The morning times., 1896-05-06
PLANNING FOR THE POOR
Report Of the General Agent of
the Associated Charities.
NEW PROBLEMS OF CHARITY
Some Interesting Statistics of the In
digent Who Have Been Helped by
Private Funds-Rapidly Decreas-
ing Rate-Prospect of the Needs for
the Summer Season.

| The report of MT. George s. Wilson,
general secretary of the Associated Chari-
| ties, for the month OF AIil was presented
yesterday TO the board OF directors. II ia
| an interesting document. as it deals not
only with that particular month, but con-
| tains suggestions for the summer. Mr.
| Wilson says:
The month OF April has seen marked
falling Off in the number OF applicants for
reHer- With the opening up or the season
following the severe weather in March
there has been an increased demand for
labor and a large number OF those whom
we were obliged to help during the wintes
months On account of lack OF employment
are now at work.
Applicants were given to understand
that after April ! relief could not be
expected except in cases OF actual sick-
ness or inability to work. While in the
month Of March We had applications from
976 families. during April only 2S7 have
applied. or that number IA were white
families and 153 colored. Forty people,
thirteen white and twenty-seyen colored,
made application for work only. Employ
ment was found for eight persons; 137
families were furnished relief from the
emergency fund, thrty-two were aided
through churches and eight through other
private organiZa tions, and sixteen were re
lieved through benevolent individuals
VISITING THE POOR.
lone hundred and Two investiga ions
have been made by our agents during Lhe
month. Twenty seven persons were found
to have given false addresses. This fact
emphasizes still further the Importance OF
referring to us for investigation all appli-
| cants before furnishing relief We con
tinue 10 urge benevolent people not TO
give to beggars at the door, and again
"a "a
people TO send 10 us for reference cards
to be used in referring these people TO us
| for investigation.
Three hundred and twenty eight visits
| have been made by our agents TO poor
| families during the month. FOrty-s six let
tiers or inquiry have been received at the
| different division offices, and eighty eight
| letters have been sent out, while from the
! central office 1874 letters have been sent
| Transportation has been procured for two
| families, who We're sent to relatives OF
| friends outside the city, and We were thus
! relieved from further responsibility con
| cerning them.
Regarding the families that obtained
| relief during the month OF April it may be
said that nearly all Of them have been
cases of Sickness or other physca disabilit V.
| We have still on our hands probably about
200 families many OF them being able 10
| do something for themselves; still they are
| unable to fully support themselves. There
are IN this city a considerable number OF
| families who are able TO do something
toward their own support, and yet at 10
! time or the year are they wholly seif-sup-
| porting.
This is especially true in families where
there are oGIy elderly people more or less
| feeble: also where q woman is left with
several children. some or all OF whom are
unable TO help her In many OF these cases
| little relief jUdiCiously given viii enable
the family 10 get along. andi would seem
thai such relief should be furnished.
PERMANENT RELIEF ORGANIZATION
'lu these cases such method is more
economical than caring wholly for su.i
families III institutions, and it is likely
to be done with better results. Such ca ses
as these emphasize the necessity for a
permanent relief organization. which wouo
meet just such cases. Ia these cases there
is necessity for relief almost as great il
summer as III winter.
In most or the families where there
are able bodied men and women they are
now self-supporting. We must look fol
the work of reformation in those who under
ordinary circumstances, ought TO be able
to provide for themSelv es, and if our
agents are kept IN the field during the
summer months we propose thai they ma kf
regular~.visits to all families who have
been relieved during the winter months.
doing what they can to find employment
for those needing it, and regularly col
lecting small sums they may be able tc
| save.
"A few families have already COM
| menced to save small amounts and there
| is every reason to believe that many more
| viii do likewise. IL we are TO hope for
any permanent improvement IN the con-
| dition of these with whom we have to deal
we must keep In touch with them during
| the summer months.
The plan of allowing the poor to cult
vate vacant lois is to be tried again this
year. Some ground has already been
Offered and assigned, and this week it is
being plowed. More ground is needed,
| however and more none is needed to pay
| for plowIng. procuring seeds and other in
cidental expenses. II is to be hoped that
sufficient money and land will be availa-
| bic to afford opportunities for fair ex-
| pertinent in this work.
AGENTS IN THE FIELD.
The executive committee submitted a
| report stating that they had considered
carefully the needs and financial conGi-
| ton OF the society and recommended that
! they be authorized to make such reductions
| i'll the force as the financial conditions of
the society may necessitate.
The board is exceedingly anxious that
some OF the agents be kept in the field all
summer in the hope that the work among
| the poor, when they can be taught to help
themselves. may prevent many of them
| from applying for relief again next winter.
| In order TO help carry on the work for
| the balance of the year $1,000 was asked
| for on donation day, but thus far the
| responses have not been such as to warrant
| the expectation that this amount will be
| realized.
They will wait for returns up until the
| end OF this week. and then if they are not
| sufficient to carry on the work the board
| will be Obliged to dismiss most OF the