The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-02
FOOD FOR ALL THE HUNGRY.
MANY THOUSAND FREE MEiLs DIS
TRTBUTED TESIERDLT

The mere mention OF tho fact these days
that there will be FREQ food for the hungry any
where within the city limits is sufficient e
bring together a crowd that a year ago col.
umn OF advertising wouldn't have drawn
10 partake OF a Delmonico feast. IL the
statistics " the various organizations thet fed
the moor both last rear and this year can be
taken as true. then there was seven times
more destItution In the city yesterday than
there was a year ago. A year ago II was rub
lished that there was food for all. and that the
man who went hungry did so OF his own vol.
tlon. That was true again yesterday. The in
creased needs Of the people were supplied by
the increased donations Of the charitable.
Hardly district in the city was there that
did not have one or two centres Of distribution.
and in some Of them there we're hall dozen.
The story " one will toll the story OF all First
there was the Peoples Restaurant Of the In
dustral Christian Alliance at lTO Deeckcr
street. At . o'clock in the morning. long be-
fore sunrise before even the 0rst streaks OF
dawn showed IN the sky. hungry. shiverinE
crowd gathered in the street In front OF the
restaurant II was made IN chiefly OF home
less n en- who had walked the streets for want
OF place to sleep. or who had spent the night
shielded from the wind behind the curtains OF
some vacant truck or in hallway The dawn
saw a crowd Of 900 blocking the streets and
clamorinR fer admission. Then through the
cracks Of the boarded windows there came
streaks Of gas light and the sound Of prepare
tory work.
To the hungry men huddled together in the
chilly morning air it probably seemed long
time before the preparatory work was finished
and things were ready Tor them to take their
Ill. The crowd kept increasing with the day
light, and when a squad Of police came just
4 60 ~. . ,I,owa "a
maybe. n thousand. There was no semblance
OF order. The mon were pushing and maui
ing each other in their efforts to get close to
the door. so that they might be among the first
to get in. The police marched into the midst
OF the crowd and ordered them to form in line
Considering that thew were hungry. they
obeyed the order quickly. The line was
double one and 1t stretched down Blocker
street and around in Macdougal street block.
There 1t twisted around and doubled on itself
another block.
Finally tho restaurant doors were opened.
There were accommod ations inside for eighty.
and eighty were told of By the policemen.
They went into the place pell. NELL. on the
two long counters were double rows Of bowls
and big piles OF bread. One row OF bowls was
filed with Irish stew and the other with coffee.
hot 1t is very possible that there
were several unworthy persons in that eighty.
but there wasn't one person who was no. hun
cry Some went at the food as II 1t was the
first they had tasted in a week. Tho bowls OF
stew disappeared like water down a milrace.
In FIVE minute the counters were swept clear
OF everything but the emrty bowls. and the
walters behind them were slcing more bread
and piing It up. only to see 1t disapIe ear al
most a. quickly as 1t touched the counter
jo ne eiEn'y Wisn i nearly Ss'enty I'VE
bowls OF coffee each.
They were let out OF a side door. and when
twenty had gone the front door was Opened
and twenty more came in. The line moved
up. but the end had doubled on itself again.
and MacdougaI street was about as full as 1t
would hold. There were some mathemati-
clans in the first twenty who left the restau-
rant, and they went back along the line ana
last man there would he admitted. They liz.
ured that It would be dinner tune, and that
You see" said one OF these men. II might
mardhins Just to get Something 70 eat when
yos get there, but there ain't anything else to
DO these times and would Ike to get three
Iere with my digestion. this overwork, but I'm
going to risk it.. Now hfyH'Ee III get in at
end Of the line again and I'll land in about
supper time
, Il / o'clock the man who KEEP, tally said that
estimated that the total for the day would
reach 1000. In answer to the question:
m ate are trampst" an officer said; About 10
per cent. are unworthy Of aid. but they cant be
in en-. hard working men, who are temporarily
out Of employment" The restaurant was
'is In 1 the s mlantsh at Thrtyh street and
Broadway Dr. J. Hartman distributed food to
] 900 persons; The food cost about $500. I'm
big furniture vans piled with food, you .prVb-
ably never will have an adequate idea OF how
much $500 will buy. The distribution was ad.
II person
get half pound OF co-ned beef. loaf Of bread. |
ars bsT apre snH rn. Of ana m Woman b
crowded in the square Iach had paper |
ticket. provided by a man who stood on the |
ready for delivery and the tin cans holding |
he milk Lore religious label AZ o'clock |
still busy giving out tickets.
The last Of the three New Years dinners to |
noa Gi ns of the
bly, district did themselves proud. The day |
began with, distribution Of small turkeys. |
Iund subscribed 10y the clue, the Tammany |
General Committee and the individual mem: |
AMI roasted by the wives OF the club men on |
and sunday. They were for the fam |
me n, G When the S. IN
here was n crowd OF women in the alley beside |
he CLUB house. Each had been recommended |
he district in which she lived and the turkeys |
we're given out as long as they lasted. Some |
n ssiOner John &, sheehan. the district leader
10 be deserving OF aid, got money. too
At noon a dinner was prepared for 800 |
men. There were 200 men in Inc at that time |
waiting for It. About half hundred Migrants |
mad crept in. They were weeded out before |
he club house doors were opened. Nearly all |
no men who were left We're known TO some OF |
he politicians OF the district 10 be men who |
were out OF work. They were let into the club !
Iouse sixty at time. Az o'clock $50 had |
been fed. The whole 800 had finished their |
neal 10y o'clock. They had eaten 80 roast |
urEeys. l3u pounds OF eornod beef IL hams |
100 pounds Of head cheese. 500 loaves OF |
read, and barrels and barrels OF vegetables
Mr. Shcehan said he thought that all the de- |
,erviug hungry IN his district had got all they !
wanted to cat for once,
Tile club will continue it's charitable work |
Is long as tie hard times last. IL has fund |
y sow To-day each election district cap /
ain will report the number Of men out ol /
work in his district and the numt err ~ families |
n need, The Relief Committee viii look after |
hem all.
The Men Accept Continued Reduction.
NASHVILLE. Jan. IA conference concerning /
~ 81 ba =