Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1894-02-23
HELPING EHCH OTHER.
How the Poor IRE Cared For
in Little FaIls With Little
Expenae to the City.

HOW the FOOrE Are OaI&o + OF
in Little FaIIs With Little
Expense to the City.
The problem Of caring for the poor
of Little Falls was one which puzzled
our people to a considerable degree
the first of the winter, but it has been
correctly solved and with very little
actual expenseto the tax-paycrs-not
nearly 50 much aswas anticipated at
the outset. The city officials are to a
degree responsible for it, but great
amount of credit is due to the peO-
pie of Little Falls, who have taken
an interest in the poor and con-
tribured to their needs.
A Transcript reporter called upon
Alderman Harding of the poor COM
mittee to learn something relative
to the amount of assistance rendered
the poor and the methodof doing it.
He states that the cash expense to
the city will not be over $40 per
month. Mr.. Harding also said that
there were numerous applications
for aid but that the committee made
made it their bushes to make a
careful investigation of every case
before rendering the parties assist
unce and then in no case was the ap-
plicant given money, but when found
to be needy they were given an or
der for the articles required. If an
able bodied man applies for aid he is
told to go out and look for work be-
fore he will be helped and in many
cases money has been saved the city
by this method. Yesterday a man
applied to the poor committee for
aid and he was just the party they
were looking for, for only that
morning q poor family which is re-
ceiving aid from the city wanted
some wood cut. The fellow was set
at work on the job and the city thus
killed two birds with one stone.
The churches took up the matter
of looking after the needy few
months since and divided the city
into three districts and each church
was assigned a district to work in.
The Epicsopalians We're assigned the
West side. the Methodists the por-
ton bet tween the railroad track and
the river and the Congregationalsts
committee then requested all who
had old clothes or anything OF that
sort that they did not need, to send
the articles and the request met with
a hearty response. Cast off clothing
considerable of which had been worn
very little was sent in and the work
ing clubs and guilds of the churches
repaired it when necessary. Each
committee visited its respective dis
trict and with the aid of the teach
ers in the public schools, physicians,
ministers and the poor committee
from the council succeeded in locat-
ing the families who Were needy.
Many of the people were absolutely
destitute, and one lady related an
instance when a family was found
not over three blocks from the city
hall, SO poor that the only thing in
the house was some flour. This
they made cruel of because they did
not have the other ingredients neces-
sary to make it into bread. The
committee supplied all the families
with clothing, shoes, etc, and in
many cases with food. When neces-
sary the city poor committee was
called upon.
The Odd Fellows and Rebekah
lodges gave an entertainment and
supper from which they realized
about 1924 and the school children
contributed about SIS, all of which
was turned over to the committee
and expended in food and clothes for
the poor.
Some of the ladies have formed :,
euchre club and play every week
Instead Of purchasing prize with
the money received for dues they
purchase various articles for the
poor, and a number have been helped
by the ladies this winter.
Altogether there are about thirty
families in Little Falls who have re.
ceived aid, and if there are any
Others who are needy all they have
to do is to call on Mrs. A. A. joss
Mrs. Taggart or Mrs. Ward. These
ladies have articles which they
would be glad to give those deserv
ing them.
We feel safe in saying that there
is not a city Of this size in the North
west where there has been less desti
tuition and where the people have
been SO ready and willing to assis
the needy.
One reason is that there has beer
plenty of work around here this win
ter for the unskilled laborer. They
haye made ties, chopped cordwoot
and a large force is now employed OF
the dam, some of whom We're pait
by the Water Power company be
fore they went to work. The wage
in most cases are small but the class
OF people who are settling up th'
country around Little Falls woul,
much rather work for small wage
than sit around and receive cid from
the city. 80:
| Our people are doing nobly ant
they will be rewarded for their goo,
work in due time.
For the Citizens OF Little Falle
AS you all know the Sisters of st
Francis began their annual collection
about the end of last Dec. The,
have visited most all of the busines
men Of the city and were very CRATE
full for the kind donations received.
/ But owing to the dull times, an,