The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-11-14


ssia La-ion srluainiarce - We wee
walsinz a.org she Ser Aent road as
.ou,h oftae Thames ihe otoer daF. Us
;a- a,snn.i The roruer here and Know
fhe ianao- pretty vel
Oisves ohaaiers2 NLat docs
inst ,scang Aswell apartments bou<
Tie asaie is s-isioc,aec enough ior
ts,t osaaiaiv. but & seionr % a bag
.an oas.nr bous. be whieht know
Won viii be interested. The place a
strange one. and harbors queer people,
Inn il has the reputation Of being u Of
te best managed ia London
We had turned away from the main
street while taking and Row stood q
tic vide doorway Of a neat brick build
n, easnewnat resemlliuga an eld4askion-
II BROOKLYN siation houss JUS within
the door a barrier nan across thc hal, all
ms.sure beiac given only by q turnsile,
which registered NJ when We passed
through a. tzo more IN the stream d hu-
msniss which had Goved n the doors O.
this hosritable shelter. Tie keeper. a
bsri-losking man ia bis shirt sleeves
me. rs in the Office. a LITTLE room hung
with rsus OF KEYS much Ike the KEY
hoard Of q hotel. Zach Of these BE eN-
,,ained commended a private box with
corresponding number which coaid be
hired for small Zee nightly-two cents
fbeiieve- 10 hold the galaables Of The
lod.,.r. usually consisting % a few pilates,
mo--el Of Thread, or possibly a spare ar
tire oraothine. ] wonlenel how snch
au;rie came into he possession Of ras-
,ai ;olger-. bni The keeper explained
that many Il bis guests were by no
means casusl. but hard-vorkine mea
who were forced by scaniy vaeest to foe
shelter of q lodging house. With these
explanations we started % the round Of
observation.
The building had four OF five stories,
eacl divided INTO three Song rooms with
windows at front end lack. In each.
placed as close together rs possible. were
Isos % narrow cots scgntiiv oloibed. The
walls were freshly v~htehashed, nae foor
and woodwork p%erfcc;iy clean. the bed
ding reasonably 50. iaongh coarse The
street Goor was given mp 20 cHces and
>,orerooms of the building and in the
basement were a sslrrisins number 81
convenience for DE dodgers Here were
baths ana closets, laundry tubs where
tie guest. were encouraged % wash Their
clothes. greet fires iefore which to dry
thcm and cook their fool There wee
a few rude benches and tables, where
some OF ihe loacf-. nrehably out 81 a
iob were sitting. and otborswefe engaged
in cooking or washing. One savory
bloates. plenty iatatoes and tea
were .he only thing T noticed in prepa-
ration az the Eres, and To supplement
she's Injuries the COOKS had ioayes Of
bread to cat as reqrinea
The ianitor kept up a runring fire Of
talk a. We ueerei about ~ere ~
beds now. and iiiey are all mH every
night and plenty turned away - they 70
building d laddition beyond ere When
that's finished We shall ave 81 beds.
We gets very few tramps aud ioaiers.
They mostly 'aeent the pennies 10 spare
and goes to the casusls free lodging
houses ofthe panshersl. O~urlodgers are
-T I,.aL o,,9 MANY
of 'em comes ere month after month.
No. We don't ave no women dodgers
some 'ouses az both women hand men
and claims 10 be respectable, but -
I'm han old sailor myself, sir-see my
taiiooing-and ] know what discipline
IS. Yes, there are many Of these lodg-
ing 'ouses. Find 'em heverywhere- Not
honen has neat and horderly as this
and he launched into an apparently not
undeserved praise Of his own manage
meni.
II is hardly The custom for American
w~orkingmen 60 be packed like herrings
in cheap lodging houses, though there
are some on the Bowery that compare
very unfayorably with 81. Olave's cham
hers, both in pricesend accommodations.
Here. however, there is a tremendous
lodging house population not always rs
well housed and looked after rs in the
house j have been describing. There
seemed no doubt in Inc mind ofany q
that the manager would he able 70 Gu
his S5l beds with desirable dodgers.
81 Olaye's chambers ares money max
ing Institution. bat charity and b~raiherly
love are supposed 10 be the handspring
ufihe Salvation army shelter that af-
terward visited ia the neiehborhood Of
the East India docks. Here the beds
were rough boxes Of wood laid closely
together. Each was p inches wide, 50
that six men were accommodated TO ev-
cry II feet in length. bu; tire captain in
charge slept himself in one OF fine boxes
10 prevent grumbling on part Of the
guests. In the basement were benches
ami ranges for cooking. and IN n Of the
upper rooms a meeting place Cor religious
services. There were no such conven-
fences for dodgers as 81. Caves chambers
boosted. and they could do no cooking
Tor themselves. bu; could buy some soup
made by the army cooks FOR q penny.
There was a hard crowd hanging around
the place. and Il was dirty and moi inyit-
ing. As o.icn happens. the charity com
rares not well with the money-makiIg
institution
There Is little comfort ia the life of A
man condemned to live in these cheap
lodgings end have nowhere a home. but
at least they are better than the streets
and less demonlizing than charity. such
as they are. they shelter every night
many thousands Of Enelishmen whose
only fault is poverty
Il rm weary Of living, moaued poor Mn
Biack;
"For I'm fairly worn out with he ache in
my back
Ny nerves are a chain
OF weakness and pain,
And my poor bead is aching Is tit would
crack.
Vow, dont be discouraged. cried good
Mrs White.
III is never So dark but there's promise Of
light
lean tel you. in brief
What Will give yea relief