Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-12-26
Volunteers feed
HUNGRY HORDES
Thirty eight Christmas Bas-
kets Given-.Supply $50
Meals and 373 Beds.

Thirtyeight baskets of good things
TO eat were distributed Thursday
night and yesterday morning to as
many poor families in Pine Bluff Ny
the Volunteers Of America.
Ninety-five meals were served at 4he
industrial homes OF the Volunteers %
transient men during the day, u at
breakfast, 1876 at dinner and 80 at
supper
Thirty-two men were given places
to sleep at the industrial home Thurs
day night and an equal number last
night, this being the capacity of the
rooms at the industrial home.
Although the Volunteers have been
here only a very short time, Staff Cap
tain Dowell expressed the belief last
night that they had succeeded in their
effort to furnish Christmas meals to
all the poor people OF the city, al
though it was a bigger job than had
been anticipated.
I'VE had one basket left this even
ring, after our distribution, and after
several callers had been cared for,
and l am sure this basket will be
given out before we retire tonight ~
said Captain Dowell last night.
II believe we have done a good
work, but We do not deserve all the
credit. We have received magnificent
aid from the Associated Charities, the;
school children, the business men and
the people generally of Pine Bluff.
and we join our thanks With those Of
the poor people who received the food.
Mo had thn hnnrtipCt nf ior,
from everybody. and on that account
only we made a success of it"
The rush for meals and quarters at
the industrial home has been unusual
" heavy of late, according to Capt9in
Dowell, but it is believed the heavy
influx of transient men is about over
now. for a while at least. as most of
the strangers evidently "blowed in to
Pine Bluff for Christmas. after being
driven out of Memphis. Little Rock
and other cities in this section of the
country. Since the industrial home
was oNened about two weeks ago. beds
have been provided for $40 men and
meals have been furnished to $50. All
who came were cared for, to the limit
of the capacity.
Helpful Charity.
Although there have been many
contribution of supplies, foodstuqs
and ether material used at the home,
the cash contributions have amounted
to only SCI. up to Thursday night and
as a result the maintenance of the
home under present conditions is a
difficult matter. Captain Dowell has
hopes, however, of being able to obtain
a warehouse wherein tc concentrate
waste paper and rags. and such stuff
to sort the stuff. and prepare it for
SHIPMENT. such a place putting the
Volunteers in position to make the
transients work for their beds and
mods
Il hope to aftauge for such place
SC that We can start collecting such
stuff right after the opening of the
new year" he said last night. 1--WE
could easily care for all transients nd
| keep them off the streets. making
them self-snpoprting during their
shCrt stay here. if we had such a
building, sufficiently large for work
shop kitchen, dining room and dcrmi-
/ tory The women and children could
| be cared for at our officers quarters
but we will have to make other ar
engagements fer the men, and this
hope to do the coming week. Such a
place could easily be made municipal
affair. to relieve individual residents
of the itinerants and make easier the
lot of the idle working man who is