New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-20
ARMENIAN RELIEF FUND.
OUTLOOK GROWS BRIGHTER FOR THE
REFUGEES

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: In presenting the repor. Of the Women $
Armenian Relief Fund for 1897 | happy 20 say
that TWO things have concurred TO make II a bit
more cheerful than my report for the third quar-
ter foreboded The condition of the province is a
shade better than was generally apprehended. The
price of breadstufs has not rsen so much as was
feared and the supply proves moro nearly adequate
to the need than was expected A slightly in
creased measure of confidence has been restored,
and during the late autumn there has been little
revival Of business. that the proportion OF the
incubation whose immediate wants supplied
has somewhat increased This has enabled us 70
continue our dole Of bread and. although the In
fux OF utterly helpless refugees from the villages
has doubled the list OF recipients II looks as II the
supply of breadstufYs In sranaries might suffice
to carry the city through till spring. The supply
OF funds has proved more adequate than thought.
too.
NV last report presented the pressing need for
clothing 10 protect the poor people from the WIN
.er's cold. AS the weather approached we
began to distribute the material on hand and
though the greatest was used TO give only
whore tho need absolute, and only 20 the ex-
tent of enabling them to get through the winter
yet all the accumulated material. amounting to
nearly & OcD in value exhausted long before
the demand ceased and since then can only
rive out the daily product OF the looms. 1t comes
in TO the most utterly destitute cases. AS men
toned above, many hundreds Of refugees unable
to support life in their villages have focked to the
city and have received clothing and food, and we
are now also giving out cotton for spinning In a
few Of the villages With these exceptions our
committee has confined It's labors TO supplying the
needs OF the city Captain Elliott. the English
Consul and my associate Mr.. Allen. administering
the funds sent specifically for the villages. Their
hope IS. by giving cattle for ploughing and seed
for sowing. TO secure such harvest next fall as
will put the major part OF the population in con-
dtion to live though. OF course. many decades Of
good government (which "a mot be even hoped for)
would be needed TO put the country back where II
was before the massacres In any case We feel
that the limit OF general relief will have been
reached when the spring opens, and we expect TO
cease giving general aid from that time.
While may hope that families which have
their normal breadwinners will then resume an In
dependent existence IT is clear that thousands Of
or perish and II Is our hope to continue the indus
trial department reorganzed on a simpler and less
expensive basis. for at least another year. All the
material has been given out. but we have a large
and constantly increasing stock OF yarn which. II
IL could be sold at its proper price, would enable
the department to itself for a good while. IL
will probably be impossible at present to sell
enough for this purpose, that funds from out
side will be needed 10 carry on this department,
though trust not q very large amount.
The average number supported by work from
the Industrial department from october 10 Decem-
Der 1897, $500. and the average daily number
to whom free bread furnished was S25 Fifty
three sick people were supplied with food. The