The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-08
WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED
How the San Francisco Plan of
Labor Bureau
Is Succeeding in That City
Prospects Hopeful.
May Be Way Out for Other Cities
Where Much Time and Thought
Have Been Spent on the
Subject -~T

SANJOS0
The San Francisco plan of managing
labor bureau for men
where the unemployed may be
furnished work wherever it is
to be had, is quite interesting in its
details and since the Associated Chart
ties and other Topeka organizations for
helping the poor and those out of work
are continually struggling with this
problem, it will no doubt throw some
light on the question to know how the
San Francisco scheme works
The following is from the San Fran
cisco Call:
The situation of the big army of the
ard street was not materially changed
yesterday except by an accession to
their ranks.
THE 'commissary department with
the donations secured yesterday, was
fairly we'll provided for. The coal sup
ply, which was entirely exhausted the
night before, insomuch that the cook
was embarrassed, was yesterday re-
plenished by donation of a full ton
of the black diamonds from dealer in
them.
two expeditions and each time return
ed with a number of bags and boxes of
needfuls. Several bundles of clothes
We're received.
THE relief committee, composed of
five members of the organization, have
a busy and distressing time of it dur
ing their every afternoon sitting. To
them is reported all the cases OF dis
tress of married men of families that
apply for relief, but who do not live or
take their meals at the barracks. Many
of these cases are pitiful in the ex-
IRENE. The committee holds it's ses-
sions in a small room at the head of
the stairway leading from the street.
The room is unlighted save by small
Ill To-, Ar-cIr a hi oft re he n
mittee and hears the applicants one by
one. The applicant is required to state
his or her circumstances, and if they
are physically able are required to
pledge themselves to do their share
toward collecting the provisions upon
which they wish to draw. If they de-
cline to do this they are turned away
with empty hands. This is often a
sticking point, and the applicant rath-
er than take hold of the rope of the
wagon goes away hungry.
chairman of the committee and vice
president of the organization, Charles
A Davis is chief inQuisitor. He ex-
plains to the applicant that to be
plain, the men here have begged these
goods. You will al once see that you
are asking them to share with you
the supplies that they have gone out
upon the streets and begged. OF course,
it is humiliating to have to beg, and
these men here do not like the task
any more than do other people You
will see, therefore, that it is not fair to
ask them to beg for you. Now, If you
| expect to get share of the goods you
will have to share in the work of col
lecting it; you will have to take hold
of the rope with the rest of the boys.
Will you do it,?
"Of course this speech is modified
and varied according to the physical
condition of the applicant. If it is an
old man, or a person in any way dis
abled they are asked as to their will
lngness to assist in any way they can;
to ride on the wagon, for instance. In
almost every case the utmost willing
ness is expressed, though some times
with deal of swallowing that some
thing that rises in the throat of sensi-
tive people in facing such conditions.
In few instances the conditions were
too much and the applicants went their
way una SISTED Sometimes the appli-
cant is set to work at something about
the barracks, such as sweeping down
the stairs. Indeed, the stairs We're
swept again and again yesterday in this
way, for in every case where the per-
sons were able, some work was exacted
of them.
mo less than AZ applications were
heard and relief granted Where any
doubt existed concerning the truth of
the tales of woe that were told they
We're investigated by men appointed for
the purpose.
Following Is a list of contributions
secured yesterday by the wagon men:
Three sacks of potatoes, 160 pounds
fresh meat, 8 sacks of flour, butter, box
macaroni, 25 pounds rolled oats, rs
pounds corn meal, 60 loaves bread, half
barrel corned beef, 2 bottles wine,
hams, cans salmon, 2 cans tomatoes,
2 cans fruit, 2 cans fish, bucket apple
butter, 10 pounds tea, dozen saucers,
dozen plates, dozen cups, 8 coffee pots,
lots clothes, pair shoes, cans milk,
ton of coal"
The San Francisco Bulletin says:
president Lefhngwen has got the
Labor Bureau in perfect working or
der, and he is in receipt of letters by
every mail asking for men to go to the
country. He has found permanent po-
sitions for 80 men at wages ranging
from Sc a week and board down to as
low as IS a month and board. This
word board includes lodging, washing,
mending and family comforts, so that
it is not as bad as would appear in the
surface. Besides these, temporary
work has been found for great many,
at wages ranging from 20 to 25 cents an
hour AS matter of course these jobs
only lasted from one to two or three
hours The hobos who have been driv-
en- from the building are endeavoring to
injure the real workers in every way
possible, but if anyone interested will
go into the committee room during an
Investigation of the claims of appli-
cants they will find that it is a difficult
matter for an unworthy applicant to
succeed in obtaining relief. They ap-
pear harsh on the surface, but they do
not want to reject any worthy appli-
can't"