Produced by David Edwards and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive.) THE CHILDREN OF THE POOR [Illustration] THE CHILDREN OF THE POOR BY JACOB A. RIIS AUTHOR OF "HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES" _ILLUSTRATED_ NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1908 COPYRIGHT, 1892, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS PREFACE To my little ones, who, as I lay down my pen, come rushing in from the autumn fields, their hands filled with flowers "for the poor children," I inscribe this book. May the love that shines in their eager eyes never grow cold within them; then they shall yet grow up to give a helping hand in working out this problem which so plagues the world to-day. As to their father's share, it has been a very small and simple one, and now it is done. Other hands may carry forward the work. My aim has been to gather the facts for them to build upon. I said it in "How the Other Half Lives," and now, in sending this volume to the printer, I can add nothing. The two books are one. Each supplements the other. Ours is an age of facts. It wants facts, not theories, and facts I have endeavored to set down in these pages. The reader may differ with me as to the application of them. He may be right and I wrong. But we shall not quarrel as to the facts themselves, I think. A false prophet in our day could do less harm than a careless reporter. That name I hope I shall not deserve. To lay aside a work that has been so long a part of one's life, is like losing a friend. But for the one lost I have gained many. They have been much to me. The friendship and counsel of Dr. Roger S. Tracy, of the Bureau of Vital Statistics, have lightened my labors as nothing else could save the presence and the sympathy of the best and dearest friend of all, my wife. To Major Willard Bullard, the most efficient chief of the Sanitary Police; Rabbi Adolph M. Radin; Mr. A. S. Solomons, of the Baron de Hirsch Relief Committee; Dr. Annie Sturges Daniel; Mr. L. W. Holste, of the Children's Aid Society; Colonel George T. Balch, of the Board of Education; Mr. A. S. Fairchild, and to Dr. Max L. Margolis, my thanks are due and here given. Jew and Gentile, we have sought the truth together. Our reward must be in the consciousness that we have sought it faithfully and according to our light. J. A. R. RICHMOND HILL, LONG ISLAND, October 1, 1892. CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I. THE PROBLEM OF THE CHILDREN, 1 CHAPTER II. THE ITALIAN SLUM CHILDREN, 10 CHAPTER III. IN THE GREAT EAST SIDE TREADMILL, 35 CHAPTER IV. TONY AND HIS TRIBE, 58 CHAPTER V. THE STORY OF KID MCDUFF'S GIRL, 87 CHAPTER VI. THE LITTLE TOILERS, 92 CHAPTER VII. THE TRUANTS OF OUR STREETS, 118