The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-03
ILL NEEDY MUST WORK
Every One Who Applies to Relief Agent Mrs.
DugSal Is Offered Employment.
REQUESTS FOR help ARE FEWER
Since the Associated Charities Began
to Care for the City's Working
Poor the Applications Have Been
Reduced One-Half-Plan to Provide
Against Fraudulent Applications.

That tho board of associated chari-
ties is doing n magnificent work is evi-
denced by the fact that since Mrs. w.
B. Duggan was secured as relief agent
the applications for assistance have
fallen off fully 90 per cent.
The board, through Mrs. Duggan.
has given relief to over 400 worthy and
deserving persons and families repre-.
senting an expenditure of $1,000 cash.
besides the great quantity of clothing
and provisions that has been distrib-
uted.
The work OF granting relief is being
systemahzed as rapidly rs possible by
Mrs. Duggan and Supt. Gao. B. Thomp
SON All applications that have been
made are being carefully recorded on
specially printed blanks, and these will
be placed on file.
MANY GIVEN EMPLOYMENT.
The boards agents have been most
thorough in investigating every ap-
plication that has been made. Mrs
Dugsan yesterday related the case of II
| healthy. vigorous man who applied to
her for assistance. As soon aS his ap-
plication came in she Mt once visited
the mans neighborhood aud inquired
Of several families living in the vicinity
as to whether tho applicant vas de-
serving of help She was surprised to
learn that the fellow was machinist
and was regularly employed. ut is
needless to remark, said Mrs Duggan,
"that the mans application was
marked undeserving. That same man
is at present before the poor board with
an application for relief. concluded
the relief agent.
Many persons who have come to the
Board Of Associated Charities for help
have been either given employment by
the boards agents or have been directed
to persons who have given them en-
ployment.
A particularly interesting case in
this connection is that of a man whose
home was in New York state and who
was compelled to relinquish u desirable
position on account of fonduess for
spirituous exhilarauts, He drifted to
Scranton and, happening into meet
ing Of the Rescue mission. became con-
verted and determined to lead better
life. The superintendent of the mis-
sion sent him to the board for work,
and he is now doing first class work in
a lucrative Job. Several widows with
families have been assisted to work.
Two of these receive $25 a month, while
another gets $9j each month for hel
services.
ALL MUST WORK
AT present every able bodied person
who seeks aid of the board is offered
employment of soma character. The
rule in vogue at the headquarters of
the board is that he who refuses to
work may starve. One man who was
given work yesterday morning came
to the office of Mrs Duggan and Mr..
Thompson at noon aud Indignantly in
uuired what they meant by giving him
a job that paid him only 81 day.
Mr.. Thompson has been diligently
at work ascertaining the methods OF
operation of Boards Of Associated char
tiles in the larger cities Of the country
with a view to adopting every COOL
suggestion that he can apply with goot
results TO the work in Scranton.
He intends to Immediately have
printed blanks that will be placed in
every house in the city where tramps
or other persons may be likely to apply
for assistance, financial or otherwise
These blanks will each be numbered
and will have stub attached with a
corresponding number.
For instance: if person comes tC
Mrs. Smiths house and asks for aid
Mrs. Smith will not give the applicant
bank note or anything OF the kind
On the contrary, she will take tbs
name and address of the applicant, ant
mail the same to the Board Of As5ociat
ed charities agent, at the same tim
tearing off the numbered stub and Civ
ing it to the person who asks for help
Right here, Mrs. Smiths work ends
As soon as the card from Mr.. Smith
wife reaches the relief agent the cast
is investigated. II found to be wor
thy one, when the person with tht
numbered stub presents it, he or she is
given the desirel aid If the applican
is fraud the chances are good that he
will never present thu stub to thc
board.