Smyrna times., 1866-02-14
The Poor of New York-A harity.


No one not familiar with the wants and evil,
of New York city, can have an idea of the
large number of entirely homeless men and W.T.
men always drifting about our streets 1t is
they who especially fill up the vile cellars des-
crlbed recently with such graphic effect by the
Police commissioners. For few pennies they
secure lodgings in these unhealthy places.
where thieves and vacrantS and the lowest pros
tltutes cOngrcgate. There they sleep on the
tiOor or on filthy beds, crowded together in one
low room, all ages and sexes together Other.
again are too poor or too lazy to provide even
the few pen'e required for the price of their
lodging, AMI take in preference the station
houses, where they pass under the title of
bummerS, and vagabOnds, and "revolv-
ers, until they become so we'll known aud are
so habltuaIIy vagrant and idle as to be sent up
to the Island
But among these street wanderers and house
less persons are some of much better class -
In large city innumcrahle accidents throw
people ont on the world or leave them aA,it
Men come in from the country ami expect
work, but do not tnd 1t at once. and gradually
eXpcn all their means. Mechanics are takr,,
sick, and on their recovery je>prcii.y ii thcy
, are foreigners find themselves without morley
or friends, and are forced to leave their board
ing house for want Of any ready Imcans with
which to pay board. Families are turned sud
denly out by landlords bccau>c unable to pay
their rents women enter the city to seek rela-
| tiyeS or to secure employment. and cannot find
either; girls are put out Of doors by angry pa
rents, or i'll 4 fit Of despair or temper, run
away
Thus all the while. from one cause or other,
honest and industrious persons luay for a short
period be left on our streets entirely hOuSec IS
and tricndleSS. 1t is such misfortune which
every week is running some unhappy young
girl, or driving decent young men into the COM
panionship of thieves and vagabonds. London
attempts to remedy this evil, both by three
penny private lodging rooms, by pay model
lodgings, and by wOrk-hou>es in the different
parishes, open to all.
New York has done much for the youthful
portion Of this homeless population But for
the adult homeless nothing has thus far been
done, except the simple experiment now being
tried by the " Commissioners Of Charity. -
This board, feeling the great evil of homeless
ness among the honest poor, have, with char
acteristic energy and wisdom, opened a free
night lodging house No regular vagrants,
bunmers revolyers or drunkards are admitted;
indeed the officer in charge says they do not
apply. The applicants are mostly discharged
soldiers, mechanics, and country laborers, fire.
Quently Germans by descent. Their stories Of
| AAOhCSI pONCIll1 III Il City lull VI wealth. ailC
Offering work everywhere, are most strange anC
touchinr. Here tales of hat distress which
comes near to despair and starvation are to!C
every day, and under circumstances which for
bid doubt or denial. Though but little ha
been said publicly about the institution, forty
or fifty homeless men and women sleep her,
every night III a warm room and on good straw
beds, receive their cup Of coffee and piece o
bread the next morning, and then 60 cut t,
look for work-pcrhaps before night gaining
liberal wages, and never returning. Indce,
only three or four nights are allowed to eacl
person, 80 as not to encourage pauperi>m. =
Here the Industrious but unfortunate foreigne
is saved from a nights companionship witt
rogues and vagrants, in cellar-lodgngs or sta
ton houses. Here the homeless woman, paus
ing on the brink of the terrible abyss whicl
absolute deStitution opens to her, can lool
about her and seek for honest employment =
1t is simple but most effective charity.