The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-06
HUMANE SOCIETY.

|
meeting OF the Humane society and full
full board ofdirectors was present and the
heads OF several of the committees. A
most satisfactory meeting was held and
the only disappointment was a notice from
Mrs. Foster that her many other duties
might soon compel her to resign the posi-
ton OF secretary. This the board would
not listen to and she was urgently
requested to take the matter under
Amusement again and try to effect some
compromise with her other duties. The
board fully realized that Mrs Fosters
work at present is too arduous but they do
not feel that her place can be filled by an
other and are anxious to have the matter
arranged in some way so that she can re-
tain her present responsible position.
The minutes Of the last meeting were
then read and approved. Under the head
of communications several satisfactory
reports were read from boys that
has been placed in good homes
and applications for the adoption of chill
dren. There is no trouble about placing
healthy children who seem to be we'll dis
positioned, but the little Migrants and the
| cripples are charge. The home manages
TO provide for the most urgent cases and
the Industrial Home in contemplation will
eventually look after them all In this
connection the matter of looking after
young girls was discussed and the agents
reports show that forty should be put in
the home Immediately. The urgent neces-
sity Of such an institution was too well
understood from the reports to call for
any discussion. This the society feels is
the great big important question that is
staring them in the face and must be
answered. These girls reported by the
agents are not outcasts but innocent girls
who are walking on the brink Of the preci-
pice. Why parents or guardians do not
look after them is question, perhaps, but
the society can get legal charge of them if
it had home to put them in. The report
of the committee on the Industrial Home
was then read and adopted, containing
the following memorial. which will be
presented TO the city council on Monday
night:
ITO the Honorable Mayor and Councilmen Of the
The Kansas Humane society of the city
of Wichita do hereby petition your honor
able body for grant from the city treas
ury to aid in establishing an Industrial
Our reason for making this request is
that the work that is pressing to be done
is more than our present means enable US
to do. Our very efficient agent, Mr.. Lew
Aspey, finds his hands more than full of
work that must be done or the public will
suffer. The number of children that are
running wild in our streets, soon to be-
come criminals, is appalling.
An ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure"
Mr.. Aspey has had in the last sixty days
thirty cases of girls that are neglected and
will drift into lives of shame unless pro-
vided for soon. He has fourteen girls be-
tween the ages of - and IS now on his list
that are either homeless or in dangerous
hands, and the society can do nothing for
them for lack of means. If a suitable home |
could be provided Mr.. Aspey says he could |
put twentyfour girIs into it within a
week-girls, too, that are not yet ruined |
but in peculiar danger.
And of boys the number is still larger, |
who are growing up into criminals for lack |
of care. More than forty boys now on our /
streets have been arrested for petty /
There is no place for them when arrested |
but the Jail, and they come out of that !
farther advanced on the road to crime |
than when they entered
Under our present arrangements to
arrest boys or girls either, for petty |
is but to give them a long march /
on the road TO crime.
What we desire is to establish an "In-
dustrial Home" where neglected children
can be cared for and taught useful work:
that they may become taxpayers instead
Of tax MASTERS.
Furthermore we believe such home
not alone for the city but for
the state as well.
What is true of our city is as true-in
to their size-of other cities in
the state.
We have great confidence that if the city
can establish such home as we have
mentioned, and can demonstrate its Use
iuiness, the state viii aid in its main
Jenance.
The reform school at Topeka is over
and the girls school at Beloit
AN not take any more pupils. The state
must provide greater facilities for this
rescue work, and if we do what we can
md establish an industrial home no doubt
Jut we could get state help.
We would also respectfully suggest that
he money needed for this work from the
:itv treasury can be easily saved by con-
the aid TO public charities.
The city now gives SD per month to
zach of three hospitals, and TO the
Children'S Home.
The Children's Home is over-crowded
md is working exactly in the line of the
humane society. The hospitals, however,
ire none of them crowded, and one could
asily be enlarged to do the work of all
IL seems needless for the city TO main
ain separate hospitals, either for different
chools of medicine, or for different relig-
Gus beliefs. The public welfare should be
he only care of the city, and not theology,
II the philosophy of medicine.
The city is now spending $500 per month
NJ, hlip cb rift a l1la DSfifutiopS and eapb |
# the four is constantly begging private ,
id.
If these four institutions were consoli-
lated into two, one hospital for he sick |
nd one home for the children, the same 1
money now given would accomplish much !
more good. One hospital well equipped
nd open to all denominations and 10 all .
ehOols of medicine, would certainly do
ne work better than the three now do.
md the Children's Home enlarged 10 I'M {
ertake this rescue work, would be great I
financially-to our city In !
be future.
In view of the above considerations, we
arnestly and respectfully ask that your
onorable body give careful consideration
o our request for financial aid. )" T
The agents report was next read show Z
ne that nearly hundred complaints and :
ases had been investigated during the !
asst month"; all of which had received the
ttention warranted by the circumstances
i the case. A great many of the com
laints prove TO be unfounded. while many !.
asses do not require immediate attention. /,
III complaints are investigated, however, .,
nd full reports kept of them.
4 vote of thanks was extended to the
-omans' council for a donation of furni- !
IRE for the Industrial home.
\ few current bills were audited and al
WED by resolution when the netting ad-