Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-03
GREATEST OF GRACES'
Charity Nobly Attended To By Generous
Westinghouse
There Arc Many People I'm This City
Who Are Hungry and Cold
How Relief is Given.

little else to tell than stories of hardship
and need, and to the casual observer, II
there are any who are unmoved by such
tales, 1t must seem as though there had
cot been 50 much suffering in this city In
many a winter Last.
At all the headquarters where organized
relief Is furnished there were crowds of
rcor people today waiting for a chance to
tell their pitiful stories and to ask for help.
These who are devoting their time to the
work Of caring for the helpless have had
their hands more than full today. and
make again through the columns of The
Star an earnest appeal for assistance.
And they say. too. thar there is an i'm
nlcnse deal of actual suffering among those
who never knew before what 1t was to
want for the comforts, not to say the ne
csssities. of life. Many Of these are pos
sessed Of too much pride to make their
been forced by dire want to ask for help.
Not q Blessing.
The snow that fell last evening was
pretty sight. and pleased the eye of anyone
who looked out from a warm and COM
Portable home into the night and the small.
children of the well-to-do hailed 1t with de-
light as an opportunity to test the runners
OF new sleds that came on Christmas day.
But there were hundreds If not thou
sands in this city who saw in the falling
snow only something that would still fur
tler increase their discomforts and suffer-
Ing. 1t meant wet and cold feet, flesh and
bone that would be chilled with no prospect
OF warm fire for thawing out. So it was
that the character Of the appeals that were
made by the destitute today. changed
slightly from what 1t was yesterday. 1t is
not pleasant thing to be barefooted when
the ground Is covered with snow and slush,
and yet the charity visitors about the city
have reported any number Of cases of peo-
pie who were absolutely without a sign of
any sort of foot covering. homes in which
there was not a single stick of wood or
lump OF coal to warm cold bodies this
morning when 1t became necessary to
leave such warmth and protection as could
be had from scant bedclothes.
80 Tar as has lain In their power, the
organizations for the relief of the poor
nave done deal to relieve suffering today,
and many an empty stomach has been
filed that would otherwise have continued
empty. heaven only knows how long. The
need Is urgent, and the cry for help that Is
going up In this city today, this afternoon,
~ one that must surely reach the ears of
nlany who have not yet heard it, OF, hear
Ing 1t, have not answered. Money is
needed. Food. clothing, shoes, and in fact,
an or any OF the necessities of daily ex-
lstence, would be more than appreciated
Dy those who have been doing something In
a business way to answer the cry
There are this day packed away in
store rooms and closets, cedar chests and
trunks in this city more than enough old
garments to keep the poor of this citv
warmly clad all through the hard winter
Saving up for rainy day? Well, the rainy
Day mas come. Come, good people Of
Washington, oren up your hearts your
pocket books and your clothes chests. and
see how the situation will change for the
better even before the sun comes out
again.
Without Food.
Absolutely without foodo Yes, lust that
Today there were number of people. men
and women both. at the Central Union
Mission and at the office of the Associated
Charities who had not had mouthful
since yesterday, some since early yester-
day morning.
At 2 o'clock this afternoon there were
some reported who had not had taste of
rood today. Such as these were taken care
OF without delay, and their stomachs were
filled with hot coffee and warm Substantial
food. In most cases visitors were sent to
TIE homes of these people and an effort
made to give them something like perma-
nent help. for in almost every case today
the most urgent request made was for fuel
ard clothing. Hunger is bad enough, but
somehow to be cold and to know no
In many cases wood and coal were sent to
the houses of these destitute ones, and
record made of them, so that they could be
looked after in the days to come.
Sample Case.
And yet the people Of Washington al
ways are charitable to a marked degree
Rarely Is story of real suffering told, but
reaches to the ear and heart of some kind
ly one. Another proof of thisif proof were
needed, was furnished today. In The Star
yesterday was told the sad condition of
three women, destitute to the last degree
two of them confined to their bed by i'll
ness and the third compelled to be with
them so constantly that she had no
chance to even look for food.
early today there were a number of ap-
plcants at The Star Office who desired to
kr ow the address of these unfortunates
that they might take immediate aid. The
address was furnished through the Cen
taken the case in it's care, and today sew
eral gOod-hearted ladies made their way
to the wretched home, bringing comfort
and good cheer. The Mission people intend
that the unhappy women shall at least
be removed from actual want in the future
tbs Is only sample of many other cases.
Police Work.
Chief Clerk Sylvester Of the police de-
partment. who has charge Of the charity
work, Is at present making an allowance
of $50 a day to each precinct. The second,
third and fourth precincts use the full
amount of the allowance, because the
number of poor persons within their limits
Is larger than In the other precincts. In
addition to hismoney allowance which is
expended on orders for provisions and fuel
the clothing. provisions and fuel donated
are distributed.
Contributions were received at headquar-
terstoday as follows:
L. e. SZO
i
Mrs. Gen. B.. 81 and clothing.
Certificate division, Pension office, cloth
ing.
Central Relief Committee.
The Commissioners today stated that ar
rangements have been perfected for reor-
galizing the central relief committee, which
die such good work last year in relieving