The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-01-06
TRAMP QUESTION VI 9n.
IS A FEATURE
Dependent Women, Infirm and Aged
Residents Demand Prompt Care
Of Charity's Hand Now.
ICHMOND. VA sr


With two telephones ringing inces-
sanity and the entire esta blishment
In state or constant activity. the
ncedqnarters or the Associated Chari-
streets, Is humming like a hive. The
central ngure at the big institution In
the Rev. James Buchanan, who. from
MS desk In private office. directs
the management. But SO engaged
was DR.. Buchanan today that a. vas
with great difficulty that a reporter
Tor The Evening Journal gained ac-
cess 10 MS preserce, and then found
hlfn SO engaged and engrossed as to
DC unable to grant an Interview.
we are very busy here" said DR.
bucnanan. and have been and will
continue to be ve-y busy. The suffer-
ing among the city's poor has en-
gagged our every attention for the past
several days and nights. and our only
thought outside of the Immediate end
active alleviation of this terrible dis
tress is consideration as to how we
may procure more necessar ries of life
and comfort for TIE many-headed OBJ
1ect of our care.
What we need above all things
is fuel and clothing. Fuel and CLOTH
ing is our greatest need. The tramp
question does not enter into our con-
sloeraton this year, owing to a plen-
tiful employment among laborers
What we have to face, and that hour
y. Il
ton OF providing for dependent wo-
men, inhrm and aged citizens and
children. have not the time this
morning to enter into details The
thermometers can speak more elo-
quently today than l can. / have to-
day three wagons on the street. de-
liVering bags OF coal among desti-
tute homes. and you can see for your
self the women crowding the waiting
room and hear for yourself the calls
n rAl ltaaf ~ .t.,l.
uons OF the city over the telephone"
Victims OF Vicious Chance.
br. buchanan discontinued his dis
directions outside. but quickly return
ed his desk. "The chief objects OF
our ,olicitude," continued he, ARE not
happy to say that d,ring the present
winter we have with comparative ease
made provision for such rambling and
impecunious sons OF rest as the world
has denominated tramps. The call of
the hour Is OF more serious charac-
ter, and comes more nearly 10 the doors
or the homes OF Richmond. For in
stance:
We are attempting TO provide for the
almost unprecedented snap OF cold
weather, for the dependent and help
less mothers OF the city--women whose
husbands are dead, or worse, women
whose husbands are in Jail. OF such
have a long list. list which woul
be startling TO the eyes OF any unac.
among the poor. Such women are VERY
frequently most deserving. but are also
the most handicapped in the world"
The doctor went on to outline brief
~ condltions surrounding the homes of
such unfortunate women as he had al
Iuded TO: He pictured house OF great
want. house occupied by mother
and hve small children, the eldest
among which was eight years of are
the youngest still at the breast The
mother was but twenty-five years old
She was a woman of refinement and
mat her children were kept in bed, as
there was little fire in the house and
the children needed clothing. The ia
ther OF the family was in Jail. The
mother was unable TO leave her chill
dren, and was equally as unable to
procure work in her little home. This
cases. There were other families. in
even greater state OF distress.
The Aged and Infirm.
DR.. Buchanan said that during this
wintry season the attention of the AS
sociated Charities was especially d-
rected to two sets of sufferers These
were. first, unprotected and unprovis-
Toned families OF deserted women and
chlidren and, secondly. such among
the aged and infirm as were unable
70 cope with conditions such as OBJ
tain. Among the second or latter.
class Dr. buchanan said his task was
Simphhed, inasmuch as it was easier
10 handle single or individual case
VI u'SticSS tndn 10 move an entire
FAMILY or to supply it's wants. Both
classes OF sufferers. however, were suf-
ncientiy numerous. and each was pc
culiarly pathetic.
Upon the books of the Associated
CHARITIES are carried a list OF special
cases" which comprised persons suf
terlng from illness or senility. Among
snch cases as many as twenty tons of
coal have been distributed during the
present winter, and great quantities
or clothing had been furnished.
Last year. in which both money and
employment was very scarce. the AS
sociated Charities dsbursed as much
as $4,000 in providing against the
suHerlngs and necessity of the indi- |
gent. This to great extent depleted
ITS Golfers, and reduced it to a large
extent to rely upon outside Dhilan- |
thropic aid in combating conditions |
TINS year. What is most directly ana |
most urgently required by the insti- |
tuition today are contributions of fuel |
ana clothing. Such contributions |
should be addressed to the Associated |
Charities, at Fourteenth and Franklin |
Streets, where they Will be disbursed !
in systematic and Intelligent manner
by those in charge of the big char
liable institution.