The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-01
But FEW Arb TURNED AWAY.
Thousands Are Kept From Starving
by the AlmS-GiVerS.
WORK OF A BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.
Men Who Gladly Toll in the woodward
for a Bed and a MeaI-Relief
for Women.

Few people are aware of the large amount
of charity dispensed in San Francisco, and
though an occasional death by starvation
or suicide through fear of it is chronlcled
by the daily press the fact that hundreds
thousands would probably be the more
correct number-are kept alive by charity
does not attract much general attention.
The work of the San Francisco Benevolent
Association gives an idea not only OF the
task that is set before it but before Or
CARNATIONS of like character in this city.
The organization has rooms at 53S Jackson
street, in charge of a manager receiving $75
per month and a woman assistant, who Is
paid 81 per week.
The rooms are kept open from l o'clock
P. NJ. until P. NJ, and during these hours
there is steady stream of applicants for
assistance from those who have lost their
place in the struggle for existence and are
unable to feed themselves unaided. AT
O'Clock the doorway and hall are crowded
with men who come to beg tickets to en-
able them to go TO the woodward OF the
Associated Charities, and there do two
hours work saving wood, for which they
receive a bed and meal. The 20 cents
which they earn is paid by the San Fran
cisco Benevolent Association to the AsSo-
ciated Charities, who provide the meal and
bed. From fifteen to twenty such tickets
are issued each day, and frequently fully
as many are turned away as receive tick
cts. An investigation is made in each case
and preference is given to the older men.
The woodward men disposed of and the
lucky holders of tickets that confer the
privilege of earning by hard labor cheap
meal and place to sleep, as well as the re-
iected ones, who must walk the streets sup
PEERLESS and bedless, unless more successful
elsewhere. gone their several ways, atten-
ton is directed to the women, who have by
this time crowded the ''receptiOn-roOm."
The relief of families is the principal
care of the society, and that imposition
NAV not be practiced each individual case
is carefully investigated before relief is
granted. If it is the first appeal of the APP
plicant she is given a card to the Associated
Charities and told to relate her story there,
when some one will be sent to inquire into
the circumstances. The applicant goes
away with her card and must wait until
the truth of her tale and her worthiness
can be ascertained.
The first applicant heard, the manager
calls out 'Nextp' causing the visitor an
involuntary start, as he looks for the rows
of plateglass mirrors, gayly-lettered mugs
and upholstered chairs usually associated
with that sound, but the odor of the room,
which is fanked on one side by cheap
restaurant and on the other by a vegetable
stall, dissipates all idea of a tonsorial
parlor.
If the next conner has been on the So
ciety's rolls for some time the manager
inquiries after the sick husband or child if
the husband has found work, and shows a
knowledge of her story that does his power
of memory infinite credit. While some OF
the applicants are voluble and exhibit
tendencies of an inclination to have every
thing in sight, the majority are CRATE
full for the aid extended. This is in the
payment of rents, for medicines and pro-
visions. In addition enough money is
usually given to purchase a sack of coal,
and while the applicants have to walk
from their homes, when they depart with
their bundles-sometimes heavy burdens
for weak arms TO carry-car fare is adj
vanced if the distance be far.
BY this time another contingent of men
is there. Some of these are told to come
next day at l o'clock and they will be given
woodward tickets; others are given meal
tickets, if it seems to the manager that
they cannot hold out until then. These
are the single men. Married men are
given week work at street-sweeping, and
some are given cards to the employment
agencies, good for fifteen days, and if they
thus secure work the society pays the en-
ployment fee.
''Think of what San Francisco might be-
come" said one of the society managers
yesterday, ''if it could be made city
where it was not needed that charity should
be exercised. That is Utopian dream
perhaps, but the valley road, with its pos
sibilities for good, would go a great way
toward bringing about the realization Of
that ideal condition, and, taking this broad
view of the case, the advancement of Its
interests should commend itself to every
citizen who has the best interests of his
city at heart"