Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-29
COLD BRINGS SUFFERING
Many Poor People Need Coal and
Clothing.
Fears of "a Freeze Up on the River
TIafic May BE Delayed-Oysters
Are Plentiful.

The continued cold weather causes in
creased suffering among the poor, and
the police and charity organizations are
rendering what relief they can in extreme
cases of distress. Last evening and this
morning there was decided Increase In
the number of applicants for assistance
As stated in yesterdays Star, the police
charity fund is exhausted, and there Is
but little being given by the police lieu
tenants at the several staten houses. A
number of cases of distress have been re-
ported to the police. In each of them a
personal investigation is made before as
sstance is given.
This morning Chief Clerk Sylvester Of
the police department received a pathetic
letter from widow with six children.
who asks for relief of some kind. In the
letter she says she was sick with the ty-
phoid fever all the summer, and now, al
though willing to work, she is not strong
enough to do hard work, but willing to do
plain sewing. The letter was delivered by
bright little boy, son of the woman,
who had walked all the way from his
home near the eastern branch to police
headquarters.
Mr.. Sylvester telephoned the fifth pre-
cinct as soon as he received the letter and
directed that an officer be sent out to make
an investigation.
One of Many.
This, however, is only one of many cases
of the kind that have come to the atten-
tion of the police. In South Washington
a number of cases have been reported, and
some little assistance rendered. The police
in making the Investigations find that lack
of employment is the cause OF great
amount of the suffering, while in some
hny, hicI. Fl
appearance of the wolf at the door,
While a number of distressing cases
have been reported, the number this year
is much smaller than this time last year,
and this is the result of the good weather,
which lasted until Christmas. The munich
pal lodging house and Central Union Mis-
sion were filled with lodgers last night,
who were driven in by the cold weather
but the action of the police and the court
in arresting and holding so many of them
as Migrants had the effect of decreasing
the number in the stations last nigh:
There Were only twenty-five dodgers i'm
all at the nine police stations, and four of
them were taken TO court and sent down.
1t is certain that many of the dodgers who
were released by the court yesterday left
on freight trains, and made their way
south.
River Traffic.
The cold weather is causing some uneasi-
ness to river men, who fear that a coatinp
of ice will soon appear and greatly inter.
fere with the steamboat and oyster traffic
Fivermen think that the high wind yester.
day and last night prevented the rive,
from freezing, but they fear that another
day or two of cold weather will do the
work and cause a great amount of suffer.
ing among those who depend upon work
about the river for support.
The northwest wind has had the effect OF
lowering the tide to such an extent that
some trouble Is being experienced in load.
ing freight on the steamers at the wharves
Ihe steamer ArroWSmith, due here early
yesterday, did not arrive on time having
been delayed at Piney Point on account OF
the nigh winds. The steamer got in early
this morning, however, and without a sin
gle mishap.
The freezing of the river will greatly af.
feet the oyster business, and il was said al
the oyster wharf that ice in some of the
creeks on the lower Potomac has already
stopped some longing for oysters. Last
week some OF the dredgers quit work be-
cause they found the business improbable
on account Of the immense supply of bi-
| valves and correspondingly low prices.
Oysters Are Plentiful.
1t is reported that there were three hun
dred boats with oysters In Baltimore last
week. and because of the low prices some
of the owners will not open their boats.
There is a good supply of oysters at the
wharf here and even should there be a
severe freeze they viii I'LL the demand for
| several days. Oysters have been very
cheap here all the winter, but the boatmen
have taken advantage Of the cold weather
| and raised the price. In event OF a freeze
| their boats would be safer here than down
the river and as the stock will keep well
| this cold weather. the captains are not
anxious to sell what they have on hand
| unless they get good prices.