tical mode of administering and distributing the private charities of this great city, to examine and establish the necessary means for obtaining full and reliable information of the condition and wants of its poor, and to put into practical and efficient operation the best system of relieving and preventing want and pauperism. It is managed by a Board of Directors, owns the building in which its offices and rooms are established, and has been in successful operation for some twenty years. The whole theory of its management is, that charity is not a matter of feeling, but of judgment; as was tersely stated by a writer in one of our magazines not long since, that each case must be examined, put on trial, and disposed of on its merits;" that general information must be had from time to time of the number of unemployed men in the city, and of the demand for labor, and particular information of the character and antecedents of the applicant, and of the reasons why aid is needed; that a discrimination must be made between those who are helpless from misfortune and those whose misery arises from their own default; and that to aid the willingly idle man or woman, or any one who can help himself, is in the highest degree hurtful to the person aided and to society at large. Its more immediate duty has been to extend aid to that class of worthy and industrious poor, who, by reason of sickness, accident, loss of employment or of property, have fallen temporarily behind, and to rescue them from permanent pauperism by timely assistance; to extend a helping hand to widows with dependent children, to aged and infirm people partly able to help themselves, to single women when work suddenly ceases; and, above all, to so do this, that the public may at all times have at its door an efficient agent to distribute its charities if they will have it so, and, as far as may be, to prevent the injurious and wasteful results of indiscriminate giving.

It employs paid and experienced visitors, under the immediate direction of a qualified and able Superintendent; it makes careful inquiry, and keeps a record of each case, discriminating in favor of those in whom habits of temperance and industry give promise of benefit from the aid furnished; not embracing in the sphere of its operations such as are the proper subjects for the poorhouse or the action of the county officers; and so accurate is this record, and so methodical the manner in which it is kept, that actual experience proves for some years past that out of every hundred applications the Superintendent has been able to give the

antecedents of at least seventy-five of the applicants. It is a record of the meritorious poor of the city, and of a very large number of those whose applications should be denied. It has now on this record the names of over fifty thousand persons, and the special facts affecting each case.

Its value as an organization was tested by the wide-spread destitution and want caused by the great fire of 1871. Possessing the confidence of the public, the city authorities turned over to it for management and distribution the contributions of money and property so freely sent at that time to aid the suffering people of this city; and it speedily brought order, method, and direct and perfect supervision to the enormous burthen thus thrown upon it. Economy was sought in every way. After the first few days, in which relief was necessarily indiscriminate, systematic and reasonably assured efforts were made to defeat impositions; to search out and aid needy sufferers; to withhold encouragement of idleness, and to guard against extravagant or injudicious distribution. Besides the distribution of the articles of property that came under its control, it has disbursed of this fund over $5,000,000; and the magnitude of its operations is evidenced by a summary of its work, or part of it, for the first eighteen months after the fire. In this period it aided 39,242 families, numbering 156,968 persons; and it distributed during the same period 50,000 tons of coal, 16,449 bedsteads, 28,961 mattresses, 77,645 blankets, 10,855 "comfortables," 15,429 stoves, 77,000 pairs of shoes, 137,994 pieces of men's clothing, 165,000 pieces of women's clothing, 107,000 pieces of children's clothing, and fuel, food, and furniture in proportion. Carpenters, masons, tinners, bookbinders, locksmiths, tailors, shoemakers, and workmen in almost every branch of mechanical industry were supplied with tools; machinery of various kinds was furnished; surgeons, dentists, and engineers were provided with instruments of their respective callings; sewing women were aided in obtaining sewing-machines, 2,353 of these being paid for in full, and 2,065 in part, by the Society; 9,000 houses were built and furnished, and over $600,000 were distributed among the various charitable institutions that had been either burned or seriously crippled, — the resources of their patrons having been cut off. And money was granted in various amounts to aid applicants in the re-establishment of such business or mechanical employment as seemed to afford a sufficiently-assured prospect of yielding a support to them and their families.

Some waste was, in the beginning, inevitable. The task was immense; not only the aged, the sick, the infirm, children and women, but men also, were suddenly thrown upon the hands of the Society. The city was speedily districted, registration was resorted to at the outset, a complete staff was organized, visitors were employed, inspectors were appointed, relief stations were established, and a full report was required daily from each district. The several superintendents met the Executive Committee almost every day, to make or hear suggestions, to answer criticisms or complaints, and to report progress and suggest improvements, if possible, in the working machinery. A general inspector made frequent examinations; a Committee of Complaints was always ready to hear complaints, and, if well founded, to apply the remedy. The endeavor was to reduce to the smallest possible percentage injudicious or unnecessary relief, and to extend aid to all who were justly entitled to it.

Very many families and persons crippled by the fire yet struggled on, neither asking nor wishing aid, though seriously crippled in their resources, till the panic of 1873, and then, or from time to time at later dates, made their necessities known. The fund had been husbanded to meet just such an emergency; and, since then, over $500,000 has been expended largely to provide for such cases. It has now been distributed, what remains being less than the interest that the money gained while thus husbanded.

