The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-11
WILL Be FORCED
ON THE STREET.
Widow Morton and Her
Daughter Are in
Distress.
For Thirteen Years They Have
Occupied a Home on the
City's Property.
Only Ten Days in Which to Move
Their Belongings and Find
Another HabItation.

IF they would only give me just few
months to try to prepare another habita-
ton, then l wouldn't feel so broken
hearted at having to part with my little
home"
Those are the words uttered by the
Widow Morton yesterday afternoon, the
same little widow that has been given
ten days notice to either move or have
herself and grown-up daughter, together
with their belongings. cast into the street.
1t would not take ten days to move the
few pieces of household furniture that Or
nament the Morton home. But where TO
put that furniture and where TO go 10 find
another place that they might call home,
there the difficulty lies, for the Mortons
are poor, very, very poor.
Just thirteen years ago Mrs. Morton and
her husband, who was then living, paid
$500 for the little home that the widow
will soon be forced to abandon.
1t was sort of ramshackle affair in
those days, but the thrifty little housewife
soon made the place habitable.
With strict economy few dollars We're
laid aside, and later they were all put into
the little house-a couple of rooms were
added-and things seemed to look brighter
to the members of that little household.
But six years ago the father sickened
and died, and when grief entered that
home poverty seemed to take on sterner
aspect. A pension OF So month was paid
to the widow, Tor her husband had been a
Grand Army man, and for many long
day that So supported both mother and
daughter. The latter was delicate and
couldn't WORK. but she used to go down TO
the wharves and gather the stray bits OF
lumber and the few pieces of coal dropped
from the carts, and in that way saved a
fuel Dill.
Then the mother secured employment
at cleaning out the kindergarten schools
and very often the food that she would
gather from the barrels in the school
yards for her chickens would be
Shared by her and the daughter, for So
q month does not permit very luxurl-
Gus table.
She didn't retain her position in the
schools very long, for one day friend of
boys 10 support and house rent 10 pay
and, Mrs. Morton realizing her friends po-
sition, offered her work, which was gladly
taken.
Just before the holidays great prepare
tons went on in the Morton household,
for the only daughter was to be married
on Christmas day, and the interior of the
laid in the sitring-room-the only carpet
the house had ever boasted-and every
thing was made as nice as possible for
the son-in-law that was 10 make his home
with them.
And then, when contentnent seemed TO
come at last into that little home, sud-
denly and as Unexpectedly as a thunder
bolt from the skies came an order from
the Board of Supervisors informing them
that their house rested upon the street
and must be removed within ten days.
The house is too old to be moved, and
to be torn down means such loss to the
Morton family. As the widow said yester-
day: Il am nearly 70 years old, and after
years of hard struggling TO be thrust out
of my home is more than terrible, and /
know my mind cannot bear the strain"
Then the poor woman who had met with
so many mistortunes and bowed TO many
SORROWS buried her face in her hands and