL"
= A few words explaining the reporters
~errand encouraged this brave and helpful
mother 60, tell briefly. and with out any at
tempt at:W0rking GA her caller sym pathy,
:. IN story OF the past four months, during
= which her husband has not been able to
bring dollar into the family.
GaV of. ha nht - oho
!, said, bat there's nothing for them to do.
;: 'IlTe two oldestget little work now and
then: In a bag factory and they do all they
!: can to help: along. and | get something to
: do.now and then. bur not often enough to
I. suit me by any means. We have man.
aged to get along so far, but it has been
very hard and If something isn't done to
give the men work s0on-'' The resolute
voice brooks for a moment, but Mrs. Col
=, Inns Is brave. woman as she has proved
during the past months. and she went on
cheerlly:
:: '.''I would work my fingers to the bone
:. for them all if could only get the chance,
but l. can't, and my husband has walked
the streets every day for weeks, willing to
do anything. He has had one Job since
! August and that was clearing brick up at
the old 81. IgnatiuS building on Market
street, but the contractor never paid him a
: cent for that. so he might as well have
]: been idle anyway"
3Eh6 question II help had been asked
!: from any of the charitable associations
met with an indignant denial.
~: 1--WE don't want anything we don't
:: earn" said Mrs. Collins very decidedly,
:. as. she;accompanied the investigator to th e
= door. .-;but we do want chance to earn
something"
:: Mrs. H. 81. Baker of 1886 Langton street
told substantially the same story Her
husband is a watchman, but would "be
glad to turn his. hand to anything to earn
a living."
I'VE have lived on almost nothing for
months" she said, "but we don't want
charity. We ers all strong and healthy
and can take care Of ourselves easily and
comfortably if we only have ain opportu-
nifty to do So"
a knock at the door of % Gilbert street.
Patrick CunDin CHAINS domicile, brought a
pleasant-faced woman to the door and the
reporter was admitted to small but tidy
room, which was nearly filled by a large
bed adorned with Quilt Of brilliant patch
work. Not speck of dirt was to be seen