Here is a family story on the Marcovitch / Birstein Side
KINDLY REGINA MERCHANT DIES
Dewdney Ave. Man Befriended many Transients in Northern District
Kindly “Mac” Marcovitch, 65-years old Dewdney Avenue, storekeeper, who befriended many a transient who came to his shop, is dead. Mr. Marcovitch died Thursday in Regina hospital. He had been ill for two months. For some years he operated a store at 610 Dewdney Avenue and never once was known to keep a hungry man from his door. Men who came to the “Jungle” * just north of his store, were often befriended. He kept one transient during a two weeks cold snap until the weather warmed sufficiently to permit the traveler to continue on his way. He was born in Roumania 65 years ago, coming to this country when 30 years of age, settling in Winnipeg and opened a store business, a business he was in all his life. Fourteen years later he move to Cupar, Saskatchewan and then six years later to Regina, where he opened the present store. He is survived by one son, William, and three daughters, Caroline, Mrs. A. (Edith) Birstein, Regina, and Mrs, A. (Lottie) Stengle. He was predeceased by his wife (Gertrude) in 1929.Services were held from the House of Jacob Friday afternoon with Rabbi Max Kalef officiating. Internment was made at the Regina Jewish Cemetery.
Near every city "jungle” grew up in which the homeless men made their temporary headquarters before passing on to the next centre. Sanitary conditions in these ‘jungles’ began to receive unfavourable publicity, ‘rod-riding’ on the railroads was severely criticized, there arose grave concerns that the wandering men were a threat to the life and property , and by 1939 the situation came to be considered a national scandal. –L.Richter, Canada’s Unemployment Problem
