Telegram-herald., 1890-08-22
POOR LITTLE BABIES
God Help the Offspring Of Poverty
or SIN.
GRAND RAPIDS rOuSDuScS' HOEE
A Pestiieatiaf Abode for fnfapt tnnS-
Ssaes Where Poverty, Dsseass Ana
Dirt Cotabine 40 Aid fhs ~ Grad Of
those ~ ho have No fla0e Ia Ia.

IN one Of the most Wretched and
loathsome parts OF the city, where
stagnant waters east up Their rank ex-
halat0ns and unmentonabie odors MI
the ar, where flies gather ia s.ckenlng
clusters ~ feast upou puIridliy, there
stands 4 h1tle low board shanty.
Viewed from the street il IS apparently
one roomed, but a closer inspection re-
yeals tMo additional shantles attached
10 the rear, one after the other, train
J fashion, terminating in disease breed
mg earth closet. An atlenusted calf ls
usually corralled IN the front yard
which is several feet lower than the
street. To the north and IN the same
enclosure large pool Of Shiny water
4 throws of It's minute and invisible
/ effinyia. There is one window IN the
shanty and one door, and al the latter
4 NANCY crOss-eyed eur meets the
/ yeuturs0me visitor, showing row OF
sharp walte teeth. the only clean look
ing OH c. la sight.
! INSIDE = scene no less disgusting
/ meets the eye. A dingy carpet, IT'S
/ fifth permeatmg It's fibres, covers the
/ floor. A bed stands IA one corner, a
( rattle trap sewing machine occupies the
/ space IN front OF the window and var
ious dilapdated chairs contest with
nondescrlpt articles for the balance Of
| space IN the room.
! TINS place, tins shanty, this hovel, 4,
| thlsp pestllem.ial habitatIon IS Boarding
! Home for Children" Within these walls
shining mothers have placed the inno-
/ cent result of their misdeeds deennng
| that the little life which began accl-
dentally might end accidentally or
! otherwise.
But TINS is not all. The city of
Grand Rapids rich in its resources,
rich in industry, rich in all that
goes TO make the complete modern
metropolis within all her cher
| ishcd borders, can find no more
favored spot 10 place her dependent
and deserted babies. The city's found
! lings are sent to TINS house, to depart
again only after death has claimed
them.
A few days ago a TELEGRAM HERALD
reporter, while coming down on the
caDle line from North Park, noticed tie
place, which is located at $40 North
lOnia-st. The poverty and filth Of the
place, coupled with the noxious char
acter of the surroundings, and the lop-
sided sign on the house, winch read:
"cHILDREN's BOARDING HOUSE."
appealed at once to the repertoriai in
stict. Here was something 10 be inves-
tigated. Here was the insignia of crime
either Intentional or otherwise. A visit
lswaS soon made 10 the domicile, when it
was discovered that the occupants OF
the place were Mrs. Johnson, her
| daughter, Mrs. Law and an old soldier
of no particular name or character.
He may be recognized by many rs the
| human sandwich, the man who walks
UP and down the streets with placards
| on his breast and back advertising
some local sale. Mrs. Law also has a
son, bright little boy of about seven
| or eight years of age.
When the reporter called Mrs. John
son was out, but Mrs. Law WAS willing
to talk when she discovered that the
visitor had a baby for whom home
was desired.
GLOW young children viii you take?"
was first asked the woman. "Oh, any
| age; we have had some that were only
a few hours old, and some that were
much older. That boy there" point
| ing to a ragged and dirty urchln
! sitting on the ragged and dirty carpet,
'that boy there IS years old, but we
! hardly like 10 take the little babies. for
1t is so much trouble TO take care of
them. They mostly all die in little
while" and she looked askance at the
reporter, who appeared 10 be very nerv-
Gus about this time.
! "Do they all dle?' was asked.
"WeN. pretty much. You see it's
awfully unhealthy and there seems 20
toe some sort of "A disease, cholera IN
! fantum or something, that takes 'cm
off,"
During the conversation which fol-
/ lowed. Ars. Law remarked that they
/ had cared for several cnildren-bahies
/ that were city charges. "But." she
/ nalvoly added, 1--WE don't want any
more city children. They only. pay Us
/ II 30 week for board, and as II costs
| 20 cents q week for milk for them there
amt no profit IN It. Then when they
/ die, the city has TO know all about it,
and that amt pleasant
The reporter quite agreed with her
/ and found. on pursuing the subject,
tDat the reporters baby, wbtch was sad
to be q boy, born June :. would be
( taken 81 the Home for $3.50 per week
I During the entire convo rsation the wo-
/ man asked not guestiOa except as 20
the chlld's age and the hoard money.
I showing that sbe WIS perfectly wiling
TO take any child and 40 questions
[ asked.
"When the children are SICK what
+ doctor do you get
1--WE have had 1r. Duuham and the
/ city pbysc an, Wright. ] TANK his name
s. bat 'taint no u-e, they die anyway.
/ Whv. one dled mere 1ust little while
ago and lts mother came - tae funeral.
I We bad lovely funeral uZnt here.
And its auutcame too
Mrs IaV IS as unhealthy-appe
/ woman. about 80 years OId. and she
pulled up hef clothes o. saow fhe re-
4 porter h0w 6roaIfulIF ber knecs were
sssolen. ~la sire ha8 been sk
with theI IaenUE SID for long roe
ana was hsrdlg ahIo s. walk @ae Iso
sad that her mother was a3 cted ufh
errs aslss most ~ fae ame. ard some
Times f8er scr. tNtl iaid nn ~ gnee
AMI aea t0 a.re some one t. cone -
tasa care ~ teFn-
After leaving the ctvs fouus e
home. a Tst eas made 10 I3r. WrEas
lattice csF nsIl.
ID a4. 10 you know aavta irv
aboat Csallrel board shz-hons on
Sort Ion s-s vas asked
sWar. v 81 $50 Nsrsa To- 49,
tes-e r - snswefea
III keEt ~ woman ranaf I9a-
stu and reg aaaz tT Nr. IaH Eafh
tarn Es r.te -,.-. a-s