Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-09
SALVATION ARMY NTERPRISE
Plans for Forming Naval Brigade for Coast
Work.
Commander BoOth-Tucker's "ShelteF'
Scheme Meets With Disapproval
In New York.


Lewis. founder Of the naval branch Of the
Salvation Army in Great Britain and Ire
land who has come to the United States to
organize a similar branch OF the service in
connection with the plans Of Commander
Booth-Tucker, will soon visit Washington
and try to persuade President Cleveland to
give her a gunboat as a nucleus for the
Salvation Navy. 1t is stated that in the
event of President Cleveland declining to
comply with this request Commander
Booth-Tucker will try to raise fund for
the purchase of some ocean going steam
ship, which will be converted into a cruiser,
and sailed from port to port along the At
lantic coast. The plan is said to be to have
the cruiser painted blue and to fly the flag
of the Salvation Army.
This novel enterprise Is said to be the re-
suit of long thought on the part of the ener-
getic commander, who has for many years
considered the subject of the best means OF
saving the souls of those who follow the
sea for a living, 1t being expected that the
unique nature Of the scheme would attract
to the ship large number OF sailors VINO
could Eot be induced to attend religious
service held in church or similar building
A Change of Plan.
Mention has been made in The Star that
it was the intention Of Commander Booth
Tucker to start here In the near future
SHELTER" provided a certain number OF
mercy boxes were taken in the District.
thus insurins a small, but certain, support
for the enterprise. and Capt. Fryer VINO
has charge of that division OF the service
in the United States, was expected to come
on from New York to inaugurate the
scheme. Within the past day or two, ac-
cording to letter received here, the plans
Of Commander Booth-Tucker. who con-
templated the establishment OF similar
;,S ir, York has received
quite a check, and IT Is not yet known
whether or not the action taken there VIII
cause the commander to reconsider MS
former determination as regards the smell
ter in Washington.
THE Salvation Army says the letter.
has had in New York for some time past
lodging house for poor and unemployed
but not under the plan as proposed by
Commander Booth-Tucker, and Tuesday
last a house, based on lines laid down by
him, was opened for women. This Is ar
ranged to accommodate los dodgers.
The Work Started.
Commander Booth-Tucker has leased o
large building, and regular religious SER
vices will be held on the ground floor The
rest of the building will be devoted to the
lodgings and bath room. 1t is proposed
to erect a kitchen In the basement and to
provide all those who apply for lodgings
with meal. AS yet. arrangements nave
not been made for putting the dodgers 10
work. so that if they do not possess the
necessary 10 cents for a bed they cannot
now work for it. This will be arranged for
later on.
Hardly had the building been opened to
the purpose for which it is intended to be
used before the vagrancy committee OF
New York which is composed OF members
of various charitable organizations, called
on Commander Booth-Tucker at his head
quarters, and protested against the estab-
HShmart of the large number of lodging
houses he had planned to establish In that
city during the next couple of months. The
members of the vagrancy committee in
formed the commander that their visit was
only intended a conference, but that II
he persisted in opening more lodging houses
under his plan they would feel obliged tC
make an attack on the scheme, as they be-
leved 1T injury to the city, rather
than a good.
THE committee further urged that the
plans Of Commander Booth-Tucker would
If carried out. nullify all the work of thai
committee for the last two years, anG
anything that has been done for many
years. The cheap lodging houses. the com
mfttee said, were a curse instead Of a ben
fit to the poor man. 1t was said that i'm.
mediately after the cheap lodging houses
were established there would be a tremen-
dous influx Of Migrants from the outlyine
districts. and that the small sum required
to pay for a nights lodging could easily BE-
begged or stolen during the day. If they
could get this small sum their idlenes:
would be assured, and If they could not bee
or steal 1t a very small amount of work
would secure it for them.
Further Objections.
THE present plan of the committee, which
was adopted. after much thought, was. ,ht
| committee said, just the thing that wa.
needed. 1t provided labor for a man fol
two or three days. and also served as a la
Dor exchange, where those who wanted la
borers could apply and get whatever hell
they wanted. If man called there too of
vagrant he was arrested and sent to thu
| him. In this way useless character wa
| taken off the streets and placed where h,
could neither beg nor steal for his lodging.
Commander Booth-Tucker defended hi
plan before the committee and stated tina
according to his scheme every unfortunat,
| man who happened to be out Of work thi
! winter would be able to get shelter withou
| running the risk of being sent to TIT
| workhouse, and without asSociating will
| some of the low characters to be found II
| the cheap lodging houses referred to by tn
| committee. To injure the trade of thes
| houses as much as possible he intended, h
| said to invade their territory. 1t was hi
| intention to make the lodging houses self
| supporting. He promised however, to tax
| what the committee had said into consider
| alton and to let them know his decision ii
| very few days
| lv