Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-30
THE CANVASS BEGINS
Collecting Food and Clothing for
the Poor.
10 NDREDS OUqOF WORK
Widespread Distress is Found
Throughout the City.
CENTRAL UNION MISSION

CENTRAL UNION MISSION
The distress Of the poor In Washington
becomes mere and more apparent day by
day. The general canvass of the city to-
day for means of relief will doubtless bring
| adequate results, but citizens must realize
| that no such situation Of absolute poverty
and hardship ever before beset such a
large proportion of people living here. The
general suspension of enterprises which
hitherto gave employment to thousands Of
workingmen, after a year and half Of
general stagnation in the business world.
has reduced not less than ten thousand
families to the verge of dependency.
An estimate furnished by the various
labor organizations shows the situation
very clearly. 1t is thought that not less
than GU bricklayers are row idle, as they
usually are in the winter season. But as
building operations were so unusually light
last year, they were not able to provide
for the necessary period of enforced idle
ness in the winter, and are therefore, most
of them, in severe need. OF 100 carpenters,
half are out Of work-an unusual proper
ton at this time of the year. Three
fourths, or 800 altogether, of the painters
are looking for work. Three hundred out
Oh pllSteTeTS are DONG nothing.
At least 100 tinworkers are idle; and 100
stonecutters are without work. This ac-
counts only for the men who are men,
hers of the labor organizations. AS many
more who are not in the trade societies are
seeking work and finding rome. Probably 1t
is no exaggeration to say that at this mo-
ment 3,CO0 workingmen in Washington
want work and are not earning bread for
themselves or their families.
To this add the great army of unskilled
laborers and some conception can be
formed of the awful situation. The men
are idle, their families are starving, their
former earnings have ceased to circulate
in the business of the city and the circle
Of hardship widens until it embraces thou
sands upon thousands Of souls.
Central Union Mission.
Yesterday it was announced that the
Central Union Mission had spent all it's
relief funds and incurred a debt Of $7S1.G5
for charity At meeting of the board of
directors last night it was voted to sus-
pend all relief work, except that orders al
ready placed in the hands of poor families
will be honored.
The mission reports 1.242 families fur
nished with groceries. 1874 with fuel 172
with clothing. and a poor women were
past week. This does not of course, in
clude the regular relief afforded through
the industrial department of the mission.
Work of Loyal Legion Ladies.
The Legion of Loyal Women are steadily
working along the lines of relief as ex-
tended by this society. which while spe-
c:ally organized for the relief and care Of
the needy widows and orphans OF veterans
Of the late war; never refuses help to the
suffering of any class. The reports made
by the relief and employment committees
at the regular meeting on Monday evening
were very gratifying to the ladies. The
employment committee reported that twelve
Of the positions secured have proved per-
manent, and that the legion has paid out
of it's own funds for forty-two days work
in mending and repairing Of donations.
More money was appropriated for the re-
lief and employment work. The executive
committee meet at the hail. 419 10th street,
at Z o'clock tonight, to perfect plans for a
grand Japanese tea the 22d Of Febru-
CRY, at the residence of Miss Clara Bar
ton, who has kindly rendered her aid in
raising more funds to carry on this good
work. This is to be most unique and en-
joyable affair. and no pains will be spared
to render it veritable little Japan"
Contributions Acknowledged.
The gentlemen in charge of the Louis
lana avenue free soup kitchen wish to re-
turn thanks to the following contributors
of bread, meats and produce, which on
ables them to give to the poor 1000 quarts
of soup daily: Havenner's, 800 loaveS OF
bread; Claas Denekas, 200 loaves OF bread;
Frank Tharp, restaurant; Baltimore and
Potomac depot restaurant; Toledo res
taurant, Bopps' restaurant, Bon Ton res
taurant, Ayers & Davis restaurant Whelan
woodward & Lothrop, 1000 pounds of
beef; Mrs. Arthur E. Miley. aprons; Mel
son Morris Beef Company, Hammond
Beef Company. Lloyd's Express, Union
lantic and Pacific Tea Company. Commits
sion Merchants Wooster, Cannon & Chand-
Ter, Anderson & Co., Engel & Son, G.
Taylor Wade William W.. Usher & Son,
O. III
Strong & Co. Center Market butchers.
Charles E. Ebel. George Stern, Joseph
Phillips, A. H. T. Holster, E. P. Norton.
National Hotel, ]. J. Lightfoot. T. Barnes,
Hoover, Jackson & Co.. Mr.. Carter. G. L.
Killian l.. H. Hummer, j. Loeb, Joseph
W. Bricker, J. N. Hoover. Geo. Seitz &
Son, Monroe & Co. Bernard Z. Emmer,
Geever Bernard Ostman, H. $: Haignt,
J. Schepler, Charles H. Keller, Charles E.
Gerner Schneider Brothers, j. H. Buscher,
John Pfell, c. Robert Kengla, p. l.. Ken
liam, NJ c. Weaver and Richard A. Mann.
Frank Hume, box Of soap.
Mrs. a. c. MCGOWAN of $40 18th street
northwest gives pound party this evening,
the proceeds to be given to the poor. Dane
ing will be the feature Of the evening, and
all attending will appear In masks.
Central Relief.
Yesterdays cash contributions, received
by Treasurer Wilkins of the central relief
committee, aggregate s1,245.OS, as follows:
Through The Evening Star News
paper Company ....................$l'l S5.o oS
Conrad Becker .......... ............. ~o'oo
Saks & Co.'S Employees Relief AS
ISOLATION, per 1. s. Hollidge, treas
urer NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. LoW
p n n Ieinold ...... 1900
At the rooms of the Central Union Mis-
sion today the relief staff was buSily en-
gagged in settling its accounts and paying
off the labor roll. Over 200 people. mostly
women, thronged the doors during the
morning with baskets in their hands wait
ing and expecting to receive supplies. But
there were none to give them. and. the
suspension Of work continued during the
day.
1--WE should prefer" said Mr.. Robbins,
ito qualify the statement, but we have
shut down. We have strong assurance Of
getting the $1,000 from the Mclean fund
and that will pay off present obligations
and help us to go on for awhile. We relied
on the 81, 600 and incurred liabilities on the
strength Of it, and there is no reason to
believe we shall not receive it and use 1T
in our work precisely as has been ar
Wiz ha a hl1t