I have given, perhaps somewhat too much in detail, an account of this Society, because it has attempted in a philosophical manner so to administer charity as not to injure, or to do the least injury possible, to the giver, the recipient, and to society. Its Directors are among the most prominent of the business and professional men of the city, and they give it personal attention; the name of its Superintendent is almost a synonym for promptness, efficiency, and careful, prudent discrimination. Understanding well that pauperism is dangerous to touch, and yet cannot be left alone, they are endeavoring to deal with it in a prudent, rational, and discerning manner; to stop blind giving; to put an end to soup-houses; to discourage all indiscriminate alms without investigation.

This Society does not take the place of that kindly sympathy which leads us to help our suffering neighbor whose wants are assuredly known, nor of the considerate and delicate solicitude of

religious or other benevolent fraternities for those immediately within their own jurisdiction and charge; but, outside of these, it aids the general public in this branch of its duties with system, and by an organization so complete, that, if the whole community would work through it, that portion of the charitable work of the city within its province would be done with method, and none duplicated. It is supported wholly by voluntary contributions, and administers its charity in the way which in each case seems most advisable. For the fiscal year of 1878 it expended $45,620, and aided a small fraction over 1,600 families, containing, in the aggregate, over 13,700 persons, men, women, and children. Of these families, 1,045, or about two-thirds, received aid only once; 310, twice; 150, three times; so that but a few over one hundred were aided more than three times. Including the cost of disbursement, $28.51 were disbursed for each family, or $3.32 for each person.

Next in order in the manifold duties assumed and performed, comes the Home for the Friendless, also a chartered institution, organized for the purpose of affording protection, assistance, and employment to worthy indigent women and children, until other and permanent homes and means of support can be secured for them. It is under the direction of a board of managers, consisting of twelve ladies chosen from the city at large, and one or more ladies from such of the churches of the city and vicinage as co-operate with it; and it has the usual staff of officers. It has a property worth about $100,000, and a capacity for about 200 inmates at one time. As parts of its organization, it has a Home Industrial School and a Home School, the former including the boys and girls over twelve years of age, the latter the younger children; and also a Burr Mission, or Free Chapel, and a Burr Industrial School, - the last two, as well as the Home Industrial School, being wholly, or in the main, supported by the revenue derived from money contributed during his life, and a bequest made by the late Jonathan Burr. The Home proper is almost wholly supported by voluntary contributions. Concisely stated, its officers and lady managers seem to think and to act upon the idea that it is their duty to shelter and provide for all the women and children coming, or that are brought, to them, who are worthy, and temporarily without a home; and in performance of such duty, they, during the year 1878, cared for 1,283 women and 639 chilthe women remaining from two days to two weeks, the

dren,

children, till homes could be provided for them. This is about the average for some years past. During the same year, its cash expenditure was $9,928.64, besides food, clothing and fuel contributed in kind, and to a very large amount. It owns its building, grounds, and furniture, which have cost about $50,000. It is not possible to state the average cost of each individual, because of the large amount given to it in the form of supplies.

Besides several minor institutions of which I have no statistics (and not including the Illinois Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary, a state institution, which has cost about $80,000, and has a capacity for 150 patients; or the Marine Hospital, a government institution), there are eight hospitals of a cost, capacity, and average

number of inmates as follows:
: -

The Cook-county Hospital, for the treatment of all diseases except those which are contagious, which cost $2,000,000, and has capacity for 300 patients, the average number of inmates being 250, or 83 per cent of its capacity.

The Chicago Hospital for Women and Children, designed to afford a home, and medical and surgical aid, to women and children among the respectable poor, and to train competent nurses, and affording a free dispensary. Cost, $30,000; capacity, 25; average attendance, equal to its capacity.

The Hahnemann Hospital, for the care and treatment of the sick and needy; cost, $25,000; capacity, 175; average attendance, equal to its capacity.

Woman's Hospital of the State of Illinois, for the treatment of diseases and accidents peculiar to women. The building occupied by this charity is rented. Capacity, 20; average attendance 15: 75 per cent of its capacity.

Mercy Hospital, for the care and treatment of the sick. Cost, $150,000; capacity, 350; average attendance, 75 per cent of its capacity, or about 263.

St. Joseph's Hospital, for the care of the sick. Cost, $75,000; capacity, 100; average attendance, 50, being 50 per cent of its capacity.

Alexian Brothers' Hospital, for the care of the sick. Cost, $80,000; capacity, 100; average attendance, equal to capacity.

St. Luke's Hospital, for the care of the sick; value of property, $25,000; capacity, 45; average attendance, equal to capacity.

The property of these eight hospitals is valued at $2,385,000. Their united capacity affords accommodation for 1,120 patients.