The morning call., 1892-01-17
HOME FOR THE HOMELESS.
How The City Of Berlin Provides for It's BE-
fOTtllateS

The Report of W. H. Edwards. Consul
General of the United States, resident &C
Berlin. contains the following Interesting
account OF the Home for the Homeless"
in operation in that city. He says:
"This institution, established in the
fall OF 1887. relieved the Commissioners OF
the Poor Of care for homeless families
and for night wanderers. 1t Is intended for
poor families and poor individuals who.
for any cause whatever-on account of hav-
ing no means, or of being dismissed from a
hospital, or of having come to the city
without having first obtained employment
are temporarily without a home. AdmIs-
sion is obtained through an order from
the Commissioners Of the Poor or a equsi-
ton from the police authorities. Further
more, any one who registers himself as
r00fess can obtain accommodation or the
following night.
For these two different purposes the IN
stitution is specially arranged In its inner
construction and management. The build
ing is four stories high, and was built after
plans of Municipal Architect Blankenstein
at a cost Of 943, 279 marks, and consists Of a
front building and two side wings In the
front building and two side wings. In the
front building on the ground floor are
apartments for the inspector, house
father and jauitOT, as we'll as the Office.
On the second. third and fourth floors are
sleepin grooms for the female members Of
the homeless family In the cellar are
housekeeping rooms, the wash-roOms and
the over, GERS dwelling. In the right wing
are accommodations for the male members
Of the homeless family with the exception
of boys less than years old, who are quar-
tered with their mOthers), the Office of the
"h0use father" the physicians room and
the waiting-roOm for persons requiring
medical examination. In the left wing are
the waiting and dining rooms for women,
the school and dinng-rOOm for children,
the kitchen and the rooms for female over
seers. The different floors are connected
by massive stairs.
Homeless families are separated accord
ing TO sex. Husbands and fathers are per-
mitted to visit their families during the day
time. A little behind the building for
homeless families Is building for night
wanderers. This Is erected in barTack
form. A light, airy corridor passes through
the building lengthWise. On each side of
this corridor are ten dOTmitories Each dor
mltOry accommodates sixty or seventy per-
sons, and has as many wooden hunks. At
both ends of each dormitOry are wash
rooms, each accommodating three persons.
The ventilation of the dOrmitOries is good,
and the heating is effected by means of hOt
air. To the night guests an opportunity
to battle is offered. The baths are Of
such a character that twenty persons
shower and tub baths. While the
persons are bathing their clothing Is dis
infected. In the family department meals
are served in the dining-roOms. Tie morn
Ing and evening meals consist Of soup with
bread. Dinner consists of dried vegetables,
cereals, etc, which on four days In the
week are cooked with meat and on other
days with tailoW. For sick persons as well
as for nursing mothers, special provision Is
made, consisting Of milk, meat, beer. rolls,
butter. coffee, etc. The food is prepared in
a kitchen which Is provided with three
"Senking" cooking apparatus, boiling 400.
800 and 800 litres respectively. The wash
ing is done In the aSh-kitchen by women
who enjoy the shelter of the institution.
The men are also required to assist in tho
household work, so far as possible, such as
peeling potatoes, cleaning halls, etc.
The night guests before their departure
are each given flour, soup and 900 grammes
of bread. The children are instructed by
teacher in the employ of the city. On fair
afternoons in summer the children are al
lowed to play in playground attached 70
the Institution, while IN winter and on
rainy days they remain in their play-room-
Church services are held twice every month
and are attended by all inmates of the insti-
tuition.
AS a rule families are not allowed to re-
during which period they are required to
seek a dwelling. The first rent due, so long
as it does not exceed 10 marks, is paid by
the institution. Night guests remain only
one night, though they can come again. II,
however, they come more than five times in
a month. they are brought before a criminal
police officer stationed IN the home for pun
iShment.
"There were in the home on March 81,
1888, "a families, containing 30 persons,
and the admissions from April /, 1888, to
March 81, 1889, were 1884 families. contain
ing 1882 persons, or a total of 1898 families
Of 4442 persons. The diSmssals from April
/, 1888, to March 81, 1889, were 1888 families
Of 42l9 persons, leaving IN the home at the
end of the fiscal year 1SSS-S9 65 families con-
tanning 223 persons. OF individuals there
were in the home March 81, 1888, 35 persons,
and the admissions from April 1, 1888, to
March 81, 1889, were So. The dismssals
between the two dates mentioned were 615,
leaving y in the home. In the department
of night wanderers during the year ISSS-89.
900. 776 persons found shelter, of whom only
1888 were new visitors. The difference be
tween the number of male and female visit
ors was remarkable. While there were only
80 or 40 females a dav. the number of men
ranged from 250 to 1900"