The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-03-06
THE WORK OF RELIEF.
The Executive Committee Makos n
Formal Report.
THE TUNNEL PROJECT IS REVIVED.
That or Some Other Means OF Fur.
uishlng Employment Much Needed.
Distress Still Exists, IN tho Sixth
Ward, ParticularIy-Tho Increase
of Crime Referred To.

Last night the general citi2onH' relief
committee mot in the chamber OF COM
Inercc. Tho idea was tina. tho executive
committee would make its report and
the general committee would then dis.
solve, but after talking over tho silu'
alton generally it was decided not to
take this action now, but to adjourn
subject to tho call OF tho chairman, so
that in case anything Bhouid turn up
for the committee to tuko hold OF, It's
organization would be intact.
1t was reported that great distress
still prevailed, especially in the Sixth
ward, but there were no resources TO rO'
lieyo it and the committee saw nothing
10 be done Mt present. Attention was
called by members to tho very nppar'
ent increase u crime. sinCc the store
house was closed to the public.
The formal report OF the executive
committee, presented by Chairman {.
Il. Hart, was us follows:
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
TO The lI1ee'fag General Relief Committee:
GENTLEMES:-Iour executive commit.
tee, having been compelled to bring to
close the work Tor which you APP
pointed it, begs leave to submit report
oil its operations. 4 census OF tue needy
was taken, as You ordered, and in this
We had the active cooperation OF the
police department. The returns for
each ward were canvassed by the ward
committees, on whose recommendation
signed By its chairman relief was given
from the store house nnder direction OF
the general manager.
There was so much pressing want that
in the beginning it WAS not NlwayS pos
sible to avoid imposition, but the super
vision was so careful and thorough that
the unworthy ones, never numerous,
were weeded out. When it is borne IN
mind that the properly signed recon-
mendalion oil the ward committee was
not conclusive and that each applicant
was subjected to further and close in
quiry by the Investigators at headquar-
tiers, 1t Will be seen that the opportunity
for an imposter to remain on the roll
WAS not good. The Investigators be-
came very expert in their work, and i'm
posters were not eager to confront them.
The work OF these intelligent and earn
est men contributed gSeatly to the sue
cess OF the movement, which was 10
reach the helpless needy.
The committee is indebted to Mr..
Clator for the use OF Il centrally located
store room Tree OF rent, ana to the
general manager and his assistants who
for more than two months rendered the
most faithful and efficient service with
out compensation. From an intimate
knowledge oil the operations OF the re-
llet store your executive committee
does not hesitate TO say that the method
there pursued was rs nearly perfect as
could be, and that no business house in
this city is conducted on str!cter bust
ness principles. The system OF accounts
was exact, SO that at any timc your
executive committee was able TO deter
mine easily and quickly the condition
OF the business. Purchases were made
for cash and at the lowest prices to the
most favored customer. all bills were
paid by the general manager by orders
drawn on the treasurer, as will be seen
by the bills and vouchers accompany
ing the report OF the general manager
and the secretary herewith submitted.
When the store house was closed for
lack OF means on February 81 the books
balanced to a cent, and the committee
owed no man anything The cash re-
ceipts were S2,9l4 %. We estimate
that in cash and denoted commodities
relief to the extent OF about $500 was
given from the store house during the
time 1t was open, from December q,
1895. to February a, 1894, 4 little more
than two months. Considering the
times this represents liberal giving, and
yet your committee had hoped to be
able to continue the work for 4 month
ut least The effort to enlist the CO.
operation oil the city government was
not very successful.
\ subcommittee OF the executive
committee appeared before the gas
board and tho board OF public works
with the suggestion that men be put to
work on recommendation OF the relief
committee, the committee to receive for
their labor 81 n day and to pay the m in
stores ct the rate OF 81 20 4 day, as fixed
by council. To this the gas board as
sented and provided SIS days work.
The board OF public works preferred to
pay tho rate fixed BY council Tor relief