The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-03-24
POOR MEN IN NEW YORK..


Out of the black shadow of the alley,
like a great bats wing, came the head
of the line of men across Oak street to
the basement gate Of the station-house.
The doorman now developed activity.
He few at the first man in the line,
| and catching his shoulders, flung him
ten feet away along the pavement
''Git ont of here" said he; 'a-a-a-h,
give me no talk. / know yer. You
was here last night Git, now, or FL
give yer my foot. And you, too; git
now, and don't let me see yer any
more"
IS his eye rested on each familiar
face he leaped al the bearer OF 1t and
gave him knock or twist that sent
him spinning out of the line like top
'Them's old soaks, that's been here be
fore. >" said he in explanation, and we
don't take 'em if they're regulars
There's not room enough for them that
deserves lodging"
l suppose those poor devils were the
most to be pitied of all the men saw
that day What under heaven they
were to do if the ststion-house spurned
them was indeed question. But they
were spun out OF sight and out of mind
Down in the brightly lighted basement
of the station-house the German and
the doorman lined up the men in q
crescent-shaped file with many a curt
order to turn your face this way; let's
see your face, man" The manner of
the policeman was rough, his tones
were sharp; but it was only manner
and tone. The New York policeman
is a professional man. His business is
adopted for life, and familiarity with
the conditions in which he moves rem
ders him decidedly businesslike. As
for the men, those who were jerked
out of the line like calves in a cattle
yard, simply hung their heads and
shuffied away like calves Those who
were admitted to the station-house
mechanically, as If they were rather
helpless than stupid. and had made up
their minds to pay that price for
lodging without complaint or resent
ment
They were new to such a place.
They were not tramps or professional
dodgers Seven in ten were such men
as one is used to seeing about the
wharves, or carrying dinner-paiis
homeward in the uptown streets at sup
per time They were unskilled labor
ers, with here and there a man not so
easy to place-a countryman, perhaps,
or a man from a distant city. They
stood with their heads up and their
eyes moving, to take in everything
around them. The German patrolman
began at the head OF the line and asked
for recruits for the workhouse-a new
departure in lodging-room practice
DO you want to go 'way?" he asked
of each. do you want TO go 'way?
''Do you want to GO sway?"
How these anfortunates understood
him don't know, for had to have his
meaning explained The fact was that
the department of charities and cor
rection has determined in order to re-
lieve the distress and the pressure for
lodging room. to send to the workhouse
on Blackwell's island all New Workers
of several years residence who have no
homes and are willing TO leave town
for the winter. The strangers are to
be sent back to the places they hail
from.
"Do you want to go 'way?"
'No, sir"
"Do you want to go 'way?"
81 don't mind" 1t was longshore-
man who spoke.
NO, sir" mo, sir" said others in
monotonous succession Then Sec
ond man. who might have long been a
truck-driver, said he didn't care"
And a third one, young fellow,
answered: Eyes, if you please" There
were boys in line-at least two lads of
seventeen or eighteen years-badly off,
but yet better placed than if they had
ten cents with which to get into the
average clearinghouse. where thieves are
made as If they were factories for turn
ing Encouragement and poverty into
crime.
What do you want to go the island
for?" l asked the man who had been a
longshoremau.
well, sir, what else can I do?" he
replied. 81 have no work and no
money and no home. / buried my wife
five years ago, and l have no children
I've been here twenty-five years, and ]
understand l can be took care of for the
winter-till times is better"
Some one slipped some silver in his
hand-for tobacco on the island.