The Washington times., 1894-12-27
Saddening Sights Seen and Tales
Told at the Station Houses.
HUNGRY, SHIVERING NRETCHES
ScantiIy Clad They Are Overcome BY
the Pitiless Elements.
Touching Appeals Received From Families
Suffering From Both Disease and Poverty
Rev. J. D. Smith Gives Narrowing Ac-
counts of Cases of Mi cry That Have Come
Under His Observation as Missionary.

The pitiless, pelting storm Of snow and
rain and the marrow-chiiling wintry blasts
which made last night such a terror 10 pedes-
trians caused many poor people-men, women
and chiIdren-to scurIy through the slush to
the several police stations in quest offood, fuel
and shelter. The applicants in nearly every
instance were shiyer1ng with cold, while their
scant garments were wet through and
through after their exposure to the elements.
Some pathetic pictures OF s'the other half''
were presented to the stern but kind-hearted
policemen, who sat within the comfortable
atmosphere of the station and listened to the
driving rain and the window paneS being
ratified by the North wind.
At the Fourth precinct station in South
Washington the needy callers were mostly
colored people, poor wretches, who exc out
a miserable existence delving in the piles OF
rubbish on the city dumps for bits of metal
and other articles that can be disposed OF for
/ q few pennies at the junk mans establish
ment One old black woman, bowed with
| age and trembling with cold and weakness,
! said pleadingly:
| Deed, sab, de snow an rain is done
knocked me outen work an dere aint no fire
! in my shanty nor nothin' for de chilun to eat.
/ De Lord will bress you, sah il you will glib
wid."
Many touching appeals were also received
/ from families wherein those twin evils dis
ease and poverty. have taken firm foothold,
and to use the language of Lieut.. Vernon.
some OF the appeals would ''melt the heart of
a sphynx.'
The police poor fund is SO low as to be Of
but little avail in the emergency which is i'm
/ pending. and 1t is urged that the charitable
citizens OF Washington take action at once
TO MEET THE CRISIS.
Rev. J. D. Smith, the house-to-house mis-
sionary of the Central Union Mission, has
/ had much experience during the present
! winter with the victims of poverty. He said
/ to TIMES reporter last night that great
number OF really deserving poor
OF Washington are those who are too proud
to complain of their wants. The thought of
the better days they have enjoyed causes them
to shrink from the very idea of asking assist.
ance from strangers.
Il have yisi.ad many homes OF The poor in
different sections OF the city. said Dir. Smith,
land the pititul scenes l have witnessed, even
in the fashionable localities. are heart-rend-
ing. In one family residing in the
northwest section which was visited
by me, found the husband a cripple. He
had been receiving good salary, but sick
ness came upon is:r and he had TO give up
his position His faithful wife. one who had
never been used 10 hard work, is now sus-
tanning her family by taking in washing
Their monthly income since last summer has
not exceeded S12.
another family, consisting OF the parents
and children. live in a single room over a
store. The mother keeps starvation from
entering her humble home by doing little
work in laundry and sewing, but she is un-
able to continue the hard work
being both feeble and without a sewing ma
chine. think one OF the old machines tina:
are doubtless being kept in disuse by some
church sewing society or charitable institu-
ton might be
GIVEN TO THIS POOR FAMILY.
''A case came to my notice yesterday of a
poor machinist who lives on Missouri avenue
He has given up hope of securing employ
ment and has gone to drinking, some
thing he had never done before
in his life. His wife and baby are utterly des-
titute, having no food or fuel in the house
this bitter night. For days past they have
been subsisting on cornmeal and water.
I" A family of ten In the southeast section.
when visited by me. had no coal nor food
and the father was hopeless owing to his in
ability TO secure employment. Next door
discovered another family IN similar circuui-
stances. their entire food supply consisting oi
but eight potatoes, while every piece OF fur
nirure had been either sold or used for fire.
wood.
In the same section found a family living
on so cents per week. This was earned by
the mother, who washed clothes. In another
place the sick father, feeble mother. and
three children had TO go to bed to keep warm
there being no fuel in the house.
"a family consisting of five children,
mother and father, residing in the southeast
section, were found TO be living on the weekly
income of So, earned by the oldest daughter
Their rent was % per week, which
left them but 81 for clothes, food,
and fuel for the entire family
The younger children picked cinders for their
parents frola neighboring ash heaps. Another
family OF five, including an invalid husband
was supported by the mother, who make:
fashionable garments at twenty-five cents
each. This family is on the verge OF starva
tion.
II visited many persons" added Mr.. Smith
"who lived in fine houses and outYardly
seemed to be in good circumstances. Upor
investigation / found absolute poverty anC
want behind the elegant exterior. l re
ceived information concerning these partie:
by conflding outsiders"
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