The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-11-25
Annual Meeting Of the Association Held
at EpwoIth Church Last Night.
PRESIDENT JOHN |. ROpER'S REPORT
iKe Reviews tho Years WoriS and
Proposes New Details for tho Sue.
ccssfui Conduct orthe Great Work
of ReIief-OId Officers Reelected
Report of Trcnsurer.

worth NJ. e. Church last evening.
Col. Walter II. Taylor was called to
the chair. The president, Cant. John
L.. Roper, rendered his annual report.
which was as follows:
PRESIDENT ROPER'S REPORT.
TO the Members and Friends OF the
United Charities:
1 beg leave to submit my fourteenth
annual report. Fly this you will see
mat our association has been in exis-
renee Tor fourteen years, and during
thar time IL has done much to relieve
the necessities OF the poor 1t has sun
piled food and fuel to many hundred
families during that time. While IL has
not been able. for want of means To
releaVe all the distress of the city 1t has
contributed largely towards that end
during the seasons of the year when
there is the greatest need. THE past
year has been an exceptionally hard
one. general depression in all kinds of
business causing scarcity of labor, n ri
reducing compensation for labor per
formed. and has brought want to many
who heretofore lived comfortably upon
their earnings. Everything produced.
or on sale, during the past year reached
about the lowest price ever attained.
ana with the limited demand every one
connected with the various interests i'm
any way have received meagre rewards
for their service, and especially in that
deal with, TO wit: Poor women and chill
dren, who are the great sufferers, and
whose relief Is our special mission. The
pittance meted out to them for their
work IN many cases is cruel and crimi-
nal 1t iS hard to conceive how persons
who claim To have the good of their
fellow men nj heart, can reconcile their
conscience to paying the small amounts
some of them do for work The limit
IN cruelty has been reached when as
cents mas been paid for making II dozen
Dair OF pants. and l am informed that
is the amount that is certainly being
PAID. one poor woman and her two
daughters, that know OF, who by hard
work can make Ghey say eight pair a
day 60 cents) this being "A days work
Tor three. and upon which a family of
four or five is supposed to exist. And
IN other articles manufactured by wom-
Ell similar starvation wages are being
paid. There are, however executions:
some of those employing such labor
give evidence of posscssinea conscience
! i does seem to me that that those en-
ploylng women TO sew should agree upon
uniform compensation for the ,yorl,
done and make it enough to enable them
10 Keep soul and body together Qf thew
are energetic). ana not reach one en-
ueaNor 10 produce their articles for sale
lower than the other by making drafts
upon the life blood of the poor sewing
women To enable them To cut under
their competitors in trade AS per
treasur6rs report, we expended during.
me past year, in assistance given, and
necessary expenses of conducting the
association. S2,7S0.37. This is in addi-
ton to contributions of provisions
clothing, etc, donated through the
United Charities. There were repre-
scented on our roll of bcn"iicarics dur
ing the past year 30 families averag-
'hS nj least two to family. chiefly
women and children. Quite n number
OF them are incapacitatcd for work,
by reason of age or condition of health.
ifeSides distribution of provisions. cloth
Ing, etc, we distributed during the past
winter I?i loads of coal and wood
SPECIAL RELIEF FUND.
The amount designated in the treas
urer's report as special relief refers to
cases where little money was alb
soiutc-Y necessary at times TO pay rent:
TO provide passage for persons that \
was advisable to help move out of the
city, where they would cease to be a
burden. and the amount used by our
visitor. Mrs. Hare, in administering
comforts necessary to the sick: and /
Will here add that through her ministra-
tions an amount far in excess of what
we furnished her has been donated by
individuals through her: and IL gives
me pleasure to say that The Good Sam
aritan work done by our visitor prom
ises to be supplemented this season by
tHe cooperation oil Inc Kings Daugh-
ters. We had the valued assistance of
one circle of that organization in the
Bramblcton Ward last year, and now
we hope to bring others in harmony
with our work with the city central or
EaniZatiOn, making their Headquarters
IN the rooms of the Associated Chari-
ties; and besides giving our visitor and
assistant secretary such assistance as
they can render Will visit in friendly
capacity SUCH families as may need
their minisUations. II IS also contcn-
plated By the Kings Daughters. as soon
as il can be done, 10 add other bene,
VIOLENT features to their work. and in
deed, the organization promises to be-
come valuable co-worker with us and
as in other cities. will doubtless increase
the efficiency Of both. The prospects are
that we are going to have heavy de-
inandS upon us this winter FREQUENT
applications are now being made; and
there are those who should be assisted
and unless prompt steps are taken TO
provide the necessary means, there will
be great suffering. our treasury is cX-
ccedlnEly low 10 commence winter with
and the membership is exceedingly
small. only about . per cent. OF our
white voting population. We should
have at least 1000 members. The fee
is only $500 per annum-ess than 80
cents per month"; very small amount
10 give to charity in year, and when
ii is considered that membership gives
the right to refer all applications for
help to the United Charities, IL must
be regarded rs a good Investment. and
at the same time gives the satisfaction