, 1922-02-09

Face to face with unfavorable
economic conditions IN which scores
Of families here have been forced
to exc out a measer existence as
best they could. Casper has realized
that the only way OF correcting the
condition is to rehabilitate the dis
tressed families or individuals by
providing work and thus relieve the
necessity Of near dependents cast
ing their lot with almstakers and
receivers of other charities
Among the most satisfying and
worthy undertakings handled m
Casper at the present time is the
work OF relief carried nj in the
poorer dist-tct t of the city, under
the auspices OF the local Red Cross
This work consists largely Of caring
for destitute families. economically
dependant through the unemploy-
ment of parents or other members
Of families.
The writer recently accompanied
the secretary Of the local Red Cross
on some Of her calls TO ascertain
the conditions prevalent in those
districtz- There were several cases
OF utter poverty, comprising lack OF
living accommodations. need Of
clothing, dearth OF food and heat
and worst of all. no apparent escape
from such circumstances
In one place in a t~o-room base
ment lived a man with his wife and
six children The quarters were
camped and there was insufficient
clothing for the children: food was
screce and what there was of it was
doied out in very meager quantities.
Tho children were young, ranging
from eve months to Is years The
father has an advanced and infec-
touns case of tuberculosis. The fam
lily is now being fed and clothed by
the county, while the field represen-
tatfve of the Red Cross is endeavor-
ing to have the man sent to n sari-
tarium.
In another household was n little
girl, aged seven. with a crippled leg,
the effect OF which wasespreading to
her body. Her parents were unable
to provide for her treatment and
she faced the possibility of being
crippled for life. The girl is nov
in Denver receiving treatment from
n specialist at reduced rates. This
treatment has absolutely enabled
her to walk with the aid of n brace.
There was a family which had
been aided about a month ago. when
they were penniless. The father
had been out of work and he. his
wife and their child became the vic
tins of grim and ~comfortless cir
cumstances, not OF their own max
ing.
I'VE were up against IT," said the
man. A job was secured him and
now the family once again is hap
Ply and independent They had
never asked for charity before AID
were loath to take 81, but It hap
pened that the aid given them was
the saving grace that uded them
owe the lean and meager days.
In another family where the
mother. although unfit for work of
any kind. was earning the bread for
the family, two sons, both ex-serv-
ice men, through quick action. OBJ
tanned their compensation claims
and also were provided jobs. The
family is now in better circum.
ntances and the mother has left the
hard WORK in which she was en-
gagged and spends her time cooking
for her boys.
There are some of the instances of
the work of relief being done among
the poorer citizens of Casper and of
Natrona county. It is undertaken
with the resolve that not yer the
least and the lowliest in our midst
shall be lacking in the of
honorable living and hat they shall
not be kept back IS citizens of Cas-
per from actively working to make
Jul city the center of prosperity its
people hope it to be.