selected the kind of machine desired.' In the judgment of the committee this form of relief was productive of great good. " It rendered a large number of worthy and industrious sewing women, whose means of subsistence had been wholly destroyed by the fire, at once self-support ing." The relief effected by this committee was varied. "Car penters, masons, tinners, bookbinders; locksmiths, tailors, shoemakers, and workers in almost every branch of me chanical industry, were supplied with tools ; machinery of various kinds was furnished ; surgeons, dentists, and engineers were supplied with the instruments of their respective callings. Many persons were aided with furni ture and means to open boarding-houses.
" The aim of the committee in this class of cases was, by aiding the applicant with the needful tools and appli ances for prosecuting some kind of business or industrial pursuit, to enable him, at the earliest practicable period, to obtain a support, and relieve him from the necessity of any further application for assistance.
" The relief thus afforded extended to a class in our community, who, while they were the severest sufferers by the fire, had hitherto received less than any other from the relief funds.
" Money which simply placed in the applicant's posses sion the means of earning his own support could be re ceived without and without injury ; and the machinery and appliances which were thus purchased were not lost, but constituted lasting additions to the produc tive industry of the community." 2 As rapidly as possible the same degree of system and efficiency was introduced into the provision for the sick and disabled, as was shown in other departments, emergency and necessarily crude devices being supplanted, as changed circumstances permitted, by definite arrangements with suitably equipped hospitals, the establishment of dispen saries, and the adoption of sanitary measures to prevent epidemics.
Report of the Chicago Relief and Aid Society, 1874, p. 200. This
probably refers to the make and not the quality of the machine. 2 Report of Chicago Relief and Aid Society, 1874, p. 201.
Although after the fire there was no lack'of employ ment, particularly of unskilled labor, it was nevertheless thought prudent to establish an employment bureau, which was of service in connection with the work of the Special Committee, the Committee on Transportation, and in other ways. The bureau did not undertake to find employment for women, although cooperating societies gave abundant employment to A special contribution of $50,000 was sent to the mayor of Chicago by A. T. Stewart on October 10. As it was the desire of the donor that it should be mainly devoted to the aid of self-supporting women and widows and children, it remained untouched until November 15, although a committee had earlier been appointed, in part by the donor himself and in part by the Relief and Aid Society. When the distribution of this fund was taken up, "records of the several distributing districts were examined to ascertain approximately the number of appli cants of the classes designated that might be reasonably expected to apply for aid from this fund.
" It was thus ascertained that the percentage of widows and single women dependent upon their own exertions for support who had been burned out was about 34 per cent." The committee fixed $100 as the maximum to be given in any one case, which amount was after ward increased to The society itself continued disbursements to the same class through the same committee from the month of March, 1872, until the expenditures amounted to $95,100.
There were 915 approved applicants for relief from the Stewart Fund of $50,000, and 808 for relief from an addi tional $45,100. Of the persons aided, 651 were single women, 1989 widows, and there were 3215 children.
1 Report of Chicago Relief and Aid Society, 1874, pp. 272, 273. 1 Ibid., p. 282.