Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-26
THE SUFFERING POOR
More Applications for Aid Than
Can Be Attended To.
DISCUSSED BY POLICE LIEUFENANTS.
People Without Food, Clothing OF
Shelter. T,l>
MANY PITIFUL INCIDENTS.


numerous men. women and children were
to be seen this morning hurrying along the
streets with buckets or baskets. going in
search of fuel. The coal pickers about the
ash dumps were on hand early this morn
ing. and many of them suffered from the
effects of the cold weather. in order 10 get
a few cinders to start fire to keep the
children in the houses from suffering.
Then, too. they went in search of food,
and many applications were made before
time for breakfast. There were others who
could not even go out and pick up cinders,
but whose only chance to ward off suffer-
ing was to ask for assistance from the re-
lief committee. At police headquarters this
morning the question was discussed in the
meeting OF the police -lieutenants, and the
general complaint was that the precinct
allowances were nothing like sufficient to
meet the urgent demands, and in several of
the precincts the lieutenants had given or
ders for provisions and fuel in excess of
their allowance.
One lieutenant said he had given orders
In excess of his allowance in cases where
immediate relief was necessary while an
other lieutenant said that immediate ac-
ton was necessary in almost every case
called to his attention.
Will Not See Them Starve.
Il either have to overdraw my allowance
or stand by and see the people suffer and
perhaps starve.'' said the lieutenant, "and
that 1 can't do very comfortably" 0,1.-.
While the lieutenants were discussing tie
question of distributing charity snow COM
menced falling slightly and the lieutenants
went direct to their stations, as they kaew
that snow storm would largely increase
the number of applicants for assistance
nd of rhs fTipsr
in making investigations would be sreatiy
increased.
The work of the precinct officers is larger
now than at any time his season and con-
siderably more than during more severe
weather in past years.
Chief Clerk sylvester receives oolai uni
cations in almost every mail calli'lS ms
attention TO cases of distress and sI:'fering
and asking for assistance. Many letters are
received from the persons in distress, Hmle
many others appear in person 10 tell OF
their want and suffering.
A Pitiful Letter.
This mornings mail brought letter from
a woman in Northeast Washington, who
says she is in pursuit of the rights and
comforts belonging to her as member of
the human family. e.-,z
II write you, again." she says in the let
ter because 1 see by the papers that you
are paying house rent for men who were
fall. but who are now financially embar-
raised and ask to be assisted. My case,
you will remember, is still harder. My
husband has not been able to work for ten
months. He is down with the dropsy, and,
although L have lived here three years, i
am only three months behind in my rent"
After telling of the rent troubles the let
ter continues: Now il was painful sight
to see my husband stretched on his chair,
unable to go to bed for six months. strug-
Cling to keep the tears as the agent read
the warrant to put us out of the house:
Referring to the agent, the heart-proken
woman speaks of him in the highest
terms, and says he was forced by the
owner of the house to have the notice
served. She says that so will greatly help
don me for taxing your valuable time by
such long letter, but 1 can't help t. You
see 1 am almost upset with my troubles,
and can't even see the lines
Mr.. Sylvester rendered temporary relief
in the case.
There was a case reported to Mr. Sylves-
ter. and investigated by the officers, in
which a street car driver, out of employ
ment, is unable to provide for his wife and
little ones. Temporary relief was rendered
and the wife and children will soon return
to her former home in the country, unless
the husband gets employment. An ex-
policeman was assisted. were several
other families, a number of them being
made up of small and helpless children.
On the Increase.
The condition of affairs at the headquar-
tiers of the central relief committee this
morning made 1t evident that the suffering
among the poor was on the increase. Mr..
Wall, clerk of the committee. had more
than he could do to record the names of
applicants and refer them to the police
and Associated Charities. Early in the
morning the room vas crowded with men
ami boys. and later in the day the females
appeared in large numbers and told of their
families and in what way relief could be
most advantageously rendered.
Among the numerous callers were a num-
Der of young men, many of them strangers
in the city, who wanted articles of cloth
ing. Some of them were virtually bare
footed, and pair of shoes would satisfy
them. These men were chiefly strangers
in the city. having been attracted to the
committee room through the Central Union
Mission, where some of them had been
lodged and fed.
The contributions from the Anacostia dis
trict were received by the central commit
tee this morning, the first received from
any of the charity districts. Mr. Henry
Tolson, who represents that district APP
peared with a large wagon load of grocer
les, provisions, fresh meats and all kinds
of wearing apparel, the result of the house
toulouse canvass. Mr.. Tolson worked hard
to secure the large contributions. He actu-
ally went in the fields at several places and
dug vegetables which had been left there
by the gardeners, and the result was that
he made an excellent showing