Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-13
GIVING FOOD FOR WORK
The Model System of Relief Adopted in
Indianapolis
Getting Supplies at Wholesale Prices
and Selling Them to the Needy
Promises to Pay In Cash or Labor.

Soa citles from that report the follow
ing account Of the plan Of relief followed in
Indianapolis is taken:
Inc case OF Indianapolis is one Of very ex-
eepuonai interest All persons at all ia
.,iihar win the methods Of charity work in
'Ae .ni,ed States are aware that Indian
oAs mas Tor many many years been In
e.. 'eiront. liz not the very best organ
Ecu ior CHARITY work, the capital of In.
diana is certainly one of the tvo 80 ,....
oest cities in America. Th,. sortrn.,s
cohoition was due In large MART % ,h.
ceaseiess efforts OF the late Rev oscsr n
'aeSuiiogh. The necessity for except,an.l
measures this winter began to be realised
iH oe'ooer' when the unemployed WORKING
men IN series OF meetings directed nuh,,c
a''enuoh TO the necessity OF a relief Nova
ment. An appeal was made To the Ina,.a
apohs Commercial Club to take cb.rg. -,
reiief work. This business orean,-a,,o,
is composed OF one thousand members ana
mas high prestige as the Representative
citizens body OF the town. The club "
ferred the appeal OF the workingmen 70 .
speclai committee composed Of Messrs. H.
"a. haiiha' Eli Lilly and William Fortune
nese gentlemen made report which was
10y ihoofseo py the Commercial Club by
she city authorities and by the unemploves
were appointed a permanent Committee 10
take complete charge of relief wort IT,.
FUNDS OF the Charity Organization Rocisry
were placed at their disposal and tbst -
e ,ie continued its work under their direc-
emciency to their plans ~
me committee in its report had advised
e 's <out-aho.out charity. or any method
20 re,el work that would have a tendency
70 pauperize the recipients. II proposed .
single organization with whose plans there
snouio De no Interference, and which shoulS
use strictly business methods. II ala NOT
oesan Dy asking contributions. but opened
= registrauon bureau and flei the sppl,ca-
uons or the unemployed for work. with
regard 10 every applicant there was as
certained full Information as to his age the
MIN, the length OF his residence in the cisv
ms last employment and last wages. his
income from pensions or otherwise whether
or not he was paying for q home through q
puilding association. &C. The COMMITTEES
succeeded In securing work for about tven-
" per cent of the applicants. Meanwhile
II mad been quietly supplying food TO those
Wnom II was necessary TO help in that way
WITHIN six or seven weeks the number OF
dependent families had increased from less
than two hundred to more than one thou
sand: or about four thousand persons II
was becoming apparent that even with the
most careful Investigation that could he
mane there was much abuse of this dis
tributfon Of food. 1t had been found i'm
possible TO secure any relief from the NUM-
cipal authorities in the form OF public work.
On Promises of Work OF Money.
In the last week OF December the conn
nittee gave up the plan Of free distribo.
ton Of food to the needy. and inaugurated
the plan Of selling food from the Central
market on credit to the worthy UNEMPLOYED.
This plan embraced two distinct DEPART
ments OF work; for the registration and
employment bureau was attached to the
food market. and was required TO invest,-
gate each application for credit in ored to
determine the applicants citizenship ana his
necessity. To each accepted applicant an
account book is issued, showing the num-
Der Of persons in his family. and certifying
his credit for weekly rations for this num-
Der. AT the same time he is compelled to
sign an agreement 10 pay for the food when
he Is able. or to work on call OF the commit
tee for the payment due from him at the
rate Of twelve and one-h half cents an hour.
The committee buys its supplies in large
quantity at the cost price to wholesale DEAL
ers. and IL sells them at the same price
There is no variation in the kind Of food
that Is sold to applicants, ali receiving the
same combination OF food the quantity
varying according to the number in the
family. Sufficient is given TO last for one
week with frugal use. and patrons are not
allowed to make more frequent purchases.
The ration for a family OF four or I'VE per-
sons for the first two weeks in January
consists of twelve pounds of potatoes ten
pounds OF corn meal, ten pounds OF hon.
my. hve pounds OF fresh pork. two pounds
OF picked pork. eight loaves OF bread. one
quart OF molasses. one-haf pound OF salt
and one cake Of soap. The charge for this
retail store the cost in Indianapolis would
be sl.59. 1t 10 needless TO say that sn New
York or any eastern city the retail price to
a poor family would be vastly greater than
In Indianapolis One-hslf of this quantity
10 issued to a family OF two or three-this
being found suff1cient for one week-at Q
cost of forty-one cents.
The committee proposes TO change the
ration from time to time. II was expected.
for instance, that the ration for the last
half OF January would consist OF twelve
pounds Of potatoes ten Of corn meal i've
of hominy eight OF fiour Cor four loaves OF
bread. six loaves OF bread. two pounds cf
picked pork. four Of fresh pork. one-haH
pound Of lard. one quart Of molasses. one
half pound OF salt. one-half pound OF coffee.
one pound of sugar. one cake OF soap. This
ration, expected to last a good-sixed family
a week. was to be sold for one dollar. For
q small family OF two or three. the same
articles, in one-hslf the quantity would
cost fifty cents. The committee also sup
plies three hundred pounds Of coal per week
at a charge OF thirty cents. The purchaser
transports the coal himself In wheeloar-
rows-two tickets. emitting the holder to
one hundred and fifty pounds. being issued
each week. The supply of fuel is sufficient
in ordinary weather for one cook stove.
The committee also supplies shoes for the
children of the unemployed. when the chill
dren are attending school and when the
need of them is certified by the teacher.
Two Problems Solved.
1t will thus be seen that the Indianapolis
committee is relieving the necessity In that
community at the lowest possible cost. and
in a manner that is the least humiliating
to the people who are receiving aid. No
cash whatever is taken at this food market.
for the supplies sold only TO those who
are without money and cannot get credit
elsewhere. 1t is expected however. that in
compliance with their contract the debtors
will pay when the renewal of Industrial
activity opens employment for them. or
else. what is more likely. that In most
cases they Will liquidate their Indebtedness
by such work as may be furnished them by
the committee. IL was hoped that arrange
ments could be made with the city author1-
ties to enable these debtors TO work out
their claims on the streets and in public
work. but the financial condition Of In
dianapolis thus far has not permitted IL to
raise any money for expenditure In that
way Finally, however. the committee has
offered to furnish the labor without pay
ment from the city. IL the municipal author
tiles will furnish the necessary supervision
and facilities for work. This proposition
has been accepted. and the street commits
sioner IL receiving each day as many men
al he can employ. III refuse TO work.