New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-18
ONEOFBROOKL YN,S FEATURES
A PECULIAR ORGANIZATION WHICH MEETS
WEEKLY AND HAS NO OFFICERS
1T Is KNOWN BY THE NAME OF THE INsTITU
TON WHICH is DEVOTED TO IT'S SERVICE


ABOLITION OF DIRT ITS CHIEF OBJECT
There are lots OF peculiar things In Brooklyn, and
Brooklyn people have ways which distinguish them
from dweliers in any OF the other large places near
New-York. There societies for the suppression
of lots of things which the members OF the organi-
cations do not like and there are other organiza-
tions for the advancement of the IDEAS which the
members think will benefit either themselves or
their electromagnetic. There is one society In
the City OF Churches and Homes which has large
membership drawn from widely separated parts OF
the city. Its members meet only once week. and.
although they have the same object In view' they
seldom discuss The object Of their meeting. In fact,
they would hardly be willing to admit that they
were members Of the society were 1t not that they
carry a teltale badge, which gives them away" In
a manner which admits OF no denial This society
does not know the name Of its founder indeed, II IS
doubtful II 1t had founder In the strict sense OF
the term. 1t ic more like Topsy-it Just growed
and never had a father. Its sessions are he'd on
the breeze-swept shores of the arstocratic end OF
Coney Island, and. although II is not incorporated.
IL 1t should become regular member OF the
great family Of more less secret societies good
name for 1t would be THE Society for the Adolf
ton of Dirt" for that Is its chief object.
This association, homeless save for the individual
homes of its members. with its days OF meeting gov
erned entirely by the weather. with no president,
secretary or Board Of Directors. has more fun at
its sessions than cage full OF cats Ana what Is
more peculiar still. Its meetings are held only on
Sundays, always in the early forenoon and are run
entirely the "go-as please plan. That Is,
the members come when they get ready, stay as
long as they like, and go home when they feel Ike
it. without asking the permission OF the chairman
or any other official save one solitary man In Due
uniform and he has nothing TO do except punch
little holes in ticket. and never says word so
long as every member has his or her ticket ready.
Membership this peculiar organization is not gov
erned by limits of age previous condition
OF servitude Every who has the price may come
and welcome and the price is reasonable and may be
/ paid in instruments.
Another peculiar thing about the organization Is
the fact that 1t has institution devoted to It's
own particular service and 1t by the name of this
institution that the society is known more COM
monty than In any other way. The institution Is
owned and controlled by a wealthy and powerful
corporation which places 1t at the disposal OF the
members for 4 small individual consideration. and 1t
is the servant OF this corporation who punches the
little holes In the tickets. which are a certificate Of
membership in the gang" and have been prev-
ous.y mentioned.
AS is well known, members Of secret societies
delight in arraying themselves In uniforms or re-
gala which in some instances is more gaudy than
servceable and In few cases appropriate. Sym
bolism riot, and the most bizarre fances have
free play in the designing OF the robes or sashes
which separate the oiIce-hoders from the common
herd Of ordinary, dues-paying members. The tin
plate debt TO the show-loving members
and makers Of rosetes and other kinds OF frippery
count a steady trade from the members of the
big and little organizations. with an occasional rush
OF work when a new crowd gets together. Not so
with the society alluded to in this sketch. Its
members are the sworn foes of undue adornment
at least the day and at the time of meeting
The uniforms worn by the members are anything
but uniform. Sometimes they 1T. more often they
do not. and whether they do or not, no one cares
and only a few of the observing The
uniforms carried to the place Of meeting in
anything that comes handy. A brown paper parcel
may contain the regaa OF one member, while that
OF the next reposes in spck and span new Glad
stone bag the variations between the two cover
ing almost everything that will hold roll Of CLOTH
and keep shut when string is tied about II; There
Is no ceremony about the bundles and when the
owners arrive at the meeting place they are united
and unwrapped, and the contents put on as quickly
entering into the calculations of those who have
them while those who do not can draw on sup
that hires the punch little holes in the
& asan for s Is ade Tor
her own private box in which to put the regalia
crowd the majority of neeks are ornamented with
keys are the guards to the clothing Of the member
for it Is OF the rules OF the society that every
first take off ali his clothes the uniform being ali
that is permitted TO be worn when the meeting is in
the horse. foot dragons never came out in
such arrangements and Solomon in AL his glory
was not arrayed the members of this demo-
cratic and good-natured organization get them
selves up. Scantiness is requisite for the men,
but the women and children go in for little very
little. more adornment. Many of the suits fit alto
gether too quickly, and show plainly that they
were built on the same plan that the Down
Easters' used to follow In building ships-make
them by the mile and cut them up in lengths TO
suit
AS has been mentioned before. admission to this
peculiar Brooklyn organization is not dependent on
the goodwill of any or the result Of secret
ballot II any reader of The Tribune wishes 10
Join II he may do by going to the Flatbush-ave
station of the Long Island Railroad at o'clock
any pleasant Sunday morning and buying ticket
for Manhattan Beach. He Will find train await
ing him. which is known TO all who ride on 1t, and
many who do not, the wash train" and the
name OF the train is significant, for the people who
go the beach that train there primarily for
a wash in the Atlantic Ocean, and are known the
wash crowd" the scrub gang, and by several
other names more expressive than elegant. Fol-
low the crowd and the way IL easy TO learn all
the mysteries of the society 1t is good crowd to
wit