The first step was to divide the city into five large dis tricts of as nearly equal proportion as possible. These districts were subdivided at first into thirteen smaller districts, but these boundary lines were rearranged from time to time as the work contracted. Each district was given a superintendent who acted under the direction of the general superintendent, and the smaller sub-districts were in charge of a subsuperintendent with supervision over his immediate depot of supplies. At first about ninety men and women were employed to assist each superin tendent, some of whom aided in the distribution, while others visited those whose names were registered, and sought out sufferers who needed aid but did not know where to find it. As soon as practicable a registration was made of each applicant, after which " none were allowed to take supplies from the depot without full entry of name, residence, condition, and other circumstances which would I Report of Chicago Relief and Aid Society, 1874, pp. 139, 140. 2 Ibid., p. 141.
identify the applicant."' The visitor was to keep himself constantly informed as to all the persons thus entered in his district, and to make periodical returns at the office. " He was to learn by observation and inquiry the exact condition of the registered ; whether they were well or ill; whether they were idle or industrious ; whether they were voluntarily idle, in which case they were peremptorily cut off from aid ; whether they were entitled to entire or only partial support ; whether they had other means of support than public bounty ; and, in short, any circumstances in relation to their condition, or habits, or character, which would be a guide as to care which should be given them at the stations. There a ledger account was opened with each of them, in which appeared the returns of the visitors, the supplies given, with their dates, and when they were cut off, if discontinued, and the reasons why." 2 The districts were frequently visited by a general inspector, and a committee on complaints was always ready at headquarters to listen to complaints of neglect or improper treatment, and to provide for their correction if found on inquiry to have been well The report published by the society contains detailed statistics of the number of families aided in each district from about November 11, on which date 12,765 families were receiving aid. According to the records, the total number of different families that were aided from October, 1871, to May, 1873, was 39,242. Assuming an average of four in each family the total number of persons was thus over 150,000. In the month of January, 1872, accounts were opened with 6385 new families, in February with 2417, in March with 1522, and through the remainder of the year with from 100 to 300 a month, according to the At first, as has been indicated, food was given indis criminately and in uncertain quantities. Later it was
reduced to fixed rations, given at intervals of two or three days, and finally of a week. At first bread and crackers were supplied, the latter being entirely contributions from abroad. After families had been supplied with stoves, 1 Report of Chicago Relief and Aid Society, 1874, pp. 142, 143.
2 Ibid., p. 143. a Ibid., p. 143. 4 Ibid., p. 149.
flour was supplied at a greatly diminished expense. Coffee or tea was given as the applicant preferred, but tea, which was the cheaper, was usually The following is an exhibit of the amount and cost of one week's rations for two adults and three children 3 pounds of pork, at 51 cents . . .
$.161 6 pounds of beef, at 5 cents , .30 14 pounds of flour, at 3 cents . . . . . .42 11 pecks of potatoes, at 20 cents .
.25 1 pound of tea, at 80 cents . . .
.20 14. pounds of sugar, at 11 cents .. . . . . .161 1.1 pounds of rice at 8 cents ; or 31 pounds of beans at 31 cents .12 1i pounds of soap, at 7 cents . . . . . . . .09 11 pounds of dried apples, at 8 cents . . .12 3 pounds of fresh beef, at 5 cents . . .15 Total . . . . . . . . . . . $1.98 If bread, at 4 cents per pound, was used instead of flour, the cost was increased . . . . . . . . $.42 If crackers at 7 cents per pound . . . . 1.05 If 11 pounds of coffee instead of tea . . . 17 An ample supply of bituminous coal and special con sideration from the many companies and railways enabled the committee to supply fuel at a weekly cost of $1.121, making the cost of food and fuel for each family $3.114. The demand for fuel being constant and next in impor tance to that for food, a large depot of coal was kept in reserve for emergencies in case of interruption to railroad transportation by snowfalls and other causes during the The need for clothing was "incessant and immense." Large supplies had been sent forward, but these were chiefly of second-hand summer clothing and answered only a temporary, although good, purpose. The necessity for substituting bOter and ,warmer garments was imperative. It was discovered that "the markets of this country could not supply the demand for blankets alone. Piece goods were in many instances given out in measured quantity to applicants to make up for themselves. In this work great assistance was rendered by such associations of ladies as the I Report of Chicago Relief and Aid Society, 1874, p. 150.