National Republican., 1880-12-13
OUT OF THE STREETS,
Opening Night nt the Lodging MOuse-A
Haven for the wnntlcrcrs

The old central guard house. whose gloomy front
looms up on Louisiana avenue, Il locality ri Won lin
to commission houses and junkshops, like grim
old soldier among the country folk at a county
fair, has always been an object of interest Its
pavcmentS, strong doors, and grated windows tell
story of crime and misery. The dilapidated
tower suggests bats, cobwebs and shadows. This
old building, which has seen many years honor.
abcscrvice police station Is now in tho scrc and
yellow leaf, and like some old faithful servant
continues todo light duty as a store house for waste
material. Here the night clearinghouse was estnb.
lished several winters ago, and the opening of Tho
lodginShouSe for the winter Saturday night at.
tructcda n REPUBLICAN, reporter there.
a lamp was burning over the main doorway and
the hall was dlmly lighted Atthe end of the hail.
way Is the room which the managers of the night
lodging house have converted into an office and
reception room. The room has been neatly white.
washed ana painted bench extends along two
sides OF the room. ON one side Is rack for hats
and such luggage rs dodgers may bring with them,
lhe ne, lodgcrS saturday night were not however,
i'll the centre of the room Is gOOd-Sizcd stove,
and the rest of the furniture consists of u couple
of hnrd-bottome1 chairs, two tables, u provision
box and II row of tin cups. When the reporter n r.
rived Mr.. III. o. NOycs, one of the MANAGERS wnS
looking beniGnantly through his glasses over half
dozen poor fellows who were huddling about the
stove and smiling with much satisfaction the
sayory odors which proceeded from big coffee
boiler
NJ r. Norton, the superintendent had gone ont To
get subply of bread and meanwhile everything
was brought to stnndstill. Mr. Norton arrived In
Il few minutes and was quickly followed by two
men bearing an immense basket filled with bread
Meantime the crowd about the stove kent incrcas.
ing recruits coming in every few minutes The
question OF supplies having been settled Mr. Nor
ton and Mr. Noyes began the task OF registering
the applicants. Each member of the dowirat.the,
hecl crowd about the stove was called up in turn
and questioned as to his name, age, occupation
nativity and destination Some were here seek
ing for pensions, some snid they We're looking for
work, others were on their way North, South or
look IN sng In
the crowd.
Mr. Noyes stated that as it was the opening night.
ana they had not yet distributed the admission
tickets 9mong the police they could not be as strict
as q, was desirable So al Of the applicants passed
and anS *. IGs oyer thS
bread, each man getting, pint'cup full of coffee
and half a loaf of bread. One or two Of them
added TO the rcpnS from little stores of provisions
which they had with them, wrapped up in prcaSy
paper, None were troubled with delicate appc
titeS, and some devourcd the bread with nm eager
ness lha told story oil long deprivation and hun
supper over, the tatercd guests were ushered
one by one upstairs, where dOrmOrleS have been
1ltttd up in the old apartments und cells. Here
are about iily cots, each furnished with u straw
mattress; pillow, sheets, and y double blanket
over ehCh cot was suspended u clean nightshirt of
unbloNched cotton. The lodgcrs had to undergo a
sort OF Initiation before being admitted to the
dormitorics; The. ceremony consisted Of bath
and good rubbing, The lOdgor Is made to rc.
move all his wearing apparel in the hallway or
antc-room, and hang everything up on peg as.
signed to him, Then he Is nshercd into the bath.
room, whore he finds hot and cold water and
towels AMER completing his ablutlons he is per.
mitted to enter the dOrmitoTy, don his nightshirt
and jump Into bed. The bath Is necessary TO i'm.
sure cleanliness and health and II also acts as a
test of the worthIess of the applicants appeal for
help. A genuine tramp has such an aversion to
taking Il bath that rather than go through the or.
deal he will fOrcgO the comforts OF u bed, and
spend the night as best ho can in the cold world
out Of the thirty applicants Saturday might
three refused TO take the bath, and eft the house
III great disgust During tho evening many yisi.
tors dropped In 10 look over the house Messrs
Solomons, Mitchell, and other members OF the
board OF managers were present some of the time
Among the dodgers were two ColOrcd men, and Mr.
Mitchell In commenting upon this fact, remarked
y II Is very singular that heretofore there has not
been one cOlOrcd man in 800 dodgers" lmpecu.
niols colored men generally find a lodging among
the hosplube people of their own race The
dodgers were turned out of bed at six O'clock ves.
icrday morning, and assembled in the reception.
room, where coffee was served all around again
Last night the house was again well filled, II Is
proposed to amend the bill Of fare, us soon aS tho
mcillties ouu be secured by serving soup at night,
instead Of coffee.