The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-22
LITTLE MEALS FOR A cEar.
How u Part of the superauoUs Popuis-
ton of st. Louis Are Enabled 20 Keep
Breath Tn Their Bosiies-A BED for
Ten Cents.


as the Free Evangelists Home and Free
Bureau, began the third year
OF It's existence yesterday morning Fhe
is now no longer venture, but
an established success, having supplied
spiritual and worldly comfort TO thousands
of people.
Mr.. Penrose Chapman, the originator and
present manager. opened the Inn on New
Years day OF 1877 with q free dinner TO Sc
moor peopIe and q few invited guests The
and at night cipher represented the Cash
on hand. All night conveniences had been
prepared but for six people, and the charge
for each one was only 10 cents. This was
enough to start small cash account, how
ever, and the next day the income was in
creased at the restaurant counter, where /
good meals were gwen out at from 8 to 10 |
cents each. While the appointments of the |
house were plain, the bed and board were /
such that e. guest seldom made his first visit /
the last; and, although facts and figures /
given further on will show that profits were I
small and outgoing charity great, the l
institution lived and hourished, un-
til to day an average OF 1l6 people !
are nightly lodged there, many of them free /
of charge, while those to whom food is sold !
or given each day are numbered by the hun
died.
The object of the inn is the salvation and
elevation OF poor, frierdless and needy men,
and it seeks this by bringing them TO the
trades and providing food in abundance and
other comforts at very little cost, giving in
extreme cases, and IN sickness having always
an OMEN band. In this good work Mr.. Chap
man is much assisted by many outside char
itably inclined ciTizens and firms Knowing
that
NEW YEARS DAY WOULD DE CELEBRATED
at the inn, representative of The Globe
Democrat visited the place in anticipation OF
seeing something about which at least lit
tie something o. interest could be said.
The Inn is located at pa Broadway, or
rather it takes in the first fioof of 22i and
the second and third floor OF do and l pa.
The first floor is used solely as a restaurant,
the outside appearance OF which has nothing
remarkable about it. There is one door and
a large projecting show window in 'front.' on
the glass panes of the latter appropriate BIZ
BILE quotations are painted, together with the
prices of various accommodations afforded
by the house, The reporer entered the Inn
about o'clock in the evening, and found
himself in the midst of about fifty men.
Some were eanDg at a long counter which
lined the rooms whole left, saye small
space at each end-one at the front window
for the clerks desk, and lie other for stair
way to the kitca, n; others were scattert d
about the rooms in small groups or separate
IL, talking, smoking, picking their teeth and
meditatiDg. OCCASIONALLY one or more
would go up or come down the stairway inst
n
being waited on at the clerks desk. The
men, most of them, bsd the appearance of
day laborers, while a few were dressed with
an idea to comfort, and presented rather
genteel appearances. One or two were evil
IDENTIFY fit subjects to attract a blue-ribbon
movement in their direction.
Behind the lunch counter were two or
three shelves loaded with dishes, and such
food as pastry, bread, etc there were also
tin tanks for coffee, tea and water Scat
tered about on the walls were innumerable
placards bearing such inscriptions as sThey
that seek the Lord shall not want any good
thing" and IF a man will not work,
NEITHER SHALL HE EAT"
The room was lighted by coal oil lamps
suspended from the ceiling. Besides the
lunch counter there were three or four pine
board tables; at the farther end of the room,
where is located the kitchen stairway, q
small place was psrtitioned off as sort of
pantry, where dishes were washed and meals
received from the kitchen on sort of dumb
waiter. SUCH appeared the restaurant OF
the Industrial Friendly Inn.
A hymn was being sung bs those up Stare,
and could be easily heard by those below.
The reporter was directed 70 the second floor
as place where the singing was, and where
(, Mr. Chapman could be found The stairs
led directly into room the same size as the
/ restaurant. The farther end contained
wash room where the basins were of marble,
! and bath of hot and cold water. The rest
OF the room was, on ordinary occasions, used
| solely as a general sleeping apartment, but
! was now occupied by about so or % men,
sitting on beds and chairs. and taking part
IN the religious services that were being held.
| Mr.. Chapman, being assisted in the services
I by number of other gentlemen, DEVOTED a
short time to the reporter, who was taken
! into the managers room, small and plainly
/ furnished apartment on the second floor
! front of Do. and there furnished with GER
tain facts regarding the institution.
That day Mr.. Chapman had given free
dinner to over $50 men, the dinner consist
| ing of turkey, venison, beef, pork, coffee and
tea and side dishes, and the total cost, not
including regular expenses, was over $50
Last New Years day about 800 men were
given q free dinner at the same place. The
| total number of meals furnished during the
year were l07 1851. of which Is, l25 were free.
The total number of dodgers were 80, 900, of
which .S25 were free. The inn relieved ten
families daily, or $3.50 during the year. The
amount of money received for meals was
So, 240 20, and for beds So. 1880. The total
cash receipts including donations, amount
ed to SIS. $50 50. The books showed a total
expense of $7,595.72. but as Mr. Chapman
only had about SIS on hand last night, and
NEVER KEEPS A BANK ACCOUNT.
it shows that all donations made by the inn
had not been recorded; $37 given towards
the New Evangelists Home had not been
put down to the expense account; cash given
out for charity was $50 60; to evangelists and
missionaries, $1S6, and to the temperance
cause, $50. The publishing of tracts for the
year cost $12 60. During the first three
months of the year an average OF twelve
temperance workers were entertained daily;
during the first six months, evangelists were
entertained to the extent of twelve every
day, and during the remaining six months
the number averaged about three daily; CSC
religious and 100 temperance meetings were
held during the year; employment was fur.
nished to about $40 men; indeed, Mr.. Chap.
man says that at times the contractors de-
mand of him more men than he can furnish:
225 sick were cared for during the year, and
only two deaths occurred in the house.
A free ice water tank was kept during the
summer season, Messrs. Hausman d Lang
donating the ice. The public school library
donated 148 books during the yosr, ana the
COO or