Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-22

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Next week the committee on public comfort
! will establish headquarters 'It will be month
earlier than the committee at the last Inaugural
ton began its work." remarked Chairman
Wright to a STAR reporter last evening. .but it
is none too SOON" Col Wright was chairman
of the public comfort committee when Cleve-
land was insugurated, and also when Garfield
was inaugurated. He, therefore, is thoroughly
| familiar with the needs of the work. -Four
years ago." he continued, as he turned over the
well thumbed pages of a large account book,
'our committee provided quarters for 81 900
people. This number included some of the
civic organizations but none of the military.
| There were no hotels on our list. Strangers,
as rule, can find the hotels in a CITY, and on
such an occasion they are filed to OVERLOOKING
What the committee aims TO do is to bring out
and make available the resources of the city.
Here are thousands OF respectable well-dressed
people with money in their pockets landed in
our city for few days. The ordinary accom-
modations afforded by the hotels are closed to
them. because everything has been engaged
months before. What are they to do? 1t won't
do to allow them to spend the nights in the
streets, or to fall a victim to extortionate de-
mands. So our committee steps in as a sort of
middle man. We say to the people: If You
have one ROOM two rooms. or any number OF
rooms that you would be willing TO lease send
us word So in this way procure quite
list of quarters. Everything is grist that comes
to our MILL and we can use halls and all kinds
of places where beds can be placed and where
1t is mt for men to sleep"
THE APPLICANTS.
''You would be surprised" continued Mr..
Wright, Ito know of the large number of APP
plcations received by us for accommodations.
Some come by letter. but more are personal
applications. All that We have to do is to look
over our list and pick out what seems to be
suited to the individual want. A man and his
wife may want nice room with board. A
lady. or perhaps two ladies come in and ask for
rooms. or perhaps a whole civic association
wants accommodations. The list kept by the
committee on public comfort Is expected to
supply all these wants and good many
others. When notice Of accommoda-
tons is filed with the committee a record
is made in "a large book. The location
is put down, the name of the owner, number of
beds, whether meals can be furnished or not.
and whether rooms are heated or not. The
owner is asked his terms and that important
fact is noted. Then a representative of the
committee is sent out and the quarters exam
ined and their condition described in the book.
What the committee can't tell about accommo-
datlons IN tins city Is. as a rule, not worth
knowing. The committee. of course exercise
a wise discretion. When the quarters are bad
or the prices asked unreasonable the aid Of the
committee is not extended
AT THE RAILROAD DEPoTs.
"Having assisted the stranger" Col. Wright
went on, Ito engage in good season his quar-
tiers in the city. the committee does not rest
from its labors. For two or three days pre-
ceding the Inauguration. when people are COM
ing in. the committee establishes Headquarters
at the railroad depots and employs staff of
messenger boys. When the people come in
they are given in charge of the messenger
boys and are safely escorted to their boarding
places. What more the committee can do, ex-
cept to furnish the visitors with cigars and
carriages, L can't imagine. But the importance
of the work can be appreciated when it is
known that no complaint of extortion or I'M
just treatment in Washington has ever been
heard in spite of the great crowds that have
been here. We want to maintain the fair repu-
tation of our city for hospitality"