The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-09
Church of Redeemer'S Par
iSh House a Model.
Sturdy Beggars Still Infest
Streets of the City.
How Dog Business Is Done in Buff
fal0--N0 Fines for Keepers.

The parish house of the Church OF the
Redeemor, which has been in use for
something more than a year, is proving
TO be one of the most valuable adjuncts
TO the work of the several societies con-
nected with this church. The building
itself is particularly well adapted to the
various needs of tho parish and is as easy
and comfortable in its appoin tments as 1t
is attractive in design. The hall, which
will seat two hundred and fifty persons,
is on the main floor, and can be used for
lectures and entertainments as well as
for dining room. A stage OF good re
with necessary anterooms and storerooms,
is provided, while opposite the stage is
gallery OF good size. Connected with the
nall are adequate kitchen and service
facilities. On the main floor front are the
social parlors which include reception
room and library, while the second story
is given up to the large apartments used
as q work room. In the basement Is
gymnasium fitted with most modern APP
pliances, besides toilet rooms, boiler
rooms, etc. One of the especia ly attractive
features is the interior decoration which
was done under the direction of Mr.. Il.
w. Marshall. This decoration Is simple.
but very effective. Walls and ceilings are
treated in thin, transparent colors which
give an impression of cheerfulness and
warmth, but do not destroy the luminos-
ity of the plaster. Indeed, one who visits
this cosy parish house cannot fail TO be
impressed by the appropriateness and
effectiveness of the decorations.
ba tn inf
the less frequented streets near the busi-
ness center of the city and to annoy pas
sers-by with petitions for assistance. In
deed these able-bodied mendicants are
becoming positive nuisance, and they
| ought TO be driven out of town or sent to
Cranston in short order. They are a
surly, vengeful set, and in many instances
when their requests for money are refus-
ed they threaten and sometimes attempt
to assault citizens. Occasionally one OF
these fellows falls into the hands OF the
police but the brigade of beggars is not
materially reduced by such cases. good
many people claim, and with apparent
good reason, that the cheap lodging
houses are responsible for this nuisance.
They offer place of shelter to these lazy
vagabonds at a small price and thus en-
courage them to remain here to poster
the people with petitions for money.
This city certainly has large mum Der
of these cheap lodging houses and what
is more they are under no restrictions
whatever. In Boston and other cities
they are licensed and Kept under police
surveillance and 1t is claimed that II the
same system were to obtain here there
would be less trouble from the brawny
and beIligerent beggars who traverse the
city's thoroughfares.
Among today's visitors to the dog depart
ment in the city hall over which police
properly clerk Blanding presides, was a
gentleman from Buffalo, N. Y, who Is
connected with the canine branch of the
government in that municipality and he
gave some interesting facts about the way
| business Is done. 1t is radically different
| from the system pursued here and has
advantages not possessed by the Provi-
dence methods. One important difference
| is that in Buffalo they DON'T prosecute and
fine the keeper of an Z licensed dog as is
the practice in this to"u. but they make
Ii very lively for the dog who, unless his
owner thinss enough of him to part with
| the amount of the license fee and ten
cents additional is sent to the place where
CANNES cease from troubling and where
licenses are no more, by very sure and
expeditions method.
Here in Providence we have dog officers
who once year make census OF the
canine population, attend TO the prosecu-
| tion of owners who do not take out Ii
| censes for their pets, and make way with
| the unfortunate canine who happens to
fall into their hands and who has no
| master to save him from a dose of strych-
| nine. Up in Buffalo they have dog catch
ers. These functionaries are hired by
| contract and they scour the city in search
| of unlicensed dogs. These they lssso or
corral as best they can and lug them off
| TO the pound. Once a dog gets into the
| pound his owner has three days in which
to get him out. This he can do by going
to the police headquarters, taking out
license, and paying ten cents for tag.
AT the end of three doys the cenines
which have not heen Tansomed are exc
cuted and in this respect the Buffalo
method has advantages not Possessed by
that employed here. AT one end of the
pound there is a large tex with glass sides
capablc of holding dozen dogs comfort
ably. This tox is practically air tight
and into IL the condemned dogs ato
driven. When oil is ready the box is
tightly closed and gas is let into it from
iour-inch pipe.
Curiously enough. when the dogs are
placed In this box they invariably sit on
their hauncnes and IL IS but few rec
onds after the gas is turn q on that they
are noticed to sway sidewise and finally
topple over aud expire without a struggle.
The Buffalo gentleman claimed that this
is the most humans way OF disposing of
unwonteo and vagrant CANNES i'm use,
and 1t certainly Is far ueiter, less uncor-
tain and more humane than either to
shoot them with pistol or poison them
with strychninc.
Just how far the license investigating
committee Intends TO go in allowing
persons TO air their grievances against
the license board Is not clear. Thus lar
they have permitted lawyer Mccarthy as
much alitude az be wanted and have
made no preience Of conlning him TO any
special charge or to any specific time.
This fact seems TO have stimulated others
TO come forward wita complaints and
they have engaged counsel In the hope OF
getting whack at the commissioners.
III the committee proposes 30 allow full
swing to every disgruutled individual