New-York tribune., 1874-11-21
MORE FREE LODGING HOUSES NEEDED,

| MORE FREE LODGING-HOUSES NEEDED
! THE HOWARD RELIEF COMMITTEE vACATE THE FIELD
THE BowERY YOUNG MEMS CHRISTIAN AssO-
CIATION. THE STRANGERS REST, AND KINDRED
INSTITUTIONS WELL MANAGED. BUT TOO LIMITED.
general review of the societies of tenn
porary relief In NewYork would not be complete unless
II gave prominent place to tho different forms OF lodg
inghouses opened to tho free Of charge In the
Summer when large boxes. vacant lots backdoor-ways
and the like regarded luxurious sleeping places
by large number Of thieves and vagrants, no
one asks and few care where these outlaws
from society gain taetr rest; and the slice pers
themselves make complaint, are as well
suited perhaps tho majority OF residents with their
quarters and Certainly accustomed to the prvation
which such life entails At the approach of the Win
ter however, the worst of these people drag them
selves from one retreat another the hopo OF find
ing warmer and more comfortable surroundings They
hunt out old and uunhabei tenements food the sta
tion-houses. beg restngpace In cellars or saloons
The miserable dens furnished at the several police sta
tions for odgngs-without ventilation, nlthy
and narrow-are only less disgusting than
the wretches who nhabit them, and who have
the scanest rags. the drtiest bodies. and tho vest
habits None, it would seem, who have ever seen bet
days could spend their nights here without lees
would be difficult to imagine what could be worse Aud
yet during the Winter especially when ,hers Is snow
on the ground. there are thousands VINO are are
glad to obtain lodgings even In these VIE
a
different stations until they are all tlled The police
records show that upwards OF 9oOO) lodgings were
The present year or these nearly One-fourth were
gwen to women and fully three-iourths to haotual
dodgers Less than One-fourth were Americans, and
more than one-half were rish the Germans numbering
less than Americans the English only Few thon-
sand and 35 other naOnaites claiming the remainder
But in such seasons last Winter there Is far df
ferent class of persons VINO are deprived OF shelter
Tneir inability to obtain work rather than any form OF
dissipation produces such misfortune Men who have
failed in business and yielded TO melancholy teachers
fHa An
market OF great city. clerks and bookkeepers
no have spent their small savings to no avnii III a
yertsing for situations and workers In all lines OF
skilled labor the victims OF radesunon lndis-
creton or are unable to get @ u
who abound every manufacturing community, with
nosPps Sne he painful but only
can ned or the actual number ana coniton OF
these homeless wanderers except by seeing them as
they flock to few respectable lodginghouses where
decency and good order are secured .,-,
The most commOdiOus OF free lodging houses intended
for classes of unfotunates that was IN operation
during the severest portion ot last Wner was tnat Oh
the Howard Relief Committee IN Leonard.st. GROWING
out Of a movement in the seventh street Methoiist
Gntamn months ont foreted must be done committee
was formed Of fifteen person, the od pOmee stStos N
Thompsonst were repaired freshly painted. and trans
formed into attractive and comfortable houses anu ac
sons Tue former place opened in December and.
contrary to the orlgnai desISn Kitchen aad dining
provided for the hungry ana weilVehtIated
apartments for the .n cold reached ana tS. OF
ccommodations-nearly 400. and night after night
scores no ore room The house was finally
opened on Feb. 10, and was for many weeks well pat
pnmzsd Between Dec. 10 and April 49, the number of
odnes given IN Leonard st. 26535, and the number
OF free meals 523O Betweel Feb ~ anu Aprll l6 tie
TnOmpson-s house furnished 6,26l lodgings and 56O16
meals Besides the indoor work l.oso families were
visited aud relieved Tue CONTRIBUTORS IN essn
nfsns wers se re:sSed The actual cost per meal
was a including IN the estimate the cost OF re-
Cost per meal was only 2. cents. Ofne whole number
of dodgers received less than onesxtn were men wlth-
out trades ami nearly sixth were clerks Twenty
four naIonaties were represented but fully onetenth
of the applicants Americans, ono hfteenth lrlsh
one-tweneth Germans, onetwenty-third English THIS
association having performed an important winters
work dissolved on April 2s rs mission had been
with the more sensitive and intelligent Of the deserving
poor the had been done gratuitousy and II was
generally credited with having acted wisely and with
proper discretion When the charity was discontinued
there were large number OF useful arucles suited to
large institutions aud charities. A large portion OF
these were given to the Hampton Normal and Agrlcu-
tural Institute Hampton Va another iot 10 tne rye
Points Mission, and few TO the Home LOT FALLEN Wo,
men, Five Points House Of Industry and other local
The Young Mems Christian Association at No lsi Bow
cry connection with lts religious worE does mucn Ia
the way Of general relief and untes Win the Clty MIS-
sustaining az e, Dr
relieved, 66sTs meals were gwen 61I garments @ 500
eort is made by the Rev john Dooly the secretary 70
secure employment for idle men: TorouRn thls means
sOs situations furnised. In TINS WORK nothing
charged the employer empoye. special attempt is
now making to obtain employment IN lne country.
Advertisements have been placed IN many & western & ana
room for workingmen Applcatons come IN 81 SioTy NY
TRIBUNE that he could collect companies of hundreds
who would gladly go into the country FOR labor at low
hoard Laborng men, who had experienced the hard
amps OF Winter in NewYOrk were not disposed he
Sonse life Show me employment, he added. and will
show you take advantage OF Win snort delay
ssesUt ronHders meals are sold at ye cents
each tickets to merchants ana Others at tO per
vssr 100 600 meals were sold Tue object of the
ton Is improve In every possible way the condition
open to them and library they have the use Of the
tables and OF writing materials tney arc invited 10
exhibitions lectures to tho regular preaching ser
vices Sunday evenings BY these means ana many
6omeike Of places to the poor 1t Is placed at
their service all the year and 50 popular resort has 1t
become that the rooms are ana tue chApe
itself is used for an emDloynen office.
The Strangers Rest Lodginghou in Pearl-st. OF
operation years and although OF small capa
city most complete free lodging house Ia the city
Hardly more than 80 persons be accommodated but
there s offered every that could be desired
system Of bath rooms Is provided and each applicant
ia reouired to make good use Of the baths the intro
duoIon Of vermin into the building is prevented
by ingenious plan; she sleeping .nlna. spsrtmlsn.s
aud the bedding Is as fresh and and wholesome s'i5S
as the dsintes. woman could ask n,,,,d ior Kigid
the rooms talking forbidden In the chambers after
Sestn satasa and them refused 70 the privileges
Of the establishment The readingroom 10 provided
with good collection OF papers and pamphleu. The
Of this charity have been at No 60 Pearl
Ct, but u change 10 now maxng aud only tho house No
sos will be used hereafter The chambers or this build
ng we're formerly used and the removal dimnshes the
lodging capacity 70 some extent. but the best arrange
me III possible under the circumstances has been made
Other lodging houses that were important aids last
year. and still In successful operation are the Help
ina Hand on Waterst. the Sailors Home Cherry-st
the Free Dormtory for Women on Amlty-st., and the
several lodging houses for boys or girls OF the Gn
drens Aid Society the hardship OF the coming Win-
ter to that Of the last one, tnere can
hardly fall DO u great deficiency In this
respect unless some temporary association, Ike
tho Howard Rruiei. springs up 20 meet
lhJ Nalr Aaa sVu1sss W." H'eu0u"'