The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-02-20

= HILADELPHIA-The saying that
the poor are always with us was
just as true in the revolutionary
days as it is now. Even then funds
were laid aside that few might suffer
from the wintry blasts. The founda-
ton laid by the originators of the plan
has been added to by numerous lega-
cies and donations until now the nu-
merous coal funds amount to a half
million dollars. So far as is known,
the last of these funds was estab-
lished a quarter of century ago. The
principal will never be touched, and
the interest will insure the distribu-
ton of hundreds of tons of coal annu-
ally for all time to come.
By these funds people of all sec
lions, classes and creeds are benefited.
Some of the trust funds have restric-
tions, but those limitations are over
balanced by the liberality of others.
Practically all of the poverty stricken
can have coal to tide them over the
winters severe spells. There is little
necessity for any to freeze, for be-
sides the endowment funds there are
numerous coal and fuel funds, and
most of the ward and neighborhood
charitable associations have methods
and means of supplying coal to the
needy of their immediate vicinities.
One can only begin to guess the
tremendous amount of good that has
been accomplished in the countless
homes that have been heated; no one
can surmise how many lives have
been saved during the period, extend
ing from Is to 145 years, for which
the funds have been in existence.
Coal was not even known when the
men and women of colonial times
started the modest charities which
have grown to half a million dollars
today. Those early foundations were
known as fuel funds.
Immense Trust Fund.
The fuel funds that have been in
trusted to the board of city trusts
alone from 1869 to 1883 have total
value Of S323,079.2O. Of this sum, one
fund, left by Thomas D. Grover,
amounting to $1SO,OO0, diverts $500
annually to other purposes. Never
theless, the interest permits the an
nual distribution of about $50 tons of
coal. This coal is given to widows
only and, by the provisions of the fund
created in 1S4S, the deaths of their
husbands must have occurred in the
old district of Southwark. Further
more, no foreigners can benefit from
this particular fund, and the recipi-
snts must be housekeepers or room
keepers.
The total amount of fuel distributed
by the board of city trusts in 1912
amounted to 1,42S1a tons, at a cost of
s8,69721. All of this coal was given
free to the needy, with the exception
of 100 tons provided by the Elias
Boudinot fund, for which the recipi-
ents were required to pay 81 per ton.
The first of the fuel funds was es-
tablished in 1869 by James Clapoole,
and has a present total capital of
$1,000. The next-the George Emlen
fund, with a valuation of $7,S11.1S-
was created in 1776. Neither of these
funds specifically state that they must
be used for fuel, but the income has
been devoted to that purpose. Togeth-
er they afford the annual distribution
OF forty-three tens. The City Fuel
fund was established from 1898 to
1909. This is a consolidation Of five
funds in existence at that time. They
are known as the Free Masons' fund,
Mr., Ricketts, donation, the mayors
court fun. Elizabeth Kirkpatrick S
legacy and John Bleakley's legacy.
The City fund permits the distribution
of coal in the old city of Philadelphia
alone, and about thirty-one tons are
distributed every year.
The B. W. and / w Morris fund,
established il 1906, is more liberal In
its provisions; it looks out for the
poor in the old city and in the district
Of Southwark and the townships of
northern Liberties