Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-02-25

coal 10 certain women, with the report
that these women go out scrubbing
every day and by their careful thrift
are able 90 make ends meet. Mr..
Dixon says it is this very type of
woman the Grandom fund tries to
help. The fund is overrun with appli-
cants every year, and has all it can
do to handle the cases under it's caro-
at present.
Besides the free and halfrate coal
systems, many methods have been de-
vised to assist the poor to get their
winters supply. Savings fund and
other plans which permit them to pay
for it on installments have. been in
existence for nearly century. Prob
ably the oldest and most important
of these is the Fuel Savings Society Of
the City and Liberties of Philadelphia,
established in 1921. It's object is to
teach the Industrious poor the benefit
they may derive from saying small
amounts from their earnings during
the spring, summer and autumn, and
so provide themselves with fuel for
the winter Deposits not exceeding
one dollar at time are received, and
coal is delivered to the depositors
during the winter for the amount of
their credit. The income Of the so
ciety is applied to a reduction OF the
price of coal, and in that way assists
the poor.
Mothers Get Supply of Coal.
This method of encouraging the
poor to prepare for the stormy wealth
er is practiced in many of the charit-
able societies and neighborhood
houses, especially those managed by
friends. The Bedford Street mission,
where Comfy B. Shoemaker IS presi-
dent of the managers, not only helps
the people of the neighborhood, most
ly foreigners, to save, but also dis
tributes the coal. 1t is not an I'M
usual sight to see long line Of wom-
en- leaving the Neighborhood house,
on Kater street above Sixth, with
buckets and bags of coal
Many carry the coat, in their old
country style, on their heads. Twenty
three pounds are given to a bucket.
In cases of restitution the coal IS
given free. During the course of a
season about $4,000 buckets are sold
at the mission and more than 1000
buckets are given free, In addition to
the coal supplied in half-ton lots.
The mission sells coal in ton and
half-ton lots at cost to the depositors
in it's savings fund Miss Mary Boyd,
who for years has acted as missionary
for the society, visits the homes and
receives the money for the coal during
the warmer seasons. Not more than
a dollar is received al a time, or less
than a nickel Miss Boyd investigates
every case.
Another worthy coal saving plan is
that of the Whittier Center, which has
for its object the assisting of poor
negro families. 1t was formerly man-
aged by the Starr Center, 725 LON
bard street, but last year was turned
| over to the Whittier Center. Many
prominent woung women entered into
| this work, and during the sweltering
! days in summer can be found going
| from door to door in the side streets
of the negro section encouraging the
! inhabitants to save for the next win
ter's coal and be prepared for the
billiards. and frosts. Coal clubs have
been formed, and the members meet
at the center, bring their savings and
have entertainments and sociables.
Besides supplying coal at half rates,
| the Union Benevolent association of
ZIG Spruce street loans stoves to
those in need of them. A few years
ago, when stoves were more general
ly used, about 500 stoves were dis
tributed every season. but now there
is a demand for only about seventy
| stoves.
Many other organizations, including
the Home Missionary society and the
Matzo and Fuel association, Jewish
society, have means of assisting those
in distress to get coal.