New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-15
NEWSBOYS LEARN TO ROW.
HOW THE LADS LIVE WHO SELL The
PAPERS

THE TRIBUNE's GIFT TO THEIR DUANE-sT LoDG
ING HOUSE THOROUGHLY APPRECIATED
All there, Kiddy can yer row?'
"Row? Nav never had der chance"
Come over TO der lodgln den and learn on de
Tribunes machines crlcly but deere hy' and the TWO
street arabs hurried away to the Newsboys Logging
Horse at Duane and cw-Chambcfs sts TO strctch
their arms and backs and strengthen their muscles
nm the eight new rowing machines, presented ana
erected in the gymnasium there by The TrDnne' AS
they dash up the broad stone stairway OF the ps
fvc-story home they pass the open door OF a lhe
light rcceptiOn-rOom, where number OF Dogs HING
themselves are sitting about in careless attitudes'
singing a chorus led by OF the assistants, on
piano Up another flight and they halt second TO
neep into a big dining room where long tables. lined
with white big, generous looking bowls stand rcany
for the coming meal Up another story, ana TWO
bic dormltory doors stand ajar, revealing long rows
OF narrow iron bedStcads with white sheets ana req
covercts turned down for the weary little gutter
snipes, that occupy them nightly. Up one moro
flight. and they dash into the big room set apart for
the boys fun froc and physical development
Here the first gloom Of disappointment settles on
the brow Of Kiddy" ard his conductor True, there
are the eight Tribune rowing machines ranged along
one sdo of the wall. shining I'm new paint, yet I'M
soilcd by usage, but then every one of them has
boy before 1t working away for dear life, and the
long lnc of "ncxts" in waiting shows that the row
ing lesson cannot take place just at once So they turn
their attention to the other apparatus. having hist
flied their claim for turn at ono OF the TWO douOle
machines, next in order after Sandy MCGEE, "hp Il
only four boys Off from tho present manpula'oF'
whose perspirng brow. bullying eyes and hcaving
chest are closely marked and hailed as infallhIe
sGrs that he cannot hold out, in the ordinary course
OF nature, much longer.
A LAME BOY WHO CAN FLY LITTLE
Look at that lame boy as he hobbies across inc
floor What does he want with his shrivelled legs
in a gymnasium He has stopped just under the
trapezc Poor lad, how he must grcvc TO he for
ever debarrcd from flying through the air on that
dainty swing Now he IS clcvating his crutch and
has caught the trapezc bar with the handle of that
support There he has dropped the other crntch and
now gracious he has climbed hand over hand up ms
own crlitch I'm jfy and Is perchcd on the trapehe
bar with an agility only surpassed by Mr.. Crowley
of Central Park. And there he swings gyratcs and
cavorts for half an hour in manner which proves
that no matter how useless his lower limbs are, from
the waist M his muscles are like whipcord
This lodging hous, has accommodations for the
bed and board of 500 boys and II IS generally full
on winter nights. though many Of the lads prefer to
sleep I'm the parks and outofthcway places In warm
weather. Eighteen cents pays for supper, bread and
breakfast five cents for Of the ordinary beds
alone ard dime for a cot among what the boys call
tie upper Ten dormtory which boasts some
ornament on the walls, locker at the head Of each
bed. and crimson curtains on walnut bars that lena
privacy TO the sleeper he cannot get in the big bed
room Formerly the management washed the boys
shirts for them. bu dividing the clean garments among
the claimants caused too much qualIcllng lying aid
stealing. and II was abandoned Every encourage
ment i given 10 the boys 10 save their money. Regi
lar bank accounts kept with the dcpo'itois AMI
interest paid monthly. Many of them maize = good
deal OF money. between SO and - day. and some
make barely enough TO pay their into the lodging
house. Nearly all Of them, however. spend 1t freely
and was,efnlly cheap theatres and various forms
OF boyl,h gambling such pitching pennies, etc, etc
HOW SOME or THEN PROSPER
One Of the boys. Foxy Fred or Fred Fox, acc
fourteen. has 5000 TO his credit. lie hires SIX
seven smaller fellows to sell papers for him, allow
Ing them a small commission for their services. lie
! Will soon set up newsstand somcwhcro and Will
doubtesS be successful for with all his shicwdncss
saving ways h retains the regard and best wishes
of his fellows. They lend to another freely and
surprisingly honest I'm the matter Of paying these
debts. Their manners are fairly good when in the
home hats are removed and order i preserved, no
matter how badly they may act on the streets. \
night school Is well attended during the winter
who show any dis position to do better and secure
them homes In tho West. Tho most difficult ones to
do anything for are the big boys There seems to
/ be- place In the world for them. They have grown
up without any training but that In street trades
The trades unions have kept them from being ap-
picntccd and they soon too big TO sell papers
the street for the little boys boat them al IT, For these
farm life In the West South the only
method Of elevation and salvation from the yawning
pit into which idle and hungry boys In great city
almost invariably fall.
There are altogether many of these semivagranf
children IN the streets who grow up without school
ing" Tiuants compelled TO attend school. a. u
rule, but many slip through from the fact that the
law makes exception OF such children rs have "a
lawful occupation In the streets. The Italian street
children discover this and set the law at defiance
that bands Of little Italian booblacks and news
boys may be seen during school hours In uptown and
downtown wards, pitching pennies and otherwise
amusing themselves under the guse of street occu.