IF CHRIST CAME TO CHICAGO.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Issue 116, 20 February 1895, Page 3

IF CHRIST CAME TO CHICAGO.

.English, as well as American Press writers, have vied with each other in their abuse of Mr Steed since the p'ublication of the book with tlio startling title. But to those who 'have tried to know and understand why that book was written, and who have considered the sources of Mr Sload's information, the revelations of the London editor have the force of truth. In a late issue of the Chicago Times, for exam]do, there is ' confirmation strong as Holy Writ ' of some of the statements made by Mr Stead. On the morning of Thanksgiving Day, wo glean from the Chicago paper, 7,000 people clamoured for food at the store of Mr J. V. Steger. 'No one could have, seen the great mass of women and children that blocked all traffic without a touch of sadness or heartache.' A few days before Mr Steger announced through' the Times that he would bo prepared to furnish at least *),000 people with a dinner. lie arrived at his store at six o'clock on the morning of Thanksgiving Day. and was surprised to find one hundred women and children waiting for the floors to open. By nine o'clock the ?rowd became so denso that, fifteen' policemen were required to keep them from breaking in the doors. And tvhon the distribution commenced there' was a scene that one could never for-1 yet. Many were the pale, pinched ; faces in that crowd, belonging to < people almost dropping from hunger I md fatigue. Mr Steger stood in the I; loorway, and as his keen eyes espied : v weak, worn-out woman in the throng, ; she was helped to the inside by . a ' jolicemari and fed and refreshed with ivine. Every nine out of ten persons ( n the crowd carried a baiket, and ( ,vhen they left the storo it was tilled 1 0 ovoflrowing with chicken, beef, > >read and tea, and whero the neces- 1 ;ity seemed urgent a bottle of rare ! lort was tucked under the covering by lie wan and pinched ono who carried t away for tho loved and sick ono at lome. There were given away 11,000 ' oaves of broad, 1,200 whole chickens, 10,000' pounds of uncooked, boneless t jeef, a corresponding amount of tea « md severalcasesof port wine. Nickels i md dime a were given away for ear'are, so that few had to walk homo 2 vith their baskets. When the work b vas finished Mr Steger was a tired and f mppy man. To a reporter he said : v 1 am well satisfied with my day's a vork. It lias always been my desire c ;o sometimes aid the poor unfortunates vho have not been so fortunato in life is I havo been. Years ago I used to vatch my employer in Wurtomberg, ' Germany, feed the poor on holidays, f md it seemed to cause so much pure _ joy that I made up my mind that if I '„ 3ver was in a position to do as ho had v lone I would do it. lam not rich in v my sense of the word, but riches could d not bring mo the happiness and satis- .c Paction that I enjoy this minute,' }■ Surely, ' if Christ came to Chicago,' r lie would say to noblo John Steger ; , ; Well douo, good and faithful,, servant.' \