New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-25
THE FRESH AIR FUND WORK.
IT'S NINETEENTH SEASON, AND WHAT 1T
ACCOMPLISHED.

A
INTO THOUSANDS OF LITTLE LIvEs-NEAR-
ING THE TWO HUNDRED TIioU-
SAND MARK.
Tho time has once more come when the pleas
m, duty dcvolves upon The Tribune OF publish
,,e the annual report Of The Tribune Fresh Air
rund. This beautiful charity has now been in
o,eration nineteen years. During that time the
orroher Of children who have been taken from
noverty stricken homes, where every description
.. vice abounds and here a breath of fresh
,~ - m almost unobtaincbc luxury. and have
boop transported 10 the midst OF green fields to
No ministcred TO by the kind hands of loving
s~,ords has increased year by year until 1t is
now RAPIDLY nearing the splendid aggregate Of
100000.
surely a record to be proud Of. and one prob
h,v unsurpassed by any similar charity in exist
ence Who shall attempt to estimate the amount
of good which has been accomplished? What
standard can be used 10 measure the happiness
that II has brought into hundreds OF families?
II has restored to health many thousands Of
little children Who but for The Tribune Fresh
Air Fund would have gone down 10 early graves
More than this, il has beer the means of bring
Ing renewed hope to many a home darkened by
misfortune. and has given them an increased
trust in Him who said "Inasmuch as we did II
unto one of the least of these, my brethren ye
did Il unto Me-
In many respects the work of the Fresh Air
Fund in the season just closed has been more
satisfactory than eyer before. Ii has always
been q great desire OF those in charge Of the
charity to reach children who have never Deen
TO the country. a class which is always especially
needy and deserving. This year a great many OF
Ase children were found and invariably re-
~ being
made up Many special cases were reported by
musicians and others interested in the work Of
the fund and always received prompt atten-
ton The travelling record still remains un-
marred by any accident the railroad or other
agencies Of transportation A few minor acci-
dents have happened TO children In the country
but they have always been promptly attended TO-
and nothing serious has resulted.
CORPORATIONS WITH SOULS.
With a single exception the railroads OF the
Trunk Line Association continue to give the
quarter-rate fare. with maximum charge OF
IS 30 for tine round trip 10 points within nVe nun
drcd miles of New-York. Several OF the steam
boat lines running out from New-Iork also make
q large reduction in the fare. The railroads
which give this generous reduction are the Penn
sylvania system. NeN-York Central system, Del
aware. Lackawanna and WesIe Tn; New-1ork'
Lake Erie ard Western: Central Railroad OF
New-Jersey. Lehigh Valley. West Shore, North
ern Railroad of New-Jersey. Baltimore and ONO
PHILADELPHIA and Reading. Bosppn and Albany
Delaware and Hudson. Central Vermont ana
several other lines at distance r,om New-York.
TIL. steamboat lines over which children were
sent this summer were the Norwich Line the
Naw-Haven Line and the HartforV Line.
In this way the average cost per child is reduced
~ . low figure This reduction IS further aug
,nented by the fact that the children are enter
tanned free of charge by the country people VINO
receive them. and that only the actual travelling
expenses Of those accompanying tic children are
paid Further. there are no salaries or once eA-
penses save small amount for postage piHhN
books and business cards.
Every wear there IS an increasing demand for
.rausportation from fresh-a;r funds conducted by
churches and other organizations but owing 10
the fact that during the two previous summers
,a -raasurv Of the fund was exhausted before the
end Of the season IL was determined that this
summer all such requests should be refused dur
nc tho months Of June and July. There was also
a marked decrease in the number OF invitations
received from country homes.
WHERE THE LITTLE ONES CONE FROM.
The children come from all parts Of New-York'
Jersey CIV and Brooklyn. They are selected by
fan WORKERS among the poor. hospitals ana dls-
no,saries Each child must receive a clean bill
~ health from DR. Vinton. the examining phY-
sician before permission is given 10 g 10 me
country Each day the Board ID Health sup
niles list OF all infected houses, and mus II i
almost impossible for the children TO carry with
them any contagious disease Eve since tle III
ceutlor Of the Fresh Air Fund there mas peeh d
bitter warfare waged on vermin This year par
ticular pains were taken 10 stamp them out ana
DR. Vinton had printed and distributed circulars
setting forth the best mea 5 OF overcoming 'he
evil In spite Of al! precautions hoWeN'i d case
now and then comes to light. inns state oi al
fa,rs will probably continue until there is vast
,nnrovenent in the condition of the tenement
houses and the bathing facilities Of the poor are
much extended.
rrha n,,roher Of children sent to The country for
+,.o veeks' outing this summer was S,02l. There
u.ere also twenty-seven excursions 10 Excelsior
crove-on- Hudson which were the means OF CIV
ING q one DAYS outing to 2Ss24 persons mus lhe
,rand total for the year was $3.50
Tho receipts and expenditures were as follows;
RECEIPTS.
Receip, of balance from The Tribune Flesh Az 81 OBS 90
EuHS - sf Balance nt FRO from the Fund
season Of lS scSovletgcd in The Tisne. 2s5 20
ro.o, H--'"o ~
EXPENDITURES
Pas. book. business cards. eie..... s!sG
f r., sie,os Gli Tor esamin- ..ooo
sdn ing ph iie TSa for medical attendance
rsa allase" incurred in finding homes for .,ssz
rs2 3liaG oa Ashford li property. 9,
cos q Pu%Pi ,a91 pipe and labor at 1sss7 70
cosi Of maintaining home at ashford
hin Retreat (wherc 1893 children oo-o-o