The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-12-03
TO THE PUBLIC.

OCEAN SPHlNdS; MISS, l'cC. Il 1901
Editor Democrat star.
| see in your paper, dated Nov. 70
1897, an article IN which you say.
1--WE are sorry to hear that the citi
zens OF Ocean Springs have been dis
pleased at the use OF the charity and
relieffund by the Mayor, and have
even cast i~nnuendoes upon his Honor.
They think that he should either
have returned the fund surplus to
the donors, or held it in trust for
future use, awaiting the suggestions
of the Board Of Aldermen, instead of
appropriating it to town improve
ments.n
In reply to the above, | will state
| when the quarantine, with It's cor
dJH was placed around our town, by
authority OF the State Board Of
Health, many persons who lived in
side Of the corporate limits, but
whose work was outside Of Quaran-
tine lines, were shut off from their
daily av0catiuns. and finding no EN-
ployment by which they could feed
themselves and families became clam
crous for work. | was beSisAed by
these people for work or fo0ip many
of them said they did not want
charity, but work. saw that some
thing had 10 be done at once For it
is not hard to tell what IA hungry man
will do, when his wife and children
are suffering for food. Without
money, without work and shut in by
quarantine, while the store houses
were full Of provisions. and well
knowing that money had been sent
here for the sick and destitute. Now,
just read between the lines and you
will see what would have been the
result il these men had not been pro-
Vided for.
| saw arson, burglary, and perhaps
worse. | consulted several Of the best
citizens, also the representative of
the State Board Of Health, and they
said, put these men TO work. Clean
up your town, put it in a good con
dition. This seemed to be the conccn-
seus of opinions. | informed Capt.
Tardy, WHO is the Marshal and Street
Commissioner of the town, what |
had been advised to do. He at once
put the men to work. Not to improve
the town as you were informed, but to
clean up, cut the high weeds and
bushes, gather up all trash and burn
them in all places on the street, or
elsewhere to be cleaned, and in all
damp places that locked unhealthy,
to scatter lime. Doctor Dunn, Of the
State Board Of Health, furnished the
lime and several barrels were used 10
that way.
Now, the improvement Of The town
was not the object at all, but to put
it in a good sanitary condition, and to
give those healthy, hungry men some
thing to do, whereby they could feed
themselves and families. Then there
was another important reason WHY
these men should be put to work. 1t
would be a great saving to the INDECENT
fund, besides improving health condi-
tiOns. | see that New Orleans, Mobile
and many other places have done Just
as | did for the healthy destitute.
Your lnfOrment says the citizens Of
Ocean Springs-Ec does not say some
of the citizens Of Ocean Springs. But
the citizens Of Ocean Springs, which
implies all the citizens. TO show the
falsity Of that statement | will sub
NIT a few Of the many names ! can
furnish. who approve my action in
putting these men to work to relieve
their distress and improve the SAM,
tary condition Of the town. And that
it was right to pay for that labor out
Of the inligent fund. AS there was
no money in the town treasury: