Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1890-06-14
Homeless Women of New York.

MANSIONS luxurious and daintily furnished houses
and cosy flats, apartments and rooms, can it be
possible that there are any poor wanderers who
have not roof to shelter them?
1t is not only 'possible;" it is true
London may have its miseries and its extreme
cases of horrible poverty, of which, thank Heaven
we know only very little but New York contains
more startling statistics in regard to homeless
women than ever the police authorities of London
could dream.
The New York police, however, are thoroughly
cognzant of the sad state of affairs here and
their yearly book Of statistics shows the thorough
oversight maintained by them in this regard.
The exact number of applicants for lodgings at
the different station-houses each night in the year
is carefully noted, and the monthly total sent to
headquarters.
Through the kindness of Superintendent Byrnes
I have obtained the correct figures from the books
for the three months ending March |, 1885,
He says 3,840 women were lodged in the sew
eral stationhouses of the city in the three months
named.
Many of these poor creature are known to the
police as "regulars,' meaning those who habitu-
ally 60 around among the different preclncts and
who for fear of being recognized as Migrants, and
sent to the poorhouse, do not dare repeat their
visits to any especial station-house too often.
These forlorn women have their prejudlces and
preferences as to precincts and know exactly
which ones are the best heated, and which ones
have the eeasest" doorman and kindest captain,
and no doubt the favored ones would be patron
lied to overlooking, did not fear of the results of
recognition keep them away.
The sergeant at the desk, keen and quick-eyed,
soon catches any attempt at hiding behind ragged
shawl or hood.
"Hello! weren't you here Sunday night?"
"No, sir, was never here before. This is me
first time" s VIZ
"Come now. Amt you Mary Ann Smith, and
were you not here Sunday nght?"
''No, indade, sir. Me name is Katie Murphy.
am dacent ould maid and not that
"Here, here, no lying. If you try that you
can't 60 in.'
And then Mary Ann begins long parley about
"not putting poor lady out in the cowd' and
referring to the sergeants "knd heart" until she
is cut short by being ordered to "pass inside"
Poor Mary Ann! TO her the bare white room
means rest and comfortable only comfort short of
glass Of whiskey or a can of beer that this world
holds for her. Comfort for her tired back, her
weary limbs and aching Frame
"The night before last slept in hallway,
ma am; but sure it's too cowld the night, an l
had to try the 'sarjan again" said Mary Ann.
She was almost the first one to come in. She
had been waiting, she said, for fear it would get
full"
While talked to her, the miserable, bedraggled
creature began to prepare herself for the night.
She secured one of the benches, and appeared to
consider herself especially fortunate.
Pulling off one shoe, it fell heavy and wet beside
her.
care your feet wet?" Iasked.
"'Deed, ma am, they're mostly always wet, "
she answered. with deprecating smile.
Doubling up her shawl she laid it in bundle at
one end of the bench, and began twisting up the
struggling gray hairs around her face and neck;
then lying down full length on the hard board, she
Ia TTa, har o~ht1., faoL