Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-24
FEEDING THE HUNGRY
Charity Dispensed by Associations and by
Individuals
Much Suffering Among the City's Poor
Grand Army Posts at Work.
Catholic Parishes.

From reports received at the Central
Union Mission, and at the office of the AS
ISOLATED Charities, it appears that there Is
a great deal of suffering among the poor
in this city. new feature of the reports
of poverty is the complaint of suffering
coming from a class of people that has
heretofore seldom been compelled to ask
for charity. There seems to be great deal
Of genteel poverty in the city among peo-
pie who, up to within the last year. have
been able to take care of themselves, but
who from reverses in life and unfortunate
circumstances, are now compelled by cold
and hunger to ask for help. The reports
from such cases do not always reach the
charitable organizations direct, the people
being frequently too proud to make an APP
peal for charity, but come indirectly.
through friends or neighbors, who perceive
the condition of the unfortunates, but are
not able to help them.
The numerous dismissals from the gov
eminent printing office and from other de-
partmentS of the government have resulted
in placing in straitened circumstances hun
dreds of families that have heretofore
never known what it was to be cold or
hungry. These cases are very sad, and 1t
is said by people who are accustomed to
dealing with poverty that the unfortuIates
of this class suffer more keenly than any
Others from the mere fact of being unac-
customed to want. In addition to this
class are the people who are the objects of
charity every winter, and this year they
seem to be very numerous.
The Central Union Mission and the AS
ISOLATED Charities are doing all in their
power to relieve the suffering among the
poorer classes. They keep careful record of
every case brought to their attention, and
If they cannot satisfy the wants of the ap-
plicants they report the names to charit-
ably inclined persons who may have indi-
Gated disposition to help the cause.
Neither association will attempt to send
out Christmas dinners or to dispense char
ity upon wholesale scale.
Central Union Mission.
AT the Central Union Mission this morn
ing the assembly room was filed with I'M
employed men, who had sawed wood for
their lodging and breakfast and were sit
ting in the warm room Of the building
waiting for an opportunity to earn their
next meal. These men do not appear to be
Migrants, but seem to be steady working
men, and none of them had dissipated
look. They are given shelter and food by
working for it, but 1T is only temporary re-
lief until they can find steady employment.
Upstairs in the superintendent room a
row of sad-looking women sat around on
the benches awaiting their turn to make
known their wants and to receive food,
clothing or fuel, as the case might be.
Associated Charities.
At the office of the Associated Charities,
on G street between Sth and 9th northwest,
it was said that the demands are heavy
and the means for supplying them made
ouate. The office has been able to send out
some wood, which was obtained from the
new library building. the lumber binding
the stone, and which the office obtained
at the cost Of hauling. This kind of fuel,
however, is insufficient, as it burns out
too rapidly. Some clothing and a very few
provisions have been contributed by citi-
zens and will be duly distributed, but the
applications for help are coming in at the
rate of nifty or sixty a day. Everything in
the way of clothing or fuel will be well
coined, but money is needed very much.
When The Star reporter called this morn
ing the room was full of applicants for
charity, and it was said that a steady
stream of people is coming and going all
the time.
The various church organizations Of the
city are busy today dispensing charity in
their own way, but they all say that the
demands greater than the means for
satisfying Them and people who desire to
help the poor at this time are requested
to communicate their names to the associa-
items formed for that purpose.
Catholic Parishes.
| Among the Catholic parishes the ST. Vim
cente de Paula Societe did very effective
work among the peer. Everything in the
way Of necessary articles " as supplied, I'M
der the direction of the various chapters of
the organization. The work was systemat-
| ically carried on 10y the chapter in each
| parish. so that no repetition would be made.
Carroll Institute, which Is in the parish of
| ST. Patrick's Chapter, was the scene of
| much activity during the morning, when
baskets Of eatables were unloaded only to
| be packed in boxes. and in a short time
after to be transferred in a wagon to the
home of some pariShioner whose unfortu-
| nate circumstances were to be alleviated
| by the charitableness Of their friends and
the members of the society. Thus the
| work of cheerful charitableness was prac-
/ tically demonstrated.
= Grand Army Charity.
| The poor and needy were we'll remem.
| bered by the members of the Grand Army
| and the Women's Relief Corps of the
| various posts. AS heretofore, however
| there was no public demonstration in the
| way OF dinner, but the different posts
| looked after the poor of their roll, and
| many {. comrade received his mess as In
| bygone days. Turkey, celery and even
delicacies went into some homes to cherish
| the hearts and enliven the physical body
| The colored posts were especially active
| one of them supplying over 100 families
| with the necessities, and the other furnish
| ing eatables for about half that number
while the individual work of the other
posts among them, Meade and Lincoln
| was worthy of commentator. The work
| of distribution from John A. Logan Post in
| Anacostia was carried on by the Women's
| Relief Corps, and many families in that
| section received Christmas eatables In
| many instances where money was needed
| to tide some suffering family through the
| winter months the philanthropic members
of the posts supplied 1t from their pockets
1