The evening times., 1896-02-22
MlNI ISk FOR GHlRIlI
Suffering Among the Poor In
iensified by Cold Weather.
MANY 60 HUNGRY TODAY
The Police Fund Il Exhaust ed and the
Central Union Mission Can Only
Take Care of IA Few-Applicant for
Relief Referred to the Associated
Cha rifles.

With every protracted cold wave there
springs up on all sides manifestations oi
actual suffering and want among thu poorer
class OF the city, and never, perhaps, in the
history OF Washington, has there been SO
much poverty and so little with which to
relieve 1t as at pre- sent.
The bitterly cold weather of this week has
forced hundreds OF families. who are with
| out the actual necessaries Of life to Apply
| to the police and various charitable insti-
| tutions for aid, and in most cases nothing
| could bc done for them except to direct
| them to the office Of the Associated Char
tiles. on g street.
! The police fund. that was subscribed by
the citizens relief committee last winter,
and Of which u few thousand dollars re-
| manned over for use this winter, was ex-
haasted last month, and Chief Clerk Syl-
| vester, of the police department. who had
| charge OF the disbursement of the fund.-
| is now compelled to refer applicants to the
police stations or the Associated Charities.
At the station houses only occasional con-
| tributions from the neighborhood can be
| given. and they are able to afford no per-
manent relief.
The Central Union Mission, which did SO
much good last year among the poor.
is unable this year to afford any outside
relief at all. They keep a broom fac
tory and WOODLAND going at their big
building on Louisiana aven ne, and manage
to keep quite number OF men and women
employed around the building.
The women sew sheets and pillOwcases
and attend to the laundry work. and the
men make brooms. sa " wood and repair the
building OF do anything they can find to
do. for n nights lodging and a meal The
woodward, however, is piled high with
Wood for which there is no demand, and
it is difficult for Superintendent MON ichael
to find work for the men.
THOUSANDS OF APPLICANTS.
Over one thousand people have stopped
at the mission since the 18th OF January,
and an immense percentage of these were
District people, who were willing to work
and have always been employed until rc-
Gently. Every day scores OF letters and
personal application for assistance pour
into the mission. but they are unable to
do anything except refer them to the AS
sociated Charities.
Occasionally they receive contributions
of So and sometimes $40, to I've devoted
to some poor family, and there is always
some family on the list on whom il can be
spent Immediately. These contributions
are not made with great frequency, how
ever, and as n result the Mission can do but
little outside work among the poor.
Every day fifty and sometimes a hundred
men crowd into the warm basement of
the building and wait around all day in
the hope of finding something to do that
will at least earn them meal. 1t is a
pitiabie sight TO sec men, with wives and
perhaps some little ones waiting, sick and
starving, in a squallid home, ask for help
in charity's name, and turn away with a
face that indexes heavy heart when
they are told that they cannot be helped.
Letters come in by the dozens and are
sent TO the Associated Charities. The fol-
lowing is a sample OF those received daily
at the Mission:
Dear Brother McMichael:
Would you be so kind as 10 help me
to a little fuel and food? 1 am out Of
work, my wife is sick, and my child is just
getting over the measles. They are really
in heed, and l have no way of getting
anything for them.''
A vast number of applicants for charity
are people who never before were reduced
to such straits, and who are only induced
to make such appeals by the direst want.
TOLD TO GO TO THE PoORHOCSE.
In single room in little house On Fifth
street northwest live Mr.. aud Mrs. Dawson,
both sick and helpless, depending upon
chance charity for food. The frost of
seventy-five winters has gotten into their
hair, thinning and whitening 1t. and has
numbcd their poor Old hands so that hard |
work is impossible.
He was Il painter, and once did good work, |
and made enough money to support himself
and his wife in comfort. Misfortune came,
he lost his places, and in their advancing |
years the old couple quickly used up the |
little savings they had managed to accu- ]
muiate. 1t was not long before they were |
destitute.
They We're cviCted from a house On 1
Fourth street a few months ago. aud the |
case attracted some attention. The negro |
who carried out the orders OF the heartiess |
landlord was SO brutal that he was ar 1
rested, and Judge Miller sent him to jail |
for assault. Then the old man injured his |
leg and had to go to the asylum hospital. |
He has only been Out of there a short time, |
and they have since had to depend upon
the chance charity of the neighbors. They |
are helpless. and say that they were unable |
TO obtain relief from the Associated Chari- |
ties. but were told there to 80 to the poor |
house.
HER HUSBAND DYING.
In a scanty frame in Blagden's s alley lives |
Julia Turner and her husband, the latter |
dying OF CONSUMPTION. He has been bed |
ridden for months. and all during the winter |
she has had to struggle to get money TO pur- |
chase food and medicine for him.
She has persistcn,ly refused to send him |
to The hospital. preferrins in her love TO keep
him near her. and tend him with her own |
loving hands, but ii has become harder and |
harder to get even a few cents. for food and |
Is now out OF the questiun, She l
washes and scrubs or does anything she eau |
get to do to earn money.
Her own clothes are thin and scaDty, but |