Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-05-18


pledged a certain amount to its sup
port furnished one or two rooms COM
plete, and on various doors opening
into neat little apartments are such an
movements as: s'West End Women's
Club" Harvard Club" ''King's
Daughters ARCHER Club" White IN
the main the furnishings of the various
rooms are uniform-as, for instance.
small, white single iron beds are used
throughout the house-little things
which give a homelike air, as pretty
rugs, a few pictures and rocking chairs,
are added or withheld, at the will of
those who, as it were, adopt the room.
It is evident that there is more be-
slowing than withholding, and also
that there is more or less emulation
among the different clubs represented
as to making the rooms they have iE
charge attractive, as there is not one of
them in which there are not many
things that have no other Office than to
add to the appearance or comfort of the
apartment. In fact, there are few
boarding houses, of the cheaper sort,
where the rooms are so pleasant. To
be sure, there are from two to four
beds in a room, but everything is spot
Iessly clean ana the ventilation is good.
Each little bed is furnished with
springs, nice mattress, sufficient bed
ding and a white spread In addition
to this there is a gown for every lodger.
The rules require that every applicant
for bed shall take a thorough bath
and have her clothes examined. She is
then given clean gown in which to
sleep.
The rules of ''The Model Lodging
house and Workshop for Women" are
few and simple. First of all, everyone
who comes is received. If the appli-
cants have money they pay fifteen
cents for nights lodging: if they
have none, they are expected, if they
are able, to work one hour, which is
considered adequate payment. There
are but two persons regularly en-
ployed, the matron and the forewoman
of the workshop. Everything is done
by the inmates, in order to give them
as much employment as possible. Civ
ing those who need work some
thing to do just now is one of the most
difficult problems confronting those
who have the undertaking in charge.
It is not case of fields white for the
hsryesters with few or no laborers, but
of waiting laborers with scarcely sin
gle field in which they can work.
Aside from the bath, which has al
ready been spoken of, there is nothing
required of the dodgers excepting that
they shall retire at ten o'clock and
leave the house not later than nine
o'clock in the morning, and that each
one shall wait on herself and take care
of her own bed and her part of the
room as long as she remains.
A careful record of everyone who at
any time has been an inmate is kept,
and some of these accounts are as pa
thetic as they are interesting. One
woman who came to Chicago from
Kansas City to look for her husband
was quite crazed at finding herself
alone, almost destitute and friendless.
She was taken to the home and cared
for until she could care for herself.
The officials at all the depots know Of
this lodging house, and many woman,
who would otherwise be likely to have
most hapless time, is sent here until
she can settle herself. There is an
emergency fund which is drawn upon
in case of necessity, so that no one is
left uncared for. There is also an ar
rangement by which any woman who
wishes to do so can work a half hour
for what is known as a European
breakfast, which consists of rolls and
cup of coffee, or an hour for an Ameri-
can breakfast, with meat and potatoes.
In addition to the sleeping rooms there
is pleasant sitting-room where. there
are papers and books. AS a rule, the
books and papers are scarcely glanced
at during the time the dodgers are gath
cred in the sitting-room, as they are,
with almost no exception, a gregarious
company, who love best of all to ex-
change experiences.
The work shop connected with the
lodging house for women is a light
place where women are given employ
ment at fifty cents day when work
can be obtained. All sorts of plain
household sewing are done to order.
Efforts are now being made by Mrs.
Edwin 81. Kean, Miss Jane Addams, of
Hull House social settlement, Mrs w.
FL. Tyler Dr. Sarah Hackett Steven
son and other prominent Chicago
women to raise funds for a building
which will be especially suited to their
purposes and will be in every par
ticular a model lodging house and work
shop. A portion of the fund for this
purpose is now in hand, and it seems
assured that at no distant day model
shop, where all sorts of work will be
done and large number of machine
women will be employed, viii be an
accomplished fact. 1t is proposed in
connection with this workshop to put |
goods on the market warranted to be
made under hygienic conditions, such |
as do not exist in the sweat shops where |
most ready-made garments are made. |
Arrangements are also being made to
form consumers leagues throughout |
the country which will stand pledged |
to buy no goods made in sweat shops. |
Thus. ''the model lodging house and |
workshop" which was established only |
six months ago, promises to be the be-
crinniror n aooHinn md iuo71oY.- |