The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-22
is ANXIOUS To REFORM.
The Humane Society Asked
to Undertake a Novel
Task.
The Boy Who "Worked" Religious
Meetings Now Wants an
Education.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
40S RrOadMaY Sent d

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL
90S Broadway, Sept. 81.
The Humane Society is instrumental in
performing great variety of tasks, and
letter has just been received by the secre-
tary asking the society's intercession with
the Board Of Education.
The request was sent in by the we'll
known local character, 12-year-old Louis
Smith. Smith was arrested several months
ago by the secretary of the Humane So
ciety of this city upon the charge of vag-
rancy, and was subsequently, released by
promising that he would beg no more.
Since that time he has partly supported
his blind father and little sisters by selling
matches and lead-pencils on the streets.
This, with aid from local charity, has
kept the family comfortable.
Louis is an unusually shrewd bright
boy, and his propensities for making
money cannot be beaten by any boy of his
age in Oakland.
Formerly he worked the Oakland ferries
by petition setting forth the facts that
his mother was dead, father blind and
unable to work, that he had three little
sisters, one at home cripple" and that
he needed money for their support This
appeal brought in pocketfuls of dimes, and
occasionally big dollar.
Once his enterprise led him to take up
collection in the Salvation Army barracks
while the members were out holding
street meeting. When they proceeded to
take up the evening offering later on there
was decidedly small showing, for young
Louis. by his pathetic appeal, had cornered
the small change of the congregation.
Louis attended the Harrison-street school,
where, though a quick scholar, his conduct
was not according to rules, SO he was sus-
pended, and as yet has not been reinstated
A couple OF days ago he appeared in
person at the Humane Society S office and
informed the officers that he was anxious
to attend school and obey the rules. He
took with him a letter written by himself
to ask the Humane Society 20 present in
his behalf to the Board of Education. The
following is copy of the letter:
Board Of Education, Oakland. Cal: Ny name
is Louis Smith. ] live at 654 Jackson street,
Oakland. 1 would like TO go to school if /
could. / was bad boy in several schools and
they will not take me back TO school. l would
be good boy If l could go back TO school, and
this promise to try TO be. LOUIS SMITH.
Mrs. Sanford. secretary of the society,
will see that little Louis gets new start.
A SUGGESTIVE FACT IN ENGLISH RAILWAY
ACCIDENT STATIsTIcs.-The question of abol-
ishing the old coachbody railway carriage
and substituting the American end-door
system on all railroads is being agitated in
England. 1t appears that of the injuries
to pass engers on English railways no less
than rs per cent are due to jumping on
and off trains in motion. In spite of the
most stringent rules the high percentage
of accidents from this cause is maintained
from year to year. Another fact which
points to the desirability of change in the
construction of the English railway car
riage is that of the other deaths a consider
able number are charged to the flying
open of the doors of carriages in motion
from insecure fastenings. AS an interme-
date measure the English Board of Trade,
in combination with the railway COM
panies, is now investigating a new device,
BY means of which all the doors in a train
can be simultaneously locked and I'M
locked; but there is growing feeling that
the radical remedy is only to be found in
a change in the form of the car.