National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-03-25
NIGHT LODGINGS.
INTERESTING SIGHTS AND SCENES.

guard house during the carly days OF the fcDcIilOn
md nflerwnrd dcgoncratcd into police station
Though It has changcd,ow again, II still wears
gloomy, rrlson.likc aspect Adiugy lonn hangs
over the doorway ON which Is painted in lcgiblo
"xiaur IoDGtSG.HorsE"
A REPUBLICAN scribe, whose sleeping moments
belong to that impossible and impractlcnblc hour
Of which no man knowcth, but who nevertheless
Is bcncvoloutly iucncd in acquiring inluuna-
zion OF the means aud opportunities Of rest for the
Door, imrccuni1us body and SOUL pccpcd In the
Entry OF the aforesaid lodging. house" and, per.
,eying bright light streaming from adjoining
aoom, boldly pushed open the door and entered.
II was small apartment, scantily furnished with
two pine tables, row OF benches, aud large, old
fashioned cookiug.stovc. on the benches werc
seated eight poorly clad men, eating with evident
relish their evening meal bowl Of nutritious
meat. soup and bread. The cheerful Sprcssion on
their jaded, carcworn faces told cloquently the
value ofthe " Night Lodging House and It's bone.
fits TO the poor, homeless wandcrcr Hope had
entered their dcspairng hearts and hickercd out u
TRANSIENT CLEAN or BETTER DAYS.
Aburly mulatlo sJod before u tab lc on which were
ranged number OF bowls and hCcatomb Of
bakers bread, ready to dispense fresh futions to
the hungry guests and at another table, fncng the
dodgers, young man sat, busily engrossed In writ.
ing in book the names and ages OF some new
corners. This observed the young man, who
seemed to be the superintendent of the establish.
ment, as he took up the ledger and turned
over It's leaves for the inspection Of the scribe is
our record. book Every applicant on presenting
us ticket from any Of the police stations, has his
name, age, occupation weight, &C., entered thcrcn
then, aftcr going through the usual categorical
questions rs to whether he has been yGccinatcd,
his destination aud the length of time he intends
remaining in the city we give him supper, his
bath, and he is then at liberty to retire TO his
doTml tory II you will step up stairs" he added
we will show You their sleeping apartments
TIE RErUBuCAS followed the obligIng superin-
tendent w Il high, Of WE'LL worn steps to the sec
onl story Tho building has an aged look, and
the ron.b barred windows and grim brick walls
suggested, with u slight shiycr q resemblance to
the famous Tomb" of New York.
THE LARGEST DUENuTOPY
which Is divided iuto two compartments accom-
modulc, twenty six dodgers large coal stove,
well filled with anthracite, gave n pleasant and
cheerful aspect to the surroundings. Each cot
was neatly provided with its necessary ct ccteras,
and nice clean night-go Of n Mllletite hue
and texture hung at the head Of each bed. There
was no one in the domitory at the time but pale,
rmacIated creature, who lay on n couch, breathing
heavily
"Hou notice that man" said the superintendent,
lowering his voice to a whisper. he Is In the
last stages Of consumption, aud is only kept alive
by constant doses OF morphine. lie was an in.
mate OF Providence Hospital and, after expert.
menung on him, and finding no hope Of his re.
covcry, they turned him remorsccssly ont Of that
institution to perish prcmuturely from want and
neglect. As Il strange phase in this mans history
hC claims to possess quasi Interest In post Office
* sad case" observed THE REPUBLICAN,.
"Sud indeed, but hundreds of others equally
distressing are daily coming 10 our notice To re-
late them would sound like very impossible fiction.
In nearly every case those who, apply for lodging
are deserving men and wUmcu.'
You have women lodgeis, then?
"Frequeutly-muNic teachers, clerks and others
having no stated business. some OF these eases
are very sad ana touching. one lady, i'll particu-
lar came TO us ON one of the coolest nights In
March year ago. She was young,
GOOD LOOKING ANp ELEGANTLY DRESSED.
