The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-10
No Indication of Hard Times
the Present Winter.
CALLS BY TRANSMITS
Those Passing Through Topeka
Are Destitute.
The Sad Case of 16- Year-Old
Max Stefesianoch.


ton, located on the corner of Fourth
and Jackson streets, is one of the bust
est places in the city this month. This
association, in it's work of relieving the
sick, the destitute and the homeless
and in finding work for the unemploy-
ed, is the first to notice the symptoms
OF hard times over the country or the
resumption of prosperity. It's report
at this time is of interest.
The calls for help and work the past
winter have not been as many or as
heavy as were made the winter be-
Iore. Times were better at the begin
ming of 1908 than at the beginning of
IsOI, judged by the appeals for help.
the panic came on last fail the associ-
alton was soon swamped with calls for
aid, but as the winter came on, times
got better. The first two months in
TINS year indicated unusual prosperity
so Tar as Topeka was concerned But
during the past two or three weeks
the calls for help have been unusually
large for the time Of year. The de-
mands upon the association by the I'M
fortunate seem to come by fits and
starts. An unusually quiet spell is
generally followed by a rush. At this
time of year there is a large number
OF transient people passing through the
city and many of these are in destitute
circumstances. They call upon the as
ISOLATION for aid in the way of trans
portation. Many want lodgings and
food and clothes. The present rush is
caused mainly by people passing
through. although the poor and sick
people of Topeka are many of them
In need of aid at this time.
The offices of the association are a
sort OF clearing house for all the cases
of charity in the city. A great many
cases are referred to other charitable
associations. For instance, an unus-
ually, large number of requests have
BEEN received lately by the association
from Topeka people who want to take
friendless and orphan children into
their homes. These requests have
been referred to various organizations
and institutions of the city and every
one of them have been supplied with
good children
Topeka people have been liberal the
past winter with donations of cloth
ing and other second hand articles
that are so acceptable to poor and sick
families. The needs of the association
along this line have been met in every
case except shoes and children's
clothes. There is at all times. a very
large demand for these necessities.
Many people have the mistaken idea
that the associations busy time is dur
ing the winter. and especially during
cold snaps. The association is busy
the year around, and often buster in
summer than in winter. The number
of appeals for aid, excepting for fuel
are about as heavy in warm as in cold
weather, and the calls for transporta-
ton are heavier in spring and sum-
me-.
The association keeps a record Of all
calls for work by men and women and
also of all requests for hired help.
This is most important and helpful
department of the work. In March out
of 80 listed calls for hired help rs places
were filled by the association with peo-
Pile who had applied for work. Every
washer women. These demands are all
supplied. The association has a great
many women on it's list who want to
take in washing. The relief work has
been reduced to science. Any de-
serving and Industrious man or woman
who calls on the association for help
can be found a good place. 1t keeps
in close touch with the employer and
the employe, and in this way does an
immense amount of good.
Sickness is the main cause of pow
erty,'' declared the secretary. These
people we always try to help, and in
every case we make it point to re-
lieve them. Cases of willful and shift
less poverty are not so common as one
would think. In these cases 1t is al
most impossible to change or improve
the habits of the older people, but we
work with the children. We have a
boys and a girls industrial school
where we teach the girls to cook and
sew and the boys to be competent and
skilled workmen. We teach both sexes
the necessity of cleanliness and indus
try and skill if they are to receive the
aid of the association. The results of
the work have been most gratifying"
The work of the association covers
a wide field. 1t not only receives and
cares for the sick and penniless that
come to its doors but it answers calls
from all parts of the city and from
every class and condition of people.
Efforts are made every day by lazy
and vicious people to impose upon
charity. The association doubtless
makes some mistakes, but the exper-
fence of it's officers and their know
ledge of human nature makes it very
hard for these people to impose upon
1T. The deserving poor of this city
rarely fail to receive aid.
Two recent cases on the associa-