the years of the hard times, we find that in 1893 there were 723 and in 1894 there were 1,130. It should be added that the work test is applied to all able-bodied applicants without exception. Special efforts were made to coöperate with private societies in securing work for the inmates of the Lodge, and some slight success was achieved, but we do not feel satisfied with the progress yet made in this direction, and hope to accomplish something more during the coming year. Statistics of the Lodge. TOTAL NUMIBIER OF LOD GERS BY MONTHS. Total number of meals from February ary 31, 1903, 43,324. 1902. September. 1,508 February . 2,171 || October . 1,974 March . 2,190 | November. . 1,949 April . 1,716 || December. . 2,811 May. . 1,676 1903. June 1,514 || January 3,026 July. . 1,529 August . 1,366 23,430 NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL LOIDGERS BY MONTHS. I902. September. 782 February . . 1,170 || October 1,093 March . 1,313 | November. 1,081 April . 1,027 | December. 1,523 May. 940 1903. June 824 J anuary . 1,694 July. 845 *-August 696 12,988 PLACE OF BIRTEI. Number. Per cent. United States . 7,334 56.47 Ireland e . 3,533 27.20 England . e e * 756 5.82 Canada and British Provinces 729 5.61 Scotland 300 2.31 Other countries 336 2.59 12,988 1, 1902, to Janu We are glad to report the Home in good condition. The house has been thoroughly cleaned by the inmates, and minor repairs have been made. Efforts have been made to reduce the number of habitual vagrants and drunkards who apply to the Home. Many have been sent to the almshouse after a careful investigation of their histories, and new rules have been made for the improvement of the Home and for the benefit of the women who go there. A rule has been printed and hung in the office stating that “Any woman coming here under the influence of liquor thereby renders herself liable to be refused admittance to the Home.” Rules have been printed and hung in the nursery as aids in enforcing better care of the children and of the room. The committee gratefully acknowledges the receipt of boxes of clothing from Messrs. O. W. Piehler, Messrs. Geo. E. Plummer & Co., Messrs. Conrad & Co., and Messrs. R. H. White & Co. They are also gratefully indebted to the Boston Sewing Circle for clothing, for pies, cakes, etc., to Messrs. Cobb, Bates & Co.; to the Acton Presbyterian Sunday-school and to Miss A. P. Rogers for Christmas boxes; for a box of books and other useful articles to Miss Haney; for an iron bedstead to Miss B. C. Cummings, and to unknown friends for other useful gifts. Record of Children Admitted to the Home in 1902. 499 children were admitted; of these, 211 were admitted more than once, making the total number of admissions, 610. Of these 210 came with mothers. “ “ 16 were lost children. & 6 & 6 6 were foundlings. “ “ 157 came in various ways. “ “ 88 were sent by the State. “ “ 22 were sent by Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Many of the children brought by the mothers were also admitted under other circumstances. Record of the Women Admitted to the Home in 1902. 140 places secured at domestic service by Industrial Aid Society. 208 places secured at domestic service by the Home. 348 2,631 meals given to 530 women (321 of whom had been inmates) and 63 children. 13 of these women had over 25 meals each. 24 “ “ 66 “ from 10 to 25 meals each. 493 { % & 4 {{ • { 66 1 to 10 { % 46 WEST ROXBURY AND BRIGHTON. These two outlying sections of the city have, until the past year, been cared for by us through agents residing in the districts. We have now placed them under the charge of our regular visitors, having redistricted the entire city in order to bring about this result. An office, at which a visitor is in attendance at regular times, has been established in each district at which applications for aid can readily be made. In this way the whole city is thoroughly covered by our visitors, who report daily at our central office, so that our secretary is constantly in touch with every part of the city. Our work is thus thoroughly organized and every portion of the city is cared for by trained visitors. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. By chapter 213 of the Acts of 1902 the cost to Boards of Health of caring for people having contagious diseases, such as smallpox, diphtheria, etc., in hospitals or otherwise, can be collected by the Boards of Health in the several cities and towns in the Commonwealth, and the settlements of the persons so cared for by the Boards of Health are to be determined by the Overseers of the Poor. This law has entailed upon our settlement clerk a large increase of work, and has necessitated our employing an additional clerk in the central office. STATE CASES IN CITY HOSPITAL. A conference was had with the State Board of Charities and the City Hospital Trustees in order to arrive at some more satisfactory arrangement for determining the extent of the liability of the State for unsettled cases cared for at the City Hospital. As a result of this conference the city will undoubtedly hereafter obtain a much larger return from the State than heretofore. THE COAL FAMINE. The strike of coal miners in Pennsylvania caused a serious coal famine in Boston during December and January, and we were put to a great deal of extra expense by the increased price of coal, and also by the necessity of providing teams to deliver the coal to our poor families. Our custom has always been to ask bids from retail coal dealers throughout the city at the beginning of the season, and to contract with them to supply our needs in quarter-ton lots through the four months of December, January, February and March, at a price which included the cost of delivery. This year we sent out proposals for bids as usual, but none of the local dealers had any coal to furnish us. This obliged us to purchase our coal in bulk, and also to team it ourselves by means of private teams hired for the purpose. We were enabled, by the courtesy of one of the large dealers, to deliver anthracite to all our cases during the time of the stress, and as soon as possible returned to our former practice of delivering through the local dealers. Our thanks are due to the City Superintendent of Streets and his deputies, who kindly assisted us by giving us the free use of many of their teams at times when it was impossible to secure enough private teams to promptly deliver the coal to our applicants. The solving of this coal problem involved a great deal of extra work by our department, and work was done overtime and even on Sundays. We feared lest we should receive a great many more applications for aid on account of the coal famine, but such was not the case. On the contrary, the number of families aided by us in the months of December and January last was one hundred and fifty-one less than in the corresponding two months a year ago. TRUST FUNDS. The total amount of the trust funds in our charge as a corporation is now $776,352,81. The number of beneficiaries now aided from the Pemberton, the Boylston Relief, the David Sears Charity, the Moses Hunt, the Goodnow, the Holton and the Thayer Funds is 238, five less than on February 1, 1902. During the year 21 have died, 2 have gone to insane asylums, 3 have gone to homes, 2 have withdrawn, and in 3 cases we have stopped the pensions which we had been giving. Twentysix new names have been added. We have paid during the year from the Boylston Education Fund $5,215.73. For the details of the various funds held by us, showing receipts and expenditures since February 1, 1902, see statement submitted here with. Extracts from the wills establishing these trusts will be found at the end of this report. FINANCIAL STATISTICS. The reports of the Secretary and Treasurer, submitted herewith, show receipts and expenditures during the last twelve months in detail. A schedule of the personal property in our hands February 1, 1903, is also annexed. Respectfully submitted, |