National Republican., 1878-12-03
A LUyCH ron A PENNY.
How the Poor OF Washington LIvc-Fccding
400 People Twice u Day, aud An for Two
Cents Apiece.

How the Poor Of Washington Livs-Fccding
400 People Twice Day, aud An for Two
Cents Apiece.
Washington correspondence of the Philadelphia
Times.
There Is an institution in Washington that
Is worth initiating in other cities; for | take 1t
that In these hard times there are very many
poor people IN every city who cannot get work
aud are without food. / refer to what Is known
as the Penny Lunch. Washington Is city
which naturally has more than It's share of
poor people, for they come here from all parts
Of the country in vain search for Government
positions, and It Is, In addition, the centre of
the INDECENT negro population OF many adja-
cent States. About year ago, at time when
there was unusual suffering here among tho
poorer classes, and all manner of suggestions
were being made rs TO what should be done 10
relieve the prevailing poverty and want,
lady named Mrs. Roberts started what is now
known here by everybody as the penny
lunch" Sho was ut that time. or Ind been,
clerk in tue Interior Department. and was n
regular contributor to one OF the Sunday
papers. Sho conceived the idea Of supplying
hungry people with lunch for penny, aud
from very small beginning she has made the
lunch success and increased its advantages.
until now II Is n permanent institution, aud
one OF the most sensible and practical chari-
ties In the country. Mrs. Roberts was aided
In the undertaking By some friends, who ap.
preciatcd her energy and knew the kindness
of her heart She began by soliciting per-
sonaly small contributions from the business
men, bag of flour here, bushel Of beans
there, barrel of meal of one person, load of
coal Of another, o hundred loavcs Of bread Of
another, cornod beef of another, fresh meat of
another, pork Of another, a load of wood of
another, and so on through the city. She re-
fused nothing, but patiently kept at work. In
due time she had money enough to rent for
month two small rooms in q back street. She
borrowed stove, begged few plates, bowls.
cups and saucers, spoons, knives and forks,
and other necessary implements. She had
printed number Of small tickets, reading:
zone Cent Good for One Lunch. No. 1915
L street" Those tickets she popularized by
selling them In packages Of fifty aud one hum
dred to ladies and gentlemen, who in turn gave
them to beggars and destitute persons in the
streets.
Mrs. Roberts started very modestly, giving
her entire time to the enterprise and working
with surprising zeal and patience. At first
she gave plate of soup and a piece of bread
for penny, and before she knew II she could
not supply the wants of those who called.
Many labOring men with large families and no
work came regularly and sent their wives aud
children with their pennies to get a square
meal" 1t became the popular thing. W. W.
Corcoran aud many Of the other rich and
aristOCratic people visited Mrs. Roberts aud
ate her soup. II was pronounced excellent,
and there were many money contributions Us
n result. Ofcoursc the expenses of such an cs
tablshment rs Mrs. Roberts could not be pad
by charging only pcnny for a lunch, but the
contributions from the people were SO small and
spread over so wide surface that the expense
was not felt by anybody. One man promised to
give fifty loavrs Of bread week during the
winter, another promised to give two dozen
soup bones per week, another promised 81 u
week, and n large number of subscribers were
obtained at fifty cents and twenty-five cents
week. The number of people fed by Mrs.
Roberts last winter | cannot pretend TO give,
but the total Is enormous. She now feeds
about 400 people twice u day. Her quarters
arc necessarily crimpcd,aud only about twcnt,
can be accommodated at once. From lunch
in the middle OF the day she has enlarged her
plan, aud now furnishes breakfast aud dinner.
For breakfast her bill of fare Is mush aud mo.
luss1s, cOllrc, aud corn bread. For din
nGr soup, corn bread, and coffee. Occa-
siOmally, ii contributions arc unusually
liberal, she will give boiled beans and
n little pork or some potatoes. The most
rigid economy Is rrncticcd, aud every scrap of
food Ii made available. She pays her cook s.
month, and with tho assistance of two or
three colOrCd boys, who work for their board,
she gets on pretty well. OF COURSE the bOarlcrs
arc not as particular rs some might be under
other circumstances. Each day ut eight O'clOcl;
in the moruing and three in tho afternoon the
crowd gathers IN front Of the building. Details
of policemen keep tho hungry ones ia order,
aud u line stretches far along the strect-mcu,
women, and children. | saw this crowd to.
day. There were rs good faces in II as you
would sec on Chestnut street or anywhere else.
There were both men aud women who were
dcccutly at,ircd and who were evidently gem
tlomen and ladies. Hanger is u great lcvclcr