St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-27
Do NOT like TO SAW WOOD
RkRGS OF SEEKERS FOB ASSISTANCE
THAW AWaY
AS PuT TO moRGAN,s TEST.

Of the Large Crowd Of Unem-
ployed Who Applied for Street
Work and who Were offered
Instead Tickets to Saw Wood
All Vanished hut Sixty Very
Few Will saw Wood.
Between two and three hundred of
the unemployed loi;ered abont the
lower hall of the court house yesterday
morning. 1t has been the practice since
the bureau opened 10 give out tickets
for work on the streets for the coming
week on Fridays and SATURDAYS of each
week. This was not done yesterday for
the reason that there is no money IN the
treasury. all that has been contributed
during the week hv citizens being re-
qaired to pay the force of $50 men who
are now at work.
As soon as the announcement was
made that no tickets would be given out
for work on the streets. but all who de
sired 10 work at tie Friendly Ian wood
yard would be accommodated With the
necessary slips, the crowd thinud out
rapidly. All hour later about 100 men
waited on the mayor, and through a
spokesman informed the chief eX-
ecutlve that it was hardship to
have to saw seven cords of wood
at 70 cents per cord i'll order to get
a chance TO work on the streets. 1t was
also claimed that Rev. Mr.. Morgan. was
not dealing fairly with them. as they
were compelled to saw the seven cords
before they could secure an order for
any provisions. The mayor said the
amount OF money to be used IN employ
ing men on the streets was limited. and
was intended only for those who were
in destitute circumstances. The prop
oSition was to pay one-haif the wages
III the neceSSarieS of life and the other
III cash. Able-bOdied men who were III
need of supplies and who would not
work at saving wood, the mayor said,
were not entitled to work OH the streets.
The wood saving, he intimated, was
only a test as to whether the mel were
really needy. Some of the unemployed
volunteered the information that a
number of them could not saw wood
owing to physical infrmlties, and, If
they could, their families could not eat
wood for any length of time.
Rev. David Morgan, who has charge
of the Bethel and Friendly Inn, has al
ways argued that the number of appH-
cantS for work would be materially
reduced if the pay were in fuel and
provisions instead of cash, and the eX-
perience of yesterday has gone long
way i'll convincing the citizens commit
tee Of the truth of his arguments. or
the large crowd who applied yesterday
for work on the streets next week but
sixty of them would accept tickets
which would enable them To saw wood
for 70 cents per cord, payable i'll sup
plies, and Mr.. Morgan said of the twenty
eight who came to the wood pile on
Thursday only fourteen showed up for
work yesterday morning.
The secretary of The employment bu-
reau said that there were 10 men at
work on the streets this week. OF the
number $50 are paid 81 per day III cash
and twenty who mad been put to work
during the week will take their wages
III fuel and provisions. No tickets
would be issued for work on The streets
next week, but it was possible that
aOout fifty of the men who were now
saving wood at the Friendly Inn would,
after the test at that institution, be
given work Oh the streets.