The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-01-27
MANY DESTITUTE.
GREAT DISTRESS CAUSED B.
THE COLD WEATHER.
The Mayor of Chicago Issuessa Procis-
nation Calling for Aid for the
Suffering People.

Chicago, Jan. 25. The people of Chi
cago, in bodies and as individual citi-
zens, were aroused today to take
prompt and generous action for the
relief Of the two score thousand des-
titute inhabitants. The suffering OF
these unfortunate people for want OF
fuel, food mad clothing has reached an
extreme stage as result of the terri
bly, cold wave which came upon the
city Saturday. The cold has increased
steadily in intensity until today,
when it reached the lowest point Of
ficially recorded in quarter of a cen
tury. Between and o'clock this
morning the weather bureau in the
Auditorium tower, where it is warmer
than on the streets, recorded 20 de-
grees below zero. Only once in the
history of the bureau-December 2 ),
1872 % below-has the temperature
fallen below. From a. m. to 2 p. m.
there was gradual rise, the range
being IS to IL degrees, but the relief
was hardly felt because of a cutting
northwest wind. The highest tenn
perature for the day was below zero
and tonight the mercury is moving
slowly down again, with no hope OF
material relief held out for tomorrow
Mayor Swift issued proclamation
this afternoon, according to his eX-
pressed intention yesterday, appealing
in urgent language for immediate
contributions of money and supplies
to prevent the starvation and freezing
of unfortunate thousands. He urged
the subscription Of 100000 as being
none too much to afford the help need
ed The funds of the charity organiz-
ations have become depleted, owing to
the extra demands made upon them
even during the mild winter weather.
Before the mayors proclamation
was issued contributions to the spe ial
fund came pouring in to his Office in
currency and checks, while various Of
fers of provisions, clothing, coal aud
wood were received on a liberal scale.
The Board of Trade and other organi-
cations started to raise relief funds
and the churches and Salvation armies
began making systematic and extern
sive arrangements to help in the char
table work along their special lines.
Soup houses and shelters will be estab-
lished and maintained as long as nee
essary. a plan which the mayor aad
ifsGIief,of p6llce Batenoch agreed dpoS7
at conference today and which WIS
Immediately put into effect The city
will buy with special fund food and
fuel and distribute them on demand
through the agency of the police de-
partment. This relief is to be afford
ed without the usual investigation
until the regular charitable organiza-
tions are able to take up the work.
All police stations have been thrown
open to the homeless and tonight ev-
cry one was crowded with refugees
from the freezing air. The mayors
proclamation is the first of the kind
to he issued in 25 years.
The worst and most numerous cases
of suffering were reported from South
Chicago and Kensington, where thous-
ands Of men have been laid off at the
steel mills and other establishments.
The saving of most of these victims of
the hard times have been used in pay
ing for their little homes, leaving
them practically penniless, although
not paupers.
The work of affording instant tenn
porary relief during the inclement
weather was pushed by the police
agents, using patrol wagons and am.
balances, in such a systematic manner
that no case of destitution reported
remained unattended to tonight.
Much damage was done in the sub
urbs to telegraph and telephone wires
by the cold. Traffic with Cicero was
suspended until late today by the col
lapse of cable poles.