The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-27
TIE MOUNTAINEERING CLUB.
Interesting Career or . Wouan's Scheme IN
nIinois-NeIthsr Success Nor Failure.

DECATUR, ILL., Sept. 26.-For years 1t had boon
hard to get girls in Decatur. The knitting
factory and the ovornlls factory each gave en-
ployment to many women. Tho wages were
from SO to 81 per week. and though the work
was hard. it was more attractive than house
work. So. when the shoe factory was started
and places were made for seventy five moro
girls 1t WAS next to impossible to get girl for
homework. no matter what wages were Of
fored. Whom Decatur Kitchens were at
their worst and every other household
was in the midst OF culinary interrcg-
mum. Miss Fannie Fuller. a clever young
woman. read Looking Backward" She
thought Bcllamy's idea OF a public dining
room might DO used In this age. and began to
talk Of 1t among her friends Any plan for
getting rid Of the servant girl question in
terestcd them: 80 five or six ladies had meet
ing with Miss Fuller and decided to organize
housekeeping club Miss Fuller volunteered
to take the names Of all who would join. she
did not havo to ask any one to como in. The
news OF her plan soon went around among her
friends They went and asked her to tako
their names. At first. most OF the men
laughed ut tho idea They predicted disaster
tho first month. Tho ladies' carried tho day.
however. and Miss Fuller soon had list OF
names that included eleven families md ton
ortwelve single pcrsons-fltty-fo in all. Tho
largest family consisted OF tivo persons.
At tho first meeting of the club President,
Secretary and Treasurer. and House Commit
tee were selected. 1t was decided to require
membership feo Of 81 for each person. and to
fix the weekly dues at $2.75. Tho member
ship fec was to pay for dishes and furniture.
the dues to 90 for board. The members were
to furnish their own table linen and silver
ware. Later 1t was decided that tho club
should furnish the linen. New members were to
be admitted by committee appointed for that
dnn i VAS t no s objeston IN ia two two
club had to give two weeks notce. - '''''' ''i'
isse at SIS feSts bS. tssRS
ShsFs u IN nn' Fish FsnsR Ro
paid their first wepk's dues. and the club was
startSd It. had name and was called
Goop. and the CLUB was always reierred |t to
q Asnes
M Marsh g. on s se
Nom bers Of each family were together. Tie
oefea d ws secd n'r he
who had for years been Smuggling with incom
poor teachers and others who had been paying
AfES 81 hsss S a sa Treasurer who Mis-,
dues and turned The money over to tho house, s
managed the house. and did tho marketing
Every other day she was Furnished with a. blli
1874 ph' 4 REas S SSt By
tho plan worked very we'll. so far as securing
;yaFfstty vent Sasi. was sp. to make trSuP
expense bill up higher than tho weekly " dues.
Tho plan was to spend all the dues on tho
that w M,a very easy To- d was soon found that
The Grievance committee heard complaints,
get what was ordered or wanted somethin$
that did not come on tho table. report was made
The q three
i it was jask rotsrrod il to tho hSasekce a
The committee 81, also made tsugiestions about
OF sab Ths 6o
were elected every three months. The Other
Fer tic drst three months the Club plan
SSp sa # pIss fSs Snd a
full all tho time, The dining room would scat
Sply sixty people. There We're applications on
9ccpr The FIRE was mch better than that
h sm assss s %H s t. hs eG Sa ts q
cooking. ana was served In much the samY
way as AT u DOMESTIC uhDlo. Everything that
the, Decatur market offered was put on tho
table.
It was soon found that the price had been
put too low. Toward tho end OF the third
month tho club was slightly In debt. TO pay
that an assessment WAS made. 1t was only 10
cents for each member. 80 there was but littlo
objection.
As the novelty wore of the members became
more exacting. and were quicker to find fault.
Tho housekeeper was very conscientious
managing SO large an establishment. and that
made some trouble.
Then. rs summer came on. some families
went away to spend the warm months That
reduoed the membership, and after two or
three more assessments the weekly dues were
raised to So. But, as the membership was still
In the neighborhood OF forty. the club was In
fairly good shape. The assessments. however
had frightened away the would be MON bcrs,
so that the membership remained two-thirds
q the full number. which was put at fifty four.
cause the rent, tho service. and many such OK.
penses remained the same for forty as for
liity,tour. Miss Fuller went away for a long
vacation, Her successor lacked busineSs
ability. 80 the accounts Of tho club wore
soon in q hopeless state. There wero no ac-
counts. in fact. There was no record of
how much the members owed. or. what the
club owed; 1t was not hard to fnd that out,
however. because bills were soon coming In
for rent raa fual and aeryioe Tho tntniin