The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-21
MONEY POURING IN
Citizens Meet to Arrange
Plans for Relief Of
Suffers From the Fire
MAYOR HOOS APPOINTS A COMMITTEE
Board of Aldermen Take Prompt
Steps to Aid the Homeless
Subscription List.

the First street and Newark avenue con-
f1agration is being done today. Overseer
of the Poor John E. Hewitt was at his
office in Bright street at six o'clock this
morning, getting ready to distribute
money, food and clothing to the sufferers.
The indications are that all of the home
less will soon be furnished with nicely
equipped apartments.
In response to the appeal of Mayor
Hoos about twenty-five representative
citizens assembled yesterday afternoon in
his office, in the City Hall, to consider
ways and means to offer relief to the
sufferers. Among those present We're DR..
L. ]. Gordon, Myron Y. Furst, ex-As-
semblyman W. E. Drake, Aldermen w.
j. Moran, Burns, Henry Vermilye, the
committee of the Board of Aldermen;
Col. H. H. Abernethy, President of the
Police Board; Overseer of the Poor Hew-
lit, VIM. ]. Sullivan of the Boston, VIM.
Symes, City Clerk M. J. O'Donnell. Chief
of Police Murphy, Miss Mary Phifbrook.
the woman lawyer, and Miss Cornela
Bradford Of the Whittier House.
Mayor Hoos, in stating the object of
the meeting, said that all were well
aware of the fact that many families had
they possessed by the recent fire. He
was glad, he said, to see so many ready
to respond to his call for their relief
The Overseer of the Poor, he remarked,
fully understood the wants of these peo-
pie and could explicitly state their true
condition from actual observation. The
Mayor informed the meeting that sew
eral checks had been received by him
and it was~for those present to say what
course was best to pursue to secure the
required means of relief and to decide
the manner in which it should be dis
bursed, whether through a relief commit
tee or through the Overseer of the Poor.
Mr.. Drake suggested that Mr.. Hewitt
should make a statement of what infor-
nation he had received.
Mr.. Hewitt said that as near as he had
been able to ascertain, the homes of for
ty-two families were burned out, but
none had yet made any application for
relief. Five of the families were insured
and would not need assistance, but about
thirty families would require help, hav-
ing lost all they had and were now home
less. He knew the exact condition of ALL
If they should need food that could be
procured, he declared, from the city's
poor fund, which was sufficient for that
purpose, but insufficient to provide for
their greater wants. He had provided
several with living apartments by becon-
ing security to the landlords for the rent
What they needed most were necessary
articles for housekeeping and suitable
clothing.
Dr. Gordon said that it was not bread
alone that was required by these poor
people, but they should be provided with
comfortable homes and all the necessary
accessories.
Col. Abernethy favored the appointment
of relief committee, as that was the
only practical way the work could be per-
formed.
1.-THE committee could collect subscrip-
tons and attend to the distribution and
thus furnish the sufferers with new
homes he said. He had consulted his
colleagues in the Police Board, and all
were in favor of making the police sta
tfons in the seven p ecincts receiving de-
pots for contributions Of clothing He also
suggested placing boxes at the ferry for
contributions to be distributed by the
committee and oyerseer of the Poor.
On motion of Mr.. Drake, the, Mayor was
requested to appoint a relief committee
of five. The Mayer appointed Dr. L. J.
Gordon, MyropsJ. Furst, VIM E. Drake,
Alderman william J. Moran and William
T. Sullivan, to which were subsequently
added Miss Mary PhilbroelS and Miss
Corneha Bradford Mayor Hoos was
made a member ex-ofiicio of the commir-
tee. DR.. Gordon was elected Chairman
and William T. Sullivan, Treasurer
Chief Murphy suggested that the Chief
act with the committee in securing the
necessary Information respecting the suf-
fering families. He offered the Services
of the entire force to obtain complete
roster of the families, their location and
condition.
Several letters enclosing checks and
offers of clothing. received by the May
or, were turned over to Treasurer Sulli-
van. TIL following is the list Of sub
scriptiens upto the present time p.
Lorillard 6 Co., $100; VIM. J. Sullivan,
800: DR.. L. J. Gordon, SIS; A. NJ Henry
$40; VIM. Symes, $40; VIM J. Moran,
$40; M. J. O'Donnell, SIS; Mayor Edward
Hoos, $25; H. H. Abernethy, $25; B. L.
Stowe, SIS; F'urst Bros, $25; BENZ. Muir
ply, $40; Julius Berger, S.: Joseph Friend,
81; Mrs. Mcdonald, 81; VIM. P. HASTEN
heuber, So; Albert Cook, So; James Clark,
$50; Henry. Byrne. SIS; Augustus Booraem,
s25; Gilmore & O'Keefe, $40. or s5i7 in all.
The Mayor was very much pleased that
so large a sum was raised He announc-
ed that the use of the Academy of
Music and Bon Ton Theatres had been
offered free Of charge for benefit per-
formances. The con1faittee adjourned at
five O'Clock and went at once to the Of
flee of Oyerseer of the Poor Hewitt.
There they found about sixty people in
waiting.
Large quantities of old clothing had
been sent to the Office and Mr.. Hewitt
went to work at once distributing it
among the poorly clad people Children
who had practically no clothing at all
were first cared for.
burned out who were in hilarious state.
To drown their sorrows they had i'm
bibed too freely. AS a whole the ap-
plicants were sober, honest people, who
perhaps under less trying circumstances
would have Stunned the Overseerss Office
DR.. Gordon suggested that it would be
well to start the work of relief in sys-
tematic manner As q consequence he
took a seat at Mr.. Hewitt's desk and
all those who require assistance. Among
the needy are:-Mary DAILY, of No. 800
First street; Annie Murphy, No. 312 First
James Kidney, No. $40 First; John Hunt
er, No. 800 First; Theodore Savage, No.
305 First; Mary Wahl, No. 30; Mary
krieb, No. 80; George Banaeid. No. 315 : !
George zeigler, No. 315; Sarah Wall, No.
dy. No. 81; Martin MeDonougL, NO. sll
Oliver Savage, No. g09: Martin Carroll /
No, 322; Margaret Halnin No. S2a Mar
garet Lynch, No 332. Ratrfck Smith. No |