She seemed avcrse TO giving us amy account Oi
herself only she was out of money aud none OF
the hotels or public houses would take her IN
We ancrWard asccttAincd she was the daughter OF
leading seCturau clergyman OF Boston. She had
been wandering around the streets long while
her feet were FROST bitten, and she could hardly
ind strength TO reach our night lodging house
lmt ifyou Will step. outside Will show you the
wUmeuS dOrnOry"
We followed the superintendent a few steps far
thcr TO n more comfortable, convenient and ever
cosy little apartment, with two cots, stove, All,
some other tThng articles of furniture. This rOOu
hHd been occupied for two weeks or more by a re-
spectacle but unfortunate lady, music teacher
who, after vanly attempting 10 procure employ
menl, disappearcd-wh the superintendent wa
unable to say. Let Us now return to the soup
room, which is already crowded with
A FRESH lot or UNruRrUSATES,
whose pale and shrunkcn features watery eyes
and weary gait tell Us a silent but impressive tale
ofhumnn suffering. Many Of these have sect
guaintcd as yet with the extreme rigors of pov.
crty; some are pension claln9Gts, who, from mis-
calculation or imprOyidcnt habits, have got out OF
money, while there Is II Sprintling OF the stcrco'
typed Office seeker, who from one descending steI
TO another has sunk Into the arms OF too-wcl'
come charity. some are mechanics and sturdy
lrodcsmen. Nj Hayes stated that within the last
month (FebruaryJ numbers Of this class have been
saved from exposure aud possible death by the
benevolent eScr.ious of the Night Lodging. House
There are also among these applicants for u ten
porary home. which runs on. In three days, nov
and then professional grutcmHm-u doctor, law
yer, aud even journalist, who are tySttr record o
ledger which lar N&ow.nE that the bnlk Of tht
sTSat3 VINO hrG registered in UIiS UNIQUE anC
economical hotel are ui American parcntagc. amG
IN the nam respectable and of moral WORTH on
every page Is story of suggestive interest 10 Tho
kihd'hearicd aud reflective mind. One of these
cases was >
4 BAPTIST CLERGYMAN OF EVIDENT CULTURE,
who came to the Night Lodging. House Iast
winter shabbily dressed, and with Il rtcr that he.
t0kehed such despair and ahlect misery that tho
kihd, hearted officials were not long in deciding
III ms iaYor Ills story was the now almost mo.
notonons and ull-rCpeatud tale Of Washington
ne, lie had arrived not many months before in
stion which had been directly promised him bv hjs
Congressman, The NJ. c. was a country mcniLer
Cnr,, TlLn 5itS or I2 influence who caolcd tue poor
were never fulfilled. When CuligrG., ndlorlrigI
lhe once seeker wt' !c here to take care of lin,
scii, while III, 2lg,siUnt pi,fon hicd home on
mileage wing, At lirr he managed by ilcunent
VISITS 10 the paWuhTukurs. To- keen I'M fl rGriain
hppehrhnce OF responsibility, uut finally this dies &.
peratc means Of illlmg hi, depleted uulsc Wus OK
hausted His Nndlady began to east cold and
sour looks upon him; his trunks were seized md
WIN a NRlisc, containing shirt and all his re
naming worldly possessions,
He HIRED \ SMALL ATTIC
IN an obscure alley, aud sought vainly for some
inferior position, Like, q drowning man, who
clutches eagerly and wildly at the smallest straw
Of hope, the poor man sold all his pawn tickets TO
ufHe away the wolf who comes aguin tcrCely
hOwlng az his door. The dreaded iiuaie h
demanded by the cXaCtimg mStrrs, Of The
house, aud Is turned adrilt on Il cold stormy day
70 show himself at last Mt the Night Lodging.
House, most neglected Of nl and dcspi,ed of him
sell THIS lOdger remained at the Institution two
weeks What became of him Is not absolutely
known. Another case was equally sad and Da.
lheuC. II was the story Of n Young man who Iu
more prosperous day, had been
THE PRIVATE SECRETARY OF slNOS CAME6oN
and T. NJ. Stanton, Secretary of War Durlng the
surfing Times Of tie rebellion this young gCutlc.
man had visited the select receptions Of tie Cab.
tnel, slipped wine with the mousHchGd leguti ions
huDnobbed the diplomats and politicians ut WI.
lard's, and gone through the may and yolupiuolls
past, little dreaming that in few years he would
tlCep Into the Night Lodging. House, iorlOrn, neg.
leCtcd, ana lrluudlcAs to receive with humble
gratitude the bowl of soup aud bread tho bath
aud little bed which was to close the sccnc OF liz
eyeuiul ana cheCkorcd life. Aud woman too
ucllcacly uutlurtd in luxury, beauty still lingCr.
ing ~ her Wrinklrd features, toltcrlng Into the
Night Lodging House, urruyCd In
TlE TADEp lISEEY Oh MORE PROSPEROUS DAYS.
How many tears Of maternal joy aud hope had
dropped Oh her once infant Cheekl How many
doiiug kisses pressed ON her girlsl brow by the
loud parents, Who suffered not The winds Of heaven
To Visit her too roughly. Alas time, with its re-
IJ tlo,aJ.eas GGi5lHhges, hau sWept away parents