Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-21
THE SEVEN SOUP SOCIETIES
They Are All Here in Philadelphia--A Uniqus
Charity With an Interesting History.


Charity With an Interesting History.
| COUP societies are an institution peculiar
- to Philadelphia. There are seven organ.
cations which dispense wholesome soup and
occasionally loaves of bread to the needy
through the winter months, all of them main
tanned by private contributions and an %.
casional legacy In the present season the
distress and suffering have been so great
that one of the houses opened it's doors
week ago.
Although the first to be established heFs
was founded as long ago as 1906, the soup.
house movement cannot be said to have Be.
gun its development before 1897 Exceptius
two, the associations which maintain tha
form Of charity date from that year or Later
years. The most recent one is the Rich
mond Soup Society and Relief Associated
which was founded 16 years ago.
The origin of this valuable charity Is ven
interesting. In the fall of 1898, just sfg
Philadelphia had been visited by its first ter
rible epidemic of yellow fever, there was
great deal of distress among the worthy poo
in the city. The plague left many widovl
and orphans, who were unprovided for, and
the Female Society for the Employment oflhs
Poor was then organized. It's object was %
5A'S iPAoJAhShl " poOI WOLuSA uuTlHB tHo
winter months, and to care for their chi.
dren while the mothers were at work
good dinner in warm rooms was given 70
the workers each day, and nursery ~
opened for the children Each Of the
women thus employed received, in addition
to the meals, small wage
There was nothing in the line of philan-
thropy like it anywhere. The society con.
tinued its ministrations winter after winter
and is still in existence.
Southwark, that part of the city lying south
of South street, had at the beginning Of the
last century large population princpaY
composed of worthy mechanics. In winter
time there was a good deal of distress anong
these people. and about 1906 a number o.
the charitable citizens in the district formed
society to distribute soup during the win.
ter to those who were in need Here the in.
spiration was directly traceable to the work
of the Female Society already mentioned Al.
though in Southwark the soup society did
not limit its charity to widows and orphans
In the families of the destitute all the men.
bers shared in the distribution.
The Northern Soup Society was establishea
In 1917, TO do in the Northern Liberties whsl
was being done in Southwark. The houss
was opened in January of that year, and tha
organization has ever since been maintained
1t now owns its house on 4th street aboYs
Brown, and a few years ago added to ths
property and made some improvements which
permitted an extension of the work.
But after the panic Of 1887 the poor in The
city We're discovered to be more numerous
and in greater destitutlon than had been
known for 90 years. It was then that Charlez
Peiree founded the Western Soup society
MT Peirce had had some experience in al.
ing the poor, for in Portsmouth. N. H., where
ne mad published paper called The oracle
OF the Day he had from his own door given
bread 10 the hungry. He was the first per
son TO establish a bread line and this
ne did after the great fire Of 1901 had de-
sHoyed large part Of the city Of Ports
mouth leaving many Of the inhabitants In
great want
Feifee came to Philadelphia in 1918, and
made this his home until his death many
years later He was an amateur meteorolo-
s,st' ana those who know nothing else about
him WIN recall his oft-quoted book. "Peiresz
on the Weather" which is a record OF ths
Neathsr IN Philadelphia for SO years
Aishoush societies for the distribution o.
SOUP eaeh winter had been formed here be
.oss the Western soup-house was opened
sHss not only was the founder or thai
shafl.N put ne vas Instrumental In having
the idea successfully initiated Ia other parfs
q the city where there were no soup-housss.
ne vas long known as the aFather Of he
soup-Housse
Fsfee vas a native of Kittery. Ne. and
feAa sns time of his coming to PhliadeInhfa
aath hls death be vas identiasa with many
niis1sn nEoples here. The SOUP soeississ =
ihslF early years had the assistance 81 nanv !
= tne best men n the city. men Of FANNY
saa q wealth. and Il Is interesting to ast
.haF n some of them to-day win b foaas
lssssaaants Of The founders carrying q -.
eefk e lhis simple charity begun Is n.a.g=
@zl7 ego. ane pEeesles Il nearly 81 s. IS
'saP- houses e ie besin tie alsirlbatlon -.
.tssf 1aflHtaass. and e eooiinus f Is = IS.
'Aa e Aazea- seae 5 distributed saII4
.sas ger ssea member g tie family. - :.
ss sa e re assk Eassaas. Haas
= laaE e afssa re ~
= s asE aaIs -