The Snow Came, but the Shoveling Jobs Didn’t
Seattle’s charity bureau reported a daily crush of destitute applicants, and even a snowfall failed to create the usual day labor—householders did the shoveling themselves.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Agent Gilmer, of the Bureau of Associated Charities, reports a daily demand for food and clothing from people in destitute circumstances who cannot secure work. He supplies the demands to the extent of his resources and stock on hand, but looks to the charitably inclined to replenish his inadequate stock. The snowfall yesterday was expected to prove a benefit to the poor in the way of securing jobs shoveling snow from walks, but even in this they were disappointed, as the prevailing hard times caused every householder to do the work himself or leave it undone, and thus deprive the enterprising poor, who started out in every direction of the city with broom and shovel.
“The prevailing hard times caused every householder to do the work himself or leave it undone, and thus deprive the enterprising poor, who started out in every direction of the city with broom and shovel.”
In the depression winter of 1895, Seattle’s charity bureau could hand out food and clothing but could not conjure work. The same gap—relief without jobs—still shapes debates over unemployment benefits, day labor and who is expected to shovel the snow.
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