Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-10-26
MANY REQUESTS
FOR AID FROM. THE COUNTY COMMISSION.
Frs, THESE DAYS
The Commissioners Cannot Relieve 1.-THE Of the
D:srHs-Fsars for the Coming Winter, and
Relief Measures Under Discussion.

Day by day during the past month
there has been steady and marked in
crease in the mum Der of applications for
aid made to the members of the Board
Of County Commissioners.
The members of the Board have met
this increased demand for aid and as
sistance as far as they could under the
law, and have even gone beyond that to
afford relief in exceptional cases; but so
numerous are the applicants, and so
scanty the means at the disposal OF the
Commissioners, that che time has about
come when some other means must be
found if the widespread distress which
is evidently existing is to be aleviated.
Many times every day the individual
Commissioners are appealed to by men
who have never before been reduced to
that extremity, who are not only able
but entirely willing to work, but who
find it absolutely impossible to find en-
pIoyment at any price. Their wives
and children are hungry, rent must be
paid, shoes bought for the winter. ETC.,
and there being no prospect OF meeting
these inevitable outlays in the usual
manner, the heads OF the families are
compelled TO appeal for aid to the Com
missioner OF the district in which they
reside. The Commissioner can afford
little or no relief In such cases. 1t being
near the end of the year, the appro-
priation made by the Board for the
contingent poor fund will soon be ex-
hausted, through the demands OF those
who are regular dependents upon the
charity Of the county authorities, but
even If this were not the case, the ap-
plications now pouring into the Com
missiorers are not such as come under
the law under which the Commissioners
of the Poor act. But the distress and
restitution is no less real and urgent,
and the present situation is such and
the outlook for the winter is so dismal,
for large element of the population OF
the city, that number Of gentlemen,
in and out Of Council, are seriously dis
cusSing some means OF affording relief
by devising way Of giving employment
TO such taxpayers as are out OF work
and unable TO support those dependent
upon them during the winter.
1t has been suggested, and the sug-
gestion has met with approval in vsri-
Gus quarters, that the City Council, rec
ognizing the unusual conditions prevail
ing, place at the disposition OF the
Board Of Public Works as large a sum
of money as can be raised, either by the
sale of bonds or otherwise, as may be
determined, and that the money so
raised and appropriated be used in the
prosecution of some work OF public i'm.
provement, the wages 70 be paid to be
limited to say one dollar per day.
Had there been meeting OF Council
Tuesday night, 1t is altogether probable
the matter would have been brought to
the attention Of the body. Whether 1t
will be allowed TO go until the regular
meeting on November 18th, and there
run the very grave risk OF being lost in
the political shufllIng, Is problem
which those at the head OF the move
ment only can answer. Certain II IS,
however, that whatever is TO be done In
this direction should be started soon,
for at least thirty days will be required
to perfect anything OF the sort under
taken by Council.