Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-02
What is Being Done to Relieve the
Distress Of the Needy.
MANY WERE HELPED YESTERDAY
But There is Still Need of Funds,
Food and Clothing
SOME SAMPL LIE c. S e S

The charity work goes on with even
greater force than ever. Slowly the city
is waking up to realization that there
is great, even dangerous, suffering within
it's borders, and the wealthy folks are CIV
ing of their means to swell the funds that
are being collected in various quarters.
At the Central Union Mission and the he ad-
quarters of the Associated Charities men
are being put to work saving wood to earn
the supplies that are given out for the
sid of their families. But there is mighty
little that can be done in that way. There
are scores of families in which sickness
prevails and the men cannot get out to
work even at the saw buck. In other poor
homes the husbands are dead and the
women have absolutely no means. There
is one case that has come. to the notice of
The Star that is peculiarly touching.
A Sample Case of Need.
Over in the southeast section of the city
live three women, mother and two
daughters, in poor little house. located
high on a hill. reached by rickety pair
of stairs. The house is cold and dismal.
The mother has been in bed with rheu-
matism for four weeks, and the eldest
daughter has been lying since September
unable to move her body racked with the
pains of sciatic rheumatism.
70 save fuel they lie side by side in the
same bed, and the only fire is maintained
in this room. The other daughter cannot
work outside to earn means to support the
family, fer her help is necessary every
minute of the day to attend to the wants
side aid these people, who have known
far better days, would actually starve to
death. They have a piano in the house, a
relic of their prosperity, which they would
sum if a purchaser could be found. But
they have not been able to dispose of it.
Fortunately they own their little home,
but it is mortSaged over and over and the
interest is far behind. There are no rela-
tfves on whom these suffering women can
call for help. Medicines for the sick ones
is needed, but there is no money. Occa-
sionally the fire goes out, leaving them
chilled. The larder Is bare and pride has
sealed the lips Of these three women, liv-
ing thus alone and apart from the rest of
the world. 1t was by accident that their
terrible condition was discovered.
Legion of Loyal Women.
This case is cited as a mere sample of
hundreds of others quite as pitiful in the
hope that perhaps kindly hand will be
stretched forth to save life here and
there. This morning member of the
Legion of Loyal Women visited The Star
office in response to the paragraph pub
that there are several notes here Of cases
of need. She took away with her six of
these memoranda, promising to attend to
the cases if she found them worthy. This
is a great help. Will not others do as
much fer the sake of suffering humanity?
Central Union Mission.
At the Central Union Mission move
Inent is under way to organize the strictly
charitable work. There is a constant
stream of applicants for help. and it has
been decided to appoint three inspectors
who shall be constantly on the road, look
ing up cases Of distress that are reported.
They will make an effort to give inmedf-
ate relief wherever it is found to be neces-
sary Then at the mission there will be
committee of workers to hear the pleas of
the poor and to classify them as far as
possible for the purpose of system, max
ing the work of the outdoor agents easier.
The funds of the mission are not as large
as they should be in this time of great
need, but the managers are doing their best
to give help to every worthy case that is
found Several families are being support
ed by the mission.
In Georgetown.
Every serious case of distress in town
that came before the authorities yesterday
was relieved. A special man was detailed
from the police station to investigate those
reported. There were some liberal dona-
lions from the townspeople. Clothes, fuel
and both necessities and luxuries were
among them. The distributions were made
with righteousness. AS the number of dis
tress calls was large, the goods on hand
had to be divided into many parts. This
tided over immediate want. The canal
people have already begun to suffer. 1t is
reported that some days ago there were
two cases of actual starvation on the old
waterway. A woman and son were the
victims. DR.. Howell of Grace Church was
made acquainted with the case only when
the parties were beyond relief. The rever-
end gentleman arrived on the scene just
after the mothers death. The son died i'll
the evening of the same day.
, The stricken parties were lying in canal
boat just above Georgetown and near the
Independent Ice Companys store house.
They had frequently been objects of charity
flor the congregation OF Grace. Or. howell
was unable to state positively that death
was caused through the absolute lack of
food as reported by those who afterward
the case. He found the moth
er and son, though. extremely emaciated
and evidencing starvation in every feature.
Every Indication pointed to death through
the want of food. 1t is thought that the
two were taken sick and became too weak
to make known their condition. There be-
ing no traffic on the canal at this season
and the boat in which they lived lying off
presumably became aware of the unfortun-
ate beings want. The bodies were taken
proper care Of
At the Police Stations.
Yesterday was a good day for many of
the deserving poor who called at the police
stations and asked for assistance, for at
most of the stations there were supplies of
food, Chiefly bread and meat, and many
families received rations enough to last
two or three days. Several bakers contrib
uted bread, and butchers sent meat The
meat was cut in small pieces and given out
in quantities proportionate to the number
to be fed. While number of families were
thus relieved and the charitable people sent
in generous contributions. the fund is still
small, and more funds, well as food
fuel and clothing are needed.
The police make no effort to pay the rent
of the many persons who ask for money
for this purpose, although in a few extreme
cases money donations are given.
Mrs. White, 1903 years old, and her daugh-
ter. who Is eighty. held quite reception
yesterday. They live at No. 100 NJ street
southwest, and the case was reported to the
police several days ago. When an officer
went to the house Yesterday to see that