The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-02
Line ENDS:
$4,000 GOT LOAVES
Doors Close nc Distribution
Depot With S1.585 to start
Next Winter.
30 TONS GIVEN AWAY

When Tom Merry closed the door of
THE SuN free bread depot in Prince
street after the bread line had left yes
terday he closed the free bread distribu-
ton for the season. Spring is here he
announced to his partner. Dick Bright.
as they went out into the balmy air.
n more winter; also no more free
bread for a while"
THE suns distribution Of free bread
began this winter on December ~ and
since that time $4,000 ioaves have been
given away. In December there were
5000 loavcs. In January $4,000. in Feb
ruary about $4,000 and In March about
81, 900 loaves. In all more than thirty
tons OF bread have been handed out
by Tom Merry and Dick Bright. As the
rule is only one loaf TO each person. and
only in exceptional cases more than one
IL given, about 10000 people went to the
bread depot.
The bread line began tho season with
osity OF the readers ot THE SuS who
believe that II Is a FOOD thing to feed
the hungry. TIL. disciples Of hat faith
this year have contributed toward the
bread fund si.ieo There has been en-
pended for bread si.70o during the three
months and a half and SIS for rent.
which IL the only expense of the bread
fund, leaving a balance OF si,5S5 to
start the bread depot when the wintry
winds begin TO blow again. All other
expense, including heat, light, furnish
ings. cleaning and the salaries Of en-
ployees is borne by THE Sun.
The bread line has been the fuliilment
OF an obligation and not an advertising
scheme. 4 little more than two years
ago. when the weather was particularly
severe and tn. number Of unemployed
In New York city was distressingly
great. Robert Kami+r. a New York mer-
chant. ro,e a letter to II SIN enclos-
ing a check for 81 900 with the request
that II he used 20 purchase bread for
the hungry.
When the shop for the free distribu-
ito OF bread at $50 Elizabeth street
was opened with Tom Merry and Dick
Bright IN charge II became apparent
| that many other readers Of THE SrN
agreed WIN AIT. htlllbfT liii 81 . ,
man should he fed without a lot OF in
~vestigating first. Liberal contributions
began to pour in AT once for the con-
t!nuatlon of this work.
! When tn. shop IN Elizabeth street wa
opened on March 2, 1910. two hundred
loaycs were distributed. on the Sc Nond
day 500 loaves were given away and the
number grew daily with the number of
applicants, until 1000 loaves daily were
! given away before the arrival OF spring,
hut the contributions always kept pt'e
with the increasing demands. The sec
ond bread depot was opened on December
, m,nds for bread were even greater thar
! the year before Tie depot was kept
open four months.
For the last season the bread depot
was Al . Prince street, Aehind Foley, the
florists shor. and just around the cor
, ner from the Boncry. \ thousand
loaves a day have been given away since
December and the bread lines have FIRE.
| uuently stretched from the Bowery Ut
prince stree, and into Elizabeth street
No questions have been asked and the
bread has been given cheerrully TO al
I who have applied for IL, IA long as II
has lasted. II may Ice that Tom Merry
and Dick Bright have been imposed
upon by undesrrving persons. because
Their. were no Investigations. but M
hungry man has been turned ava
while there was loaf in the shop.
Inc winter has not been as sever,
as some former winters and the amour
OF unemployment has been noticeab',
decreased, hut In a city the size Of New
York there is alw y a certain anoun
of distress when winter cornes and I.
many Of these cases the bread line hai
| been a boon.