The evening world., 1894-01-08
FOR The NEEDY
" The Worlds Distribution at
2l0 East Houston Street.
5000 Loaves Given to the Starving
Poor To-Day.
Pathetic Stories Told by the Hun
CRY People.

1.-The World began this morning Its
self-impo3ed task OF distributing free
bread to the poor, at 80 East Houston
street. That there was need of It, and
great need, too. was evidenced by the
steady and growing stream of destitute
humanity which filed through the depot
this afternoon.
A great majority Of the people were
scantily clad. and II required no very
keen observation to tell that with a
good many hunger was the rule rather
thar the exception. The eagerness with
which they clutchcd the loaves handed
them was convincing evidence that even
bread Is a scarce article in many house
Odds.
The room where the distribution takes
place Ia admirably adapted to the pur.
pose. 1t extends through from Houston
to First street, and there was just room
IN front of the couMters, behind. which
the bread was heaped in great piles, fol
one row of persons to pass.
Five young men waited on the appli.
ANTS so non was kept waiting, and
there was no confusion. At each en-.
trance a man was stationed to direct the
applicants.
The doors were opened at 8 o'clock this
morning. An hour before this one OF
Fleischmann's wagons had emptied its
load of 5000 loaves of good. fresh bread,
M Va tbifs wan ~ Ai'Nt p'N' ~ 80
and the work will be resumed tomorrow
morning.
It must have been the ,sharpened in
formed a majority of those who were on
hand this morning that the distribution
would take place. for most of them are
too poor to buy Al newspaper. to read.
But the news soon spread. Those who
received bread remembered their needy
neighbours, and fastened to tell them OF
II. The distribution had not, been going
go 49, ~.,- L~rAn nA~a
ing from portions OF the city at a con
siderable distance from the depot. which
was all the more remarkable as Their
only means of getting there was to walk
but not of all conditions. There was one
condition -poverry-.tnat prevailed auhona
them al. It only needed a glance az
bodies to tell that.
Among the men who called overcoats
were a rarity, and with the women a
shawl. generally an old and faded one,
did service both as n cloak and covering
for the head. Some didn't even have
this. and a cold wind which swept up the
cross streets caused them to SILVER and
dresses, .soiled and frayed, were the
gowns OF most OF them, and some wore
shoes through the cracks in which could
be seen the bare feet.
Probably three-fourths of those who
received bread were women and children.
the former predominsting. They told
various tales of their circumstances, but
in every case sickness or want of EN-
Payment had to do.
That many. in fact. most of the seekers
after bread were unaccustomed to such
scenes was shown by their hesitating
manner before they entered the room.
They were plainly 10th to accept a char
ity to which nothing but necessity com
PEELED them. 1t only goes to show the
unusual amount OF distress among the
city's poor this Winter.
The Women and children, and the men
who looked as though they had n family.
were given two loaves. and sometimes
the bread to act on their own Judgment
in this matter. as their was no time to
go into detailed questioning.
Many OF the women were disposed to
stop and express their g~ratitude-no
doubt sincere--but there were Others
waiting behind, them and they were
kindly requested to pass along.
The men wrapped their loaves in an Cd
newspaper. or hid them away from sight
under their tightly buttoned and thread
bare coats. Then they went quickly
away Scurrying up or down the street.
evidently anxious to carry the bread
to their families who We're sadly in need
One woman was, compared with the
others, exceedingly well clothed. She
showed the same avidity. however, in
taking her loaves as the others did. and
ittl eyer SttUitu W BIlttT HIS Snt SlDN tl
them away in her basket. She said she
lived in cWst T~hirty-second street. She
said she preferrd to say nothing more,
except that she needed the bread.
Another caller was a man whose seedy
clothing was nevertheless very clean.
He lived in Twenty-fourth street. He
hadn't been able TO find work for three
months. he said. His wife made n little
money doing odd Jobs a~tscrubbing while
he stayed at home and took care OF the
children.
A little girl who cried az she told her
| story. said she stayed away from school
to get some bread. Her mother and
three sisters were sick and unable to
come.
The story OF another was that she had
had no bread In her house Thanksgiving,
Christmas or New Years. She had six
children, she said. She was given six
loaveS.
A little bit OF a chap with s. bright
face, but whose small body was wOfully
thin, wanted two loaves. lie had n
father and mother. but he said they
were mot working"
So II continued throughout the day,
But those 1900 lOaves brought at least
temporary relief TO hundreds OF poor
families.