New-York tribune., 1908-02-03
UNEMPLOYED SUFFER.
Seuere Weather Adds Danger OF
Freesing to That of Starring.

The cold weather Of the last few days. on top OF
the widespread Industrial depression, is causing
such suffering among the laboring classes or New
York as has not been seen in many years. accord
ing to the officers Of the various settlements and
charitable organizations in all parts of the city
From every direction come reports of daily in
creasing number of abebodfed labonng men who
have been thrown out of their jobs. through no
fault of their own, and can't find work Many oil
these haven't enough to feed or clothe their FAM
lilies and as the weather grows colder and the
price of coal goes up they face actual starvation
and freezing.
Every winter New York shelters large float
ing" population of the poor. Members OF this
class work occasionally, take advantage of all
free lodging houses. bread lines. etc, and drift
away to other parts when spring comes Up to
this winter any Of this class of men VINO
wanted work able to get 1t by applying 10
OF the different charity organizations This
year conditions changed. Every society which
looks after the poor reports that not only is the
class of men who apply for work different, but
no work at all is to be found for any one.
.'Since the winter of ss3-94 we have not seen
anything like the distress that now confronts U.s.,
saws Robert Fulton Cutting. president Of the New
York Association for Improving the Condition of
the Poor, in circular letter to contributors TO
the association. The out-of-work cannot find en-
ployment. find 1t for them Most of
our benefciaries are in families. suffering women
and children. not single men We urgently need
$4,000"
According TO Robert ". Bruere, the general
agent of this society. the number Of abebodied,
trained and even skilled workmen who have ap-
piled to the association for work is increasing
every day. On Monday, January % 557. who al
ways had work before this winter applied for jobs
of any kind The following Saturday go such
men had applied. while day before yesterday the
sunber had increased to e7s. These men were Of
all varieties of workmen-tailors. blacksrniths.
truckmen department store workers, jewelry de-
signerS, mechanics and engineers
Every charity organization reports the same con-
dition of affairs DR.. Lee K. Frankel. the man
ager of the work of the United Hebrew Charities.
said last night that he had never a greater
number of unemployed workmen and laborers-
The Hebrew charities previously have dealt gen
orally with widows and sick children, but when
applied for work something found
for him to do This winter, however. hearty,
strong men who eager to work come to the
Hebrew charities and nothing be done for
them.
All the settlements suffering from the fnan-
cial strain and increase in the number of the
employed. James H Hamilton the head worker
Of the University Settlement. declared yesterday
that the institution flooded with increased
work. Though have more work to do right
than we've had in a long time. we've less
funds he said. Our contributions have been
cut down considerably, and under ordinary condi-
tons would feel the pinch. But with the
usual conditions of to-day in hard straits -
suggestion was made by one worker that per-
sons who hadn't cash to give could do almost
much work by sending old clothes The United
Hebrew Charities and the different organizations
the Charities Building at Fourth avenue and
I'D street have regular means for collecting old
clothes throughout the year. But this winter, it
is said, they needed more than ever before.
"The character of the present situation is clearly
when one consioers that these men are not
out of work account of strikes lockouts, .,
said Robert w Bruere. There have been to all
intents and purposes strikes In New York in
the last three months. So many willing to
work can't find work simply account of the in
dustrial situation. OF course there is always
large crowd of "ioaters' here in New York. But
the Association for Improving the Condition of the
Poor works mostly among men with families.
IAN investigation which has been conducted at
the Municipal Lodging House during the last two
weeks showed that most of the there were
vagrants, haiing from all parts of the country
and only / per cent of them worthy to be sent
back home. But organized charity doesn't deal
with this kind of men. We try to help every
we can but when talk about the condition
day the condition among skilled and
skilled laborers who want to work but can't
find it
Reports from pawnshops say that much cloth
ing has been pawned by the poor that the pawn
brokers have refused to take any