The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-27
40. 900 ARE FREEZING.
And Starving in the City Of
Chicago.
The Mayor calls for 100000 to
Save the Destitute. Gene
rous Response.

CHICAGO, Jan 25.-The people of
Chicago in bodies and as individuals
we're aroused to-day to take prompt
and generous action for the relief of
the two score thousand destitute in
babitants, who are suffering for want
of fuel, food and clothing has reached
an extreme stage as result OF the
terrible cold wave which came upon
the city Saturday, increasing in in
tersity until to day when it reached
the lAwest point recorded in nearly
quarter Of century.
Between and o'clock this morn
ing the weather bureau in the Audi
torium tower, where it is warmer than
on the street, recorded 20 degrees
below zero Only once in the history
of the bureau-December "a, 1872,
"a below-has the temperature fallen
lower. From 9 m top. m there
was a gradual rise the range being
lo to % degrees, but the relief was
hardly felt when accompanied with a
cutting wind from the northwest.
The highest temperature for the day
was 10 below zero and tonight the
mercury is moving down again, with
no hope cf material relief held out
for to morrow.
Mayor Swift issued a proclamation
this afternoon appealing in urgent
language to all citizens who have the
means to spare to contribute at once
money and supplies to prevent the
starvation and freezing Of unfortunate
thousands He urged that sub
scription of 100000 would be none
too much to afford the help needed
The funds of the charity organiza.
tions have become depleted owing to
the extra demands made upon them
even during the mild winter which
has prevailed here until a few days
ago The Chicago aid and relief so.
ciety was compelled to make special
appeal for money last week to carry
on it's work because of the unusually
large number of heads and support
ers of families who are unemployed
Before the mayors proclamation
was issued contributions to the
special fund came pouring into his
Office in currency and checks. while
various offers of provisions, clothing,
coal and wood were received on a
liberal scale The board of trade
and other organizations started to
raise relief funds and the churches
and Salvation Armies began making
systematic and extensive arrange
ments to help in the charitable work
along their special lines Soup
houses and shelters will be established
and maintained as long as necessary
A plan which the mayor and chief of
police agreed upon at a conference
to day was Immediately put into ef-
feet The city will buy with the
special fund, food and fuel and dis
tribute them on demand through the
agency of the police department.
This relief is to DE afforded without
the usual investigation until the reg
ular charitable organizations are able
to take mp the work. All police
stations have been thrown open to
the homeless. and tonight every one
was crowded with refugees from the
freezing air.
| The mayors proclamation is the
first of the kind to be issued in 20
years Theworst and most numer-
Gus cases of suffering were reported
from South Chicago and Hensington,
where thousands of men have laid off
at the steel mills aud other establish
merits. Mubh damage was done in
the suburbs to telegraph and telet-
phone wires by the cold Traffic
with Cisero was suspended until late
to-day by the collapse of cable poles
The work Of sffording instant tempo
rary relief during the inclement
weather was pushed by the police
agents using patrol wagons and am
bnlarces in such systematic man
ner that no case Of destitutlon report
ed remained unattended to night