The San Francisco call., 1897-01-26
APPEAL FOR THE
PERISHING POOR
Chicago's Mayor Calls Upon
Well-to-Do Citizens
for Aid.
Forty Thousand Families Sorely
in Need of FueI, Food
and Clothing.
Heroic Efforts of the Police Depart
ment Temporarily AIlay the
Awful Suffering.

Chicago, ILL., jan zo'-1ne people
of Chicago in bodies and as Individual
citizens were aroused to-day to take
prompt and generous action for the
prompt relief of the two score thousand
destitute families who are IN want of food
and clothing, their distress having
reached a critical stage during this in
tensely cold weather.
Between and ocl ock this morning
the weather bureau in the Auditorium
tower, where it is warmer than on the
street, recorded 20 degrees below zero.
Only once in the history of the bureau,
Decem Der "a, 1872 when it was % below,
has the temperature fallen lower. From
8 A. NJ. to 2 P. NJ. there was a gradual rise,
the range being from 1S to II degre es be-
low, but the relief was hardly felt when
accompanied by a cutting wind from the
northwest. The highest temperature for
the day was 10 degrees below zero, and to-
night the bureau thermometer is moving
slowly down again with no hope of relief
held out for tomorrow.
Mayor Swift issued proclamation to-
day, according to his expressed intention
yesterday, 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 the subscription OF $100, 600 as being
none too much 10 afford the relief needed.
Mayor Swift's proclamation is as fol-
lows:
To the Generous People Of Chicago; The pres
ent severe weather must naturally excite the
keen sympathy of every kindly disposed per-
son for the worthy and suffering poor. A pro-
tracted period of business depression has
thrown thousands of men and women out of
employment and brought want TO families not
previously familiar with it. No startling
emergency exists but the need constantly dis
cerned in cities is now augmented by the
hard times and the extreme cold. You have
ever been found generous in behalf of ell
worthy objects. and I think ii proper at this
time and in this way to call your attention to
the special occasion now existing for a mani
festation of your reason able generosity
The distress of women and children in their
homes ought especially to be relieved. There are
many worthy persons who hesitate to seek as
Sistance but suffer in silence. l propose to
utilize the police department, have them In
vestigate cases Of destitution. particularly in
homes. and give prompt help to those found
worthy.
I ask contributions of money, food and
L. }
president of the Metropolitan National Bank,
and all money contributions should be desig-
mated as intended for the mayors Relief
Fund.-
This viii be expended under the direction of
the General Superintendent of Police for the
purchase of fuel and food. Contributions of
food and clothing may be sent Immediately to
the General Superintendent of Police at the
City Hall. GEORGE B. SWIFT, Mayor.
The funds of the charity organizations
have become depleted, owing to the extra
ordinary demands made upon them even
during the mild winter weather which
has prevailed here until few DAYS ago,
and the Chicago Relief and Aid Society
was compelled to make a special appeal
for money last week to carry on it's work
because of the unusually large number of
heads and supporters OF families who are
unemployed while willing to work.
Before the Mayors proclamation was
issued contributions to the special fund
came pouring into his office in currency
and checks, while various offers of pro-
visions, clothing, coal and wood were re-
ceived on a liberal scale. The Board of
Trade and other organizations started to
raise relief funds and the churches and
tematic and extensive ARRANGEMENTS to
help in the charitable work along their
special lines. Souphouses and shelters
will be established and maintained as long
: as necessary.
a plan which the Mayor and Chief of
Police Badenoch agreed upon at confer
\ ence to-day was immediately put into
effect. The city will buy with the special
fund food and fuel and distribute them on
demand through the agency of the police
department. This relief is to be afforded
without the usual investigation until the
regular charitable organizations are able
to take up the work. All police stations
have been thrown open to the freezing
multitude.
The Mayors proclamation is the first
of the kind to be issued in twenty-five
years.
The worst and most numerous cases of
suffering were reported from South Chi
cago and Kensington, where thousands of
men have been laid off at the steel mills
and other establishments.
The savings of most of these victims
have been used these hard times to pay
for their little homes leaving them prac-
LEGALLY peuHlISSS, dILHOuRQ not pauperS.
Much damage has been done in the sub
urbs to telegraph and telephone wires by
the cold. Traffic with Cicero was sus-
pended until late To-day by the collapse
of cable poles.
The work of affording instant temper
ary relief during the inclement weather
was pushed by the police agents using
patrol wagons and ambulances in such
systematic manner that no case of desti-
, tuition reported remained unattended to
tonight
At midnight the thermometer registered
II degrees below, and it is believed the up
ward tendency will continu4. Police sta
tions about the city are filled with lodgers,
many of whom applied for shelter with
frozen ears and fingers.
Colorado in the Icy Grip.
nENVER CoIo Tan 05-Tha coIdest