The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-02-08
FIRE RELIEF OFFICIAL
COMES UNDER CRITICISM

so sadly situated that they must
desert their ruined homes and
move into Duluth or more distant
places.
The Rip-saw office has had num-
erous callers for weeks with tales
Of their experiences with the Re-
lief commission and the Florence
Nightingales from New York,
Boston and Chicago who investi-
gate their needs card index them.
In the opinion Of most Duluth
ians, a man like Fred Ward would
have been far superior to Col. Eva
for this work and local talent
would have understood the region,
people, conditions and needs far
better than settlement workers of
patrician blood from the Far East.
Mr.. and Mrs. Sam Peterson
burned out at Scanlon, Carlton
Co., Oct. IL. They lost house and
furnishings worth $4,000 after an
exhausting fight to save the place.
The Cloquet relief committee
gave them 2,700 #. of lumber,
roofing, nails, two small windows
and a door. They had insurance
in the sum Of $1,150.
The Petersons are elderly people
and both have been i'll much of
the time since the fire. When
Mrs. Peterson went to the armory
for a second pair of socks for her
husband, she alleges that the
Florence Nightingale there told
her that she would have to wash
the pair he had and let the socks
dry on his feet.
| A Christmas package contained
a considerable number of useful
little articles but there was a
piece Of calico, about four yards,
that was a curiosity. Nearly
every square foot had a hole in it
and there were smears and stains
on both sides Of the cloth. It
looked like some old curtain and
was disgraceful thing to present
to any woman. This dirty rag can
be seen at the Rip-saw office.
The Petersons stopped at West
Duluth for a time. They stated
that Miss Roberts from Chicago
has headquarters in the West Du-
luth Commercial club rooms and
looks after relief work out there.
It is alleged that this particular
Florence Nightingale called on
! Mrs. Peterson to ascertain her
needs.
els your husband workingg"
was asked.
"No, he has not been able to
work." replied Mrs. Peterson.
"You ought to take a stick to
that husband of yours and drive
him to work." declared the kindly
Red Cross angel.
The Rip-saw does not vouch for
the truth of this case. It merely
repeats the statement made by the
IPetersons. It is not impossible
that the card index at the armory
will show the falsity Of the nara
tive and that the Petersons are
unworthy. They did not look like
an unworthy old couple, however.
John Raikana, three miles from
Munger, with a wife and children,
received no new goods. The peck
let's were torn off mackinaw
given him. He was not furnished
a Backus-paper shack and shoes
and underwear given him and boy
were second hand.
There is much talk about giving
notes and having to pay back for
this and that. This is matter
that must wait for future discus
sion. The Rip-saw does not wish
to do the Relief commission injus-
tice. Some Of the things said here
are not intended to be censorious
but merely to cause discussion and
bring out facts.
The seed bulletin says that free
seed will be furnished in limited
quantities "to those whom the
replacement committee decides
should have it. Additional seed
will be furnished at cost to fire
sufferers on notes, with interest to
Dec. /, 1919"
The application for seed is quite
Ia blank, taking one entire page of
letter paper. And that blank must
be returned by Feb. l.
Concerning the chilling effect Of
fountain pen and card index,
coupled with imported, profess