The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-03-28
STATION HOUSE LODGERS
WHERE NEW YoRK's HOMELESS
ARMY SLEEP.

Scenes az Midnight in a Police Station
Going to the ''Island'' Until
Mild Weather Comes.
~ UT 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 as much
activity as the German had shown. He
few at the first man in the line, and
catching his shoulders, flung him ten
feet away along the pavement.
"Git out of here, said he; "a-a-a-h,
give me no talk. know yer. You
was here last night. Git, now, or I'll
give yer my foot. And you too; git,
now, and don't let me see yer any
more"
As his eve rested on each familiar
face he lesped at the owner 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
before" 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 l saw
that day. What under heaven they
were to do if the station-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 a
crescent shaped file with many 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 a manner
and tone. The New York policeman
is 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 cattle-yard,
simply hung their heads and shuffied
away like calves. Those who were adj
mitted to the station-house and or
dered about moved duly and mechan-
ically, as if they we're rather helpless
than stupid, and had made up their
minds to pay that price for lodging
without complaint or resentment.
They were new to such place. They
were not tramps or profossionai dodgers
| Seven in ten we're such men as one IS
used to seeing about the wharves, or
carrying dinner pals homeward in the
| - - Ihny
were unskilled laborers, with here and
there man not so easy to place-a
countryman, perhaps, or a man from
distant city. They stood with their
heads up and their eyes moving, to
take in everything around them. The
German patrolman began Mt the head
of the line and asked for recruits fol
the workhouse-a new departure il
lodglng-room practice.
''Do you want to go 'way?" he asked
of each. ''Do you want to go way
Do you want to go 'way?"
How these unfortunates understood
him | don't know, for had to have
his meaning explained. The fact wal
that the Department of Charities anc
Correction has determined in order tc
relieve the distress and pressure fol
lodging room, to send to the work
house on Blackwell's Island all New
Yorkers of several years residence who
have no homes and are willing to leave
town for the winter. The stranger
are to be sent back to the places they
hail from.
'sDo Won want 70 90 'way?"
''No, sir.
'Do you want to go 'way?"
81 don't mind" it was longshore
man who spoke.
"No, sir; )" "No, sir" ''No, sir,
said others in monotonous succession
Then a second man, who might haV,
long been truck driver, said he
didn't care" And a third one,
young fellow, answered, eyes, if yol
please" There were boys in the lin
at least two lads of seventeen o
eighteen years-badly off, but yet bet
ter placed than if they had ten cent
with which to get into the ayera2,
lodging house, where thieves are mad
as if they were factories for turning
discouragementan and poverty into crime
"What do you want to go TO th'
Island for?" ] asked the man who ha'
been a longshoremUn.
"Well, sir, what else can l do?' h'
replied. 81 have no work and NJ
money and no home. l buried m.
wife five years ago, and 1 have N,
children. I've been here twenty-fiv
years, and l understand ! can be too
care of for the winter-till times l
better.
Some one slipped some silver in hi
hand-for tobacco on the Island. -
Harper's Weekly.
The Stamp Collecting Fiend.