The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-09
UNEMPLOYED Of CITY
Conference Held 10 Devise Means Of Providing
Them with Work.
The PLAN OF COL. {. h. RIPPLE
He Suggests That the Board of Asso-
ciated Charities Provide Employ
ment for the Destitute Able Bodied
Men of the City, and That the Poor
Board Take Care of All Others in
Need of Relief.

Col. e II. Ripple, 7. ]. Moore and
Luther Keller of the Board of Asso-
ciated Charities and John GibbOn,
Charles Tropp and p. J, Murphy of the
Scranton poor board mst in the mayors
office last night to consider ways and
means for providing employment for
tho destitute unemployed of tho city.
Mayor w, l.. Connell and Street Com
missioner Philip Kirst were unable to
be present.
1t was suggested week ago that n
feasible way Of providing for the des-
titute unemployed men who applied to
the poor board for relief would be to
have them 30 to work under the di-
rection Of Street Commissioner Kirst
at 81 per day, which sum would be
paid by the poor board in relief orders.
1t was hoped by this method to make
the destitute feel they were not
subSisting on charity and enable
them to keep their self respect and pre-
vent them from becoming permanent
members OF the army of paupers In
pursuance of this plan. which those
present at last evenings meeting de-
clare to be good one, Poor Director
Gibbons had sat five or six man at
work under Mr. Kirst.
DIRECTOR TRoPPs POINT
Poor Director Charles Tropp said
that he considered the plan very good
one, but he feared the poor board had
not tho power to carry it into execution
without running counter to the law.
He said that the law provides that
when u person brings to poor director
a statement signed by two aldermen to
the effect tnat he is in destitute cir.
cumstances the director is bound to in
vestignte, and if he finds the case dc.
serving one, give immediate relief
"If you pu. this applicant at work
for the CITY," continued Mr.. Tropp,
you are really giving the relief to
the city. as the man you are granting
| relief to gives service to the .city for
the amount you give him. 1t is ques-
tion in my mind if, after branding a
man paupsr by giving him an order
for relief you can make him do labor
corresponding to the amount OF the
order. If he docs not 90 before two
magistrates and obtain an order for
relief and thus put him on the level Of
pauper, we can pIy him no money,
no matter how much labor he may
perform"
This was new phase Of the case,
but it was agreed that Mr. Tropp was
correct and that some other plan must
be devised. After considerable discus
sion it was suggested by Colonel E. II.
Ripple that hereafter the Board OF AS
sociated Charities turn over to the
Poor Board all applications for relief,
save those from able bodied men.
A RECIPROCITY ARRANGEMENT.
The poor board, on the other hand.
is to direct all the able bodied men
who apply to it to go the Board of As
sociated Charities which will provide
work for them. The suggestion was
adopted. Those who are given EN-.
ployment by the board will be sent to
Connell park The Board of Asso.
ciated Charities has now SlS5 in its
employment fund.
The result Of the conference will be
reported at today's meeting Of the poor
board and at the next meeting Of the
Board Of Associated Charities for final
action.