The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-19

orderly mannerssas ever obedient soldiers
stood before their commanding officer, the
humble enlsters AGAINST the common
enemy, hunger. waited in double file. pa
tient, cheerful and kindly disposed under
the scrutiny OF the leader of all the
virtues-sweet charity.
The ground under foot was damp. the
air about was could and the majority of
the men in line were without overcoat or
warm garments of any sort The shoes of
many were worn through and their feet
exposed uncomfortably. But the men
were surely hungry, for they endured the
incIement cold and were made glad when.
after two hours waiting, they received
the plain portion OF bread and the tin cup
of coffee which the sisters offered them.
Within fifteen minutes after the first man
was served $50 oaves of bread were given
out and over $50 pints Of coffee. The re-
cipients withdrew, each with his third OF
loaf and his cup, to the outer court to eat
and drink, while the balance OF the men
in the line filed up to receive their por-
lions. As each finished his meal the cup
was returned to the garekeeper, who told
off the number of breakfasters by them.
While the crowd were eating the re-
porter stepped into the kitchen Of the hos
pital to see how such an elaborate charity
could be so easily handled. Scarcely any
OF t4clleIDtBb WIS ODetIfdDft.
Two sisters were supervising. A young
man was cutting the bread. woman be-
meath the window was dipping the tin cups
in TO large pans OF coffee and another was
handing them out 10 the men as fast as
they presented themselves. About the
man cutting the bread were piled over a
hundred loaves of bread baked only the
day before.
One CT the sisters stated that three bar
rels of flour had been consumed in Satur-
days baking. An extra man had to be
employed early in the week TO assist in the
kitchen, and another put on TO help pre-
pare and distribute the ratons.
The expense of the entire charity the
sisters were bearing themselves. 1t could
amount to nothing less than six or seven
cents daily for each man fed, which at
present would make a total of between
S24 and S2S. or over S72O per month.
In addition to this the hospital dispenses
great quantities of food twice week TO
women Of family who come TO them. The
complete expression OF the monthly ex-
penditure would therefore run close TO
$1,000 IL not $1,000. So far as can be ascer-
tanned nobody is contributing to the work
but the sisters themselves. They bear the
expense and the Inconvenience and the
worry; they ask no thanks; they seek no
publicity. The people at large have not
been aware for several months-indeed
since the breaking mp of the camp on the
sand lot-that the work was still progress
ing. If the Mercy Sisters bad their will
this story would not appear in print now.
Ii is cited merely as an instance of what
private charity can accomplish toward the
alienation of the distressing situation in
this city.
twenty-five dollars a day gives a meal
to over 400 men, provided those who can
afford to do so give their own labor Free
The school children have generously been
carrying lunches to the laborers in the
park. May not some other organization,
similar to thai of st. Mary's Hospital, be
effected to furnish at least one more meal
a day to the tired, wretched, hungry fel.
lows who walk miles every day to get the
single meal ST. Mary's alone offers TO
them?
Harvest time will soon come and then
many of the present unemployed will find
work. and the drain on the public's charity
be sensiby diminished.