The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-26
INDIANAPOLIS underwent the second day OF

indianapolis underwent the second day of
winters siege yesterday with an increase
rather thar an abatement OF his Chilly
force. At 5 o'clock yesterday morning the
mercury sank to lower depths than at any
time since February s. 1885, when IL reached
the same point, fourteen degrees below zero.
From 3 o'clock on the fluid which tells peo-
pie whether to wear their overcoats or not
rose gradually. and indications now are
that there will be no further fall. Still at
no time yesterday was 1t warm enough 10
remind one Of spring, and everyone wore
all the spare clothes he could find, and
Rugged the fire as continuously as possible.
The Hoosier capital rarely has an oppor-
tunity nowadays to shiver and shrink with
real wintry cold and draw itself down into
its coat collar in vain attempt to escape the
icy blasts, so its citizens are making the
most of the unwonted experience.
The universal and omnipresent individual
who wants TO know if its cold enough for
your" rides on every car, and without in
the least shaving the truth. the other oc-
cupants of those moving refrigerators are
enabled to chorus AYE" and the courteous
ones do SO answer, while they knock their
frozen heels together and under their breath
say ~unspeakable things about the street.
railroad company.
Still most of the populace-at least those
of them who have plenty of gas TO burn
are taking in good part this new dispen-
sation of the weather man. Those poeti-
cally inclined make beautiful remarks about
the frosty etchings on the window panes,
the vapory appearance of their breath as
ii congeals in the frigid atmosphere, n
the musical creak of the cold snow under
foot. The liveryman ticklcs himself with
the thought of shedding parties to the sur
rounding suburbs when 3 little more snow
falls; the girl whose best young man owns
a sleigh bethinks herself with joy of the
sealskin Jacket with which she so seldom
has a chance to adorn her pretty person;
and the staid business man comes home at
night with a faster step than usual. anx-
iouS TO exchange boots for slippers, TO
warm himself before the CRATE. and 10 eat
with more zestful appetite his comfortable
dinner.
LITTLE CHEER FOR THE POOR.
But there is another side TO all this which
shows that winter brings something with it
besides pleasant experiences. The poor Of
the city are not looking for beauties in the
advent of chill and frost, but. already more
than usually destitute by reason of the past
hard months, they are huddled together in
their humble homes, will bitter cold added
to their poverty.
Kind friends with money, fuel and food
are doing all in their power to relieve the
added misery caused by the cold spell. In
the office of Township Trustee Horace
Makepeace and in the rooms of the Char
ity Organization Society, at Plymouth
Church, scores of ha~lf-Starved. half-frozen
creatures came to make their wants known
and turned away with their pinched faces
lighted up with the ready promise of re-
lief, and their spirits warmed with the
GOOD ell ~ lB.A va- xlaal - --Al
and groceries.
At the trustees office twenty-five families
were relieved. There were the usual num-
Der of applicants for food incident to the
hard times, but added TO these were de-
mands for fuel. In no case was aid re-
fused. Two men We're kept busy investi-
eating the worth Of those who applied, but
Investigation was more a mere matter of
form than anything else
You see,' said Trustee Makepeace, I'VE
can't turn anyone away this cold weather.
Better give someone fuel when he doesn't
need it than to refuse one who does need
It," And SO they filed up to the desk all
woman who sat behind the desk asked
each one, "What do you want-coal or
FOOD" Almost invariably came the an
swer, Goal. We hasn't got nothing. to
keep US from freezing" And the young
woman took almost as much delight in
the applicants in receiving them.
AT THE CHARITY OFFICE.
At the Charity Organization Society
things were much the same, only on a larg-
er scale. Secretary Charles S. Grout was
a busy man all day and he dealt out orders
for coal and bread with a CHEEKY air that
did one good to see. He found a little
while 10 talk to a Journal reporter, though
he did not permit the business of filling
stomachs and warming chilled bodies 10
lag. Said he: We've got about all the bus
mess we can attend TO, as you may see.
We have had to employ extra help by rea-
son of this cold snap and we don't per-
init anyone who needs coal TO get away
without it. We have issued over sixty
orders to-day for fuel and provisions and
we are not done yet"
rs there considerable suffering In the CITY
on account of the cold?'
well, yes, of course there is suffering
but not extreme suffering, / should say,
as there is in some other cities. You see
we have our charities SO we'll organized In
this city that not much gets away from
us. Most of the destitution is In the south
and northwest quarters of the city. but we
tricts who keep US informed as to the needy
and we are able TO relieve them almost be.
fore they need ii. There are no cases here
of starvation, or of persons being frozen 70
death, such as you read OF in some places
We are making our applicants work. too
where il is possible, or, rather. We are al.
lowing them to work, for they are ready
and anxious TO do so. Where il is practi
cable we make an applicant for coal con.
vey IL himself to his home, and in many
cases we nave him deliver coal 10 other
houses in payment for his own allowance
This is no more than fair and we find al
OF them ready 10 work"
Mr.. Grout expressed the need that was
felt of more money for the work of re-
lief and the hope that people who are able
would send in their offerings.
WORK AT ICE-CUTTING.
As it is true that its an i'll wind thai
blows nobody good so ii may be said it's
- - $500 49,. l~s,-- .---.L a.
nobody's hearthstone. The present cold
snap has brought some work to the un
employed, some three hundred of whom
will begin the process Of ice-cutting to-day
The ice on the ponds was yesterday five
inches thick at a minimum estimate. anC
during the night nearly another inch was
added. This makes good ice from six tC
ten inches in thickness. All the icehouses
are empty and those concerned in filling
them will begin to-day to take out tbs