The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-30
THE CITY's POOR.
CONDITION AT PRESENT EXISTING
Is ALMOST ALARAIIN~..
The County Commissioners Besieged
by OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES For the
Winter Discour& cling COmnis-
sioncr Geddes Has n Busy Day.

If any person surrounded with good
things TO eat and drink for one moment
imagines that everyone else in the city
is situated similarly he has but to spend
a day at the county commissioners Of
flee to get such an idea dispe.Ied- The
conditions among the city's poor are be-
coming alarming, and the thought of the
coming winter, with what it means to
those who have nothing to eat, little TO
wear and no fuel to burn is. as Commits
sioner Geddes puts ii, fearful TO con-
template
The charitable Institutions, particularly
the Young Ladies Aid society and the
Hebrew Ladies Relief society, have been
doing much TO relieve the want that
exists. Yet judging from the increase in
cases of absolute restitution during the
past TWO months. the Stra-n on the cOun-
" will be so heavy that the city as well as
charitable institutions Will have 10 come
TO the rescue.
Yesterday was one of the busiest days
Mr. Geddes has experienced since ne
assumed the duties of looking after the
countys poor. All day long the officer be-
sieged by men, women and children, some
wanting work, some bread and others
medicine. and all had to be relieved.
The first call was at MS residence at
a. m. y delicate woman OF small stature,
dark, with tear-stained and swollen eyes,
and an expression in her face clearly
showing the want of sufficient food to
nourish her feeble frame
Il have been advised" she hesitatingly
said, for over six months to ask you if
you would not help me 10 care for my
four little children. but though they told
me you were kind to the poor, yet l could
not ask for l have never received aid be
fore from any charitable source NV
husband
have worked hard to support them but
now through want and hard work L am
so weak that | cannot earn sufficient to
Keep my children from suffering. Last
night they had no supper and this morn
ing l have nothing TO give them. [ VIII
nave to keep two boys, I and years,
from school as they have no shoes, and
rather than have them suffer | have
come to your home dreading the thought
of going TO your office.
Mr.. Geddes at once sent relief and on
further investigation by calling at her
home found the condi tons as she had
stated and sent permanent help.
Before the commissioner left home an
cid man over eighty-tive years Of age
called upon him TO ask for coal. MY
neighbOrs give me something to eat but
1 have no coal and but little clothing.
and have suffered severely with the
cold" he said. AS quick as the office was
reached coal was dispatched to warm
the cherries abode Of he lone sufferer.
On the way 10 the office Mr.. Geddes
called on two families reported TO him
the day previous and found in one. a
large washing half done. by frail
woman who looked too weak to lift a
bucket of water much less do such q
washing, a baby of eight months, a
little girl of two years and boy of -FOUR
years. The boys and girls shoes were so
worn that they were compelled to stay
in the house. Their breakfast was dry
bread and potatoes, of which there only
remained enough potatoes for two more
days washing would use all the coal
The other family was a man, his wife
and six children under ten years. They
were eating breakfast which consisted of
bread and tea, with only enough bread
for that day.
81 don't want charity Mr.. Geddes Ali I
want is work., he said. Il have tried in
vain to get work; have only had four days
work this year.
In each case relief was furnished be-
fore noon.
On arriving at the office twelve cases OF
restitution awaited the commissioner. The
first, mother pleading for a doctor for
her little girl who was near deaths door,
and a little coal to keep her warm. The
second was an old lady and her husband.
over 10, who came here from the east
a few months ago for their health; had
used all their money and now had abso-
lutely nothing to eat or any way of get
ting il, or a place to sleep. They wanted
to go to Butte where, if the county would
them. The third was a little bright-eyed
girl of about seven years. asking for food
Tor her mamma who was SIGH, and her
two little brothers.
Have you had your breakfact, my little
Sirl?' asked the commissioner.
mo, sir was the frank reply.
why didn't you eat before coming
here?''
cause we hadn't anything to eat. We
only had a crust of bread one of the
neighbors gave us for supper last night
Food was at once sent to the unfortunate
home.
Two ladies from one of the churches in
the city next engaged the attention of
the commissioner who has the unenviable
work of looking after the paupers. They
desired assistance to send an invalid TO
Nevada.
Three Of the remaining cases were
widows, each having from two 10 five
children to take care of, and oil without
food and fuel. By the time these cases
were relieved the pauper's bench in the
commissioners room was again filled with
applicants for charity. One decrepid old
lady hobbled into the office and tainted
on the floor Clerk Emery is prepared for
such emergencies and bringing cup OF
water brought the unfortunate woman
around so that she could explain that she
was almost overcome for want OF food
Another lady came in bringing with her
four children under six years of age, and
not one of them had tasted food that day,
and by this time it was 1 o'clock in the
afternoon. tOU0WlnS IillS Two cases OF
absolute want and where the houses had
been quarantined on account of sickness
were attended 10.
During the day eight able-bodied men
pleaded for something to keep their
children from starving; four invalids and
oripples for medical treatment and fifty
applications for work. After a continual
strain of distress from daylight until an
hour after office hours the commissioner
left the building, with four cases yet to
call on before his days work was through,
and among all of these cases only one was
found to be not worthy Of relief.