The evening world., 1894-01-08
BREAD 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 Hum
CRY People.

1.-THE World began this morning its
~self-impojed task OF Distributing free
bread to the poor, at 30 East Houston
street. That there was need of 1t, 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 he people were
scantily clad, and It required no very
Keen observation to tell that with a
good many hunger was the rule rather
than the exception. The eagerness with
which they clutched the loaves handed
them was convincing evidence that even
bread Is II scarce article In many house
holds
The room where the distribution takes
place Is admirably adapted to the pur-
pose. 1t extends through from Houston
to First street, and there was Just room
in front of the counters, behind which
the bread was heaped In great piles. for
one row of persons TO pass.
Five young men waited on the appli-
cants so none was kept waiting. and
there was no confusion. At each en-
trance IL man was stationed to direct the
applicants.
The doors Were opened at 3 o'clock this
morning. An hour before this one of
Fleischmannis wagons had emptied its
lpdu U o'DuD lOdNtS VI BOub, lItSn bIFdu.
All OF this viii be distributed to-day,
and the work Will be resumed tomorrow
morning.
1t must have been the sharpened in
sttnct that hunger provides that in
formed a majority Of those who were on
hand this morning that the distribution
would lake place, for most of them are
too poor to buy ii newspaper to read.
But the news soon spread. Those who
received bread remembered their needy
%neighbors, and FASTENED to tell them of
1t. The distribution had not been going
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.
TIT applicants We're of all descriptions,
but not of all conditions. There was one
neutrality-suspicious. prevailed among
them all. II 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.
for the head. Some didn't ever have
this. and a cold wind which swept up the
cross streets caused them to SILVER and
draw themselves closer together. Calico
dresses. solled 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 thr~ee-fourths of those who
received bread were women and children,
the former predominating. They told
various tales of their circumstances. but
in every case kne 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
They were plainly 10th to accept a char
ity to which nothing but necessity COM
PEELED them. II only goes to show the
unusual amount of distress among the
citN'S moor This Winter
The women and children, and the men
who looked as though they had a family,
were given two loaVes, and sometimes
more. The young men who passed out
the bread to act on their own judgment
in this matter. as their was no time to
go into detailed questioning.
stop and express their gratitude--no
doubt sincere-but there were others
waiting behind them and they were
kindly requested to pass along.
The men wrapped their loaves in al old
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 were sadly in need
OF It.
others, exceedingly well clothed. She
showed the same avidity, however. in
taking her loaVeS as the others did, and
her eyes seemed to glitter as she slowed
them away in her basket. She said she
lived In eWst Thirty-second street. She
said she prcferrd to say nothing more,
except that she needed the bread.
Anothe caller was Il 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 a little
money doing odd Jobs astounding while
he stayed at home and took care of the
children.
A little girl who cried as she told her
story. said she stayed away from school
to get some bread. Her mother and
three sisters We're 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 n chap with a bright
face. but whose small body was wofully
thin. wanted two loaves. He had a
father and mother; but he said they
were not working"
SO It continued throughout the day.
But those 5000 loaves brought at least
Temporary relief to hundreds OF poor
families.