The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-17
A SHELTER IN TIE SLUMS.
the VIEW ~sILT17IOS dRHY REFUGE
~ BIIIRD STREET.
Designed 60 Provide LodginEs for Home.
Reform en- Work Before Tronble
Arnnn Ah,ni "a Irrn,If-Itn Inn.na..

It's queer how one bright spot can make n
whole narrow, dirty street shine. Bayari
street isn't, and never has been, very attrnc.
tive. even to the people living near by In the
Bowery or Chatham square. Most Of tho
houses in days gone by were saloons. and those
that weren't saloons were dives Of one kind or
another; but things have changed in that
quarter. and the Oldest inhabitant-fo every
street down on the east side boasts one such
says that the sun shines brighter there nova
days than ever before. and the mon and boys,
and women, too, for that matter, don't swear
a. they walk through the first block east Of
the Bowery, and tie children ind vendors
don't throw dirty things into tho street.
When asked what brought about the change,
he answers:
Why, didn't you know that the lady sol.
diers with the poke bonnets had got down here
at last, not on n visit, but to live among u.s."
And, sure enough. they have. Tho first
Woman's Shelter established by the Saliva.
ton Army In America was opened at "a Bay.
ard street Elk weeks ago.
We've been praying for this for two years
and a half, said Brlpadier Brown In her soft.
caressing voice, MS she went from room to room.
showing each with pride. For q long time
the officers and soldiers In the Salvation Army
have seen the need OF O shelter where no poor,
hopeless. homeless woman, no matter how old
or how young, would be turned away when she
sought o NIGHTS lodging, and AZ last we have
such a place in operation, or, at least, It was
until the trouble came up, through some little
misunderstanding about the proper permit to
run such a place. But We hope and trust that
the trouble will all be settled In q few days and
we can open our doors once more TO the dozens
Of anxious creatures who knock every night
for admittance and seem unable to understand
why they can't get in"
The building which was offered to the Army
for this work Is said TO have been n lodging
house Of the lowest type for men for a number
of years. Finally II was condemned by the
Board of Health. and in consequence was I'M
occupied for q long time. Such facts seem
like fairy tales to one who goes from the large.
airy basement Of this six.story house to the
attic, for 1t Is as ~spotless and clean as plenty of
whitewash, soap and water, and fresh paint
can make It, and the sun doesn't seem to be
able to get in any position where it cannot
shine through some Of tho windows.
Ensign Johnson, a woman about 80 years
old ;hd s and Of Swedish swS Ish s; sx ira ton, has charge re- ,S of
right place. She has been in the Army ten
years. and has a gentle, persuasive manner,
tally at night. She is assisted by Capt.
woman. The funds of the Army are SO short
now. owing to the recent troubles. that not g
o onSfS' the Hsf lower seri floo ns i have Been s8 i ftted Y1 up. T ffs
building is narrow and not very deep. so two
very long rooms in an adjoining building In
windows in in i, and contains foEsy:dSe sins sis
up two feet apart. Instead Of springs and
mattresses. each has a piece Of heavy sail cloth
ia laced ma Ct the heb bead "a and foot with SUFFICIENT Ths Sats slant ant
all numbered. and so are the blankets, and. If
a woman comes more than one night. she gets
IA nm 1nI M mi nr y tho ntDht II
cold. she gets two blankets. The dormitory
looks as neat as the wards in a well-regulated
hospital. and that is the most that could be
In the basement Is a long light room fitted
UP with chairs and tables. This 10 called the
two meals furnished them for the small sum
Of ten cents. True, they. are simple meals:
and butter. and the breakfast is the same, ex-
cept coffee Is sustituted for tea; but the wo-
much enjoyment as others more fortunate
would show over an elaborate menu. The
viii be later, and It's progress depends on gifts.
One of the fret uses made Of any gifts re-
ce i've will be TO- provide better meals; ,,,, IN
the afternoon and $3.50 at night. and stay I'M
til & o'clock the next morning. They are in
vited at once to the combination sitting and din
ing room. where they talk among themselves.
or they may 20 into an adjoining room which
ing. AT night religious services are held in
the sitting room for one hour. and at half
past nine the dodgers are required to 60 tD bed.
The. niqht watchwoman makes her rounds at
all hours durirg the night, TO see that all Is
we'll and that the women do not disturb each
other. for some nights women. so drunk that
Tho wash room is lifted up with tubs, and as
into a regular laundry, SO that some Of the wo-
men who are regular dodgers at the shelter
Snd food Ss pS Ss their Rei C work. 70 b RSy a I9s to tS earn a0 sSme:
thing extra for themselves. On the first floor
is the office. which opens on Bayard street,
and tho nnlv 1nrnitnrv that ia fitted IN On fQr
like paradise to the women who used 10 sleep
provided for them in the station houses. and
who. since the station house lodgings have been
other. as they were ordered. through the long
nights. The windows are hung with white
muslin, curtains, and potted plants bloom ON
tho sills. A laxative parrot occupies a cage
in one corner OF the room; and a canary chirps
at Polly from another: The walls are GOV;
men and women prominent in salvation Army
work. Altogether, there is a homelike air
and. after the door IL opened TO them, peer eau
tiously in. as II they were suspicious, OF the
PPo aSSsdi gam and SIn are only to- too s riaa to o enters tee upon s%r,
WHAT'S a new life TO them, The second floor is
for officers; II contains three rooms;
The third floor isn't fitted u yet, but it will
One room will he a slum post for officers who
brigade in a locality where It is said to be
much needed. The other will be a receiving
room Tor tne rescue nome OF the Army IN
Harlem. This home is for abandoned women.
and a sufficient number have protested peni.
tence and a desire To lead a better life merely
for the purpose OF obtaining free lodgings, to
fore Committing them to the home. The
fourth and fifth floors will be divided into sep
arate alcoyes for the more respectable women;
for xample those who have daily work, but
no real home. In each little room will be a
single bed and a washstand. The women who
take these rooms will have To pay fifteen cents.
AT the top Of the house will be a dormitory
of a cheaper kind.
During the morning hours the officers have
a great deal OF work TO do. Every room Is
thorouGhly washed and dislnfected, and the
bedding is taken into an air tight disinfecting
room where there are all facilities for fumi.
eating them. BY the time the doors are open
to receive dodgers everything Is as spick and
span as aboard a war ship.
1T is so lonely here now" said Ensign John
son, I'VE will all be glad when tho shelter can
be opened again, and the women who have
been coming here will be even glndder. At
first we only arranged to accommodate TWEEN
ty-hve, and we felt that as warm weather was
coming on It was doubtful II even that number
would apply. But they. did, and II great many
more. too. The last night that we were open
thirty'nine women, slept here, and nearly