The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-29
FOR WORKING WOMEN.
Magnificent Building Planned to
Occupy City Block.
To Give seif-Supportins Women In
New York ~ Place to Live.

IL Is TO be entitled, "Tho Woman's IS Trust"
and the object of those interested in ii Is
TO collect funds for the purpose Of building
a home for working women OF good repu-
tation who may at times be In need OF
shelter and home. 1t is proposed TO raise
this money by public subscriptions and also
to ask congress To contribute funds. 1t Ia
pointed out that congress has frequently
appropriated money for the erection and
support of soldiers and sailors homes, and
1t Is maintained that there IL no valid rea-
son why congress should not appropriate
money for the support OF needy women,
many of whom may become or already are
the mo6aers of soldiers and sailors.
The building which it Is proposed to
erect will occupy a whole block and will
be OF approved architecture, most probably
in tho Moorish style. On the first floor
there will be stores and an arcade There
will be courtyard in the center and four
entrances, over which are TO 30 inscribed
the following lines, which the Athenians
formerly placed over their gates, "We
wished, we saw, we loved and we adored. ="
The building will consist Of l6 stories OF
about ], 900 rooms--The rooms will be di-
vided into suits and will, as a rule, be fur
nished as parlors with folding beds. The
second floor will contain dining room for
the guests ard "a separate restaurant for
outsiders. There will also bo reading
rooms, class and concert rooms, where or
gan and other recitals can be given and
where all the minor crafts can be taught
TO women. Spacious grounds will sur
round the home and will be laid cut in an
appropriate manner.
The building will be run on the cooper
-; ;,,t Iol
supporting women, who will be charged
the nominal sum OF SO q week, in return
for which they will obtain not only board
and lodging but also all the advantages OF
reading and music rooms. No restraint
will be placed upon the inmates, as it Is
desired TO mako them feel thoroughly at
home. The first step necessary Is TO In
corporate a company, and this will be dono
in a short time. Several influential per-
SONS have already been approached on tho
subject and have promised their sympathy
and support. Mrs. Catharino Thompson,
with whom this idea originated has pre-
pared list of proposed incorporators ard
directors, and it contains the names OF
some of the best known mon and women
In New York. Speaking on this subject
recently she said: Professor Felix Adler
thinks very highly of this plan and has
gwen me great encouragement. Rev.
Minot j. Savage of Boston has also agreed
to exert his influence on behalf of the Wo-
mans trust, and though have not seen
Miss Grace Dodge on the matter, have re-
cetved a very kind letter from her and ain
sure of her support as soon as she returns
from the west
1.-THE necessity for such home must he
evident to every one. The Actors fund
helps actresses, and there Is fund for the
support of sailors wives and the funds of
the Salvation army help women in the
slums but there Is no fund for the benefit
of needy workingwomen of good reputa-
tion. Yet we all know that thousands OF
reputable women, many of them mothers
of families, are today struggling against
fearful odds ard arc utterly unable to lay
by any money which will prove of service
when old ago or sickness overtakes them
OF they arc thrown out of work. Women
can help themselves by uniting TO organize
such trust as we propose. Then they
will have equal chances with men, the ne
cessity Of immortality will be lessenod, and
new impulse will be given to advanced
economic laws New York city is the great
American mart for female help not classcd
as domestic service. Advertise today for
a goycrness, ard tomorrow you will have
from 75 to goo applicants. Now, what be-
comes of tho 100 who are rejected Every
class of woman seems TO be provided for
but the gcntlcwoman suddenly hurled
from affluence by some unforeseen mistor-
tune.
"The home, which will be known as the
Katherine Howard, will be "a national en-
terprise, and will In time become "a feature
of New York. The idea of this project has
been forced upon me by the many expert
ences which 1 have had in all kinds OF
homes and boarding houses in this city.
have found that u woman, IL poor and
hclpless, Is liable to be turned into the
streets at moments notice, that her
trunks are liable TO be seized, and that the
greatest insults will be hcaped upon her
FOR little or no reason. 1 have known cases
where women paid for board and the land
ladies denied that they had ever received
the money. Women, when they have 10
earn their living are generally unprotected
and arc considered easy prey. x large CO.
operative homo will do a.yay with all these
private abuses. Such home, where wo-
men earning their own living can DE prop.
erly housed, will do more TO elevate woman
and Indirectly man than anything that has
ever been done before.
Mrs. Thompson, who resides ut the Ho.
tel Kcnsington, has been at work on this
project for over two years and hopes now
20 be able TO get the Woman's trust rcgu.
larly Incorporated within the next few
days. Among those whose names she
hopes to secure as directors and incorpora
tors are Mrs. Levi u. Mo,-on, Miss Grace
Dodge, Miss Helen Gould, Mrs. Whitelaw
Reid Mrs. John jacob Astor. Mrs. Adolf
Ladcnburg, riessrs Chauncey Nj. Depcw,
Morris X. Jcsup, William X. Dodge and
Rabbi Gotthoil.
Among those interested in the project Is
lady who docs not desire to have hci
namo mentioned at present, but who Is q
daughter OF " late distinguished judge OF
:hc supreme court Of Tennessee, and she
and Mrs. Thompson intcnd TO 60 TO Wash
ington i'm a. few days In the hope of sccur.
ing tho support of Mrs. Cleveland. after
which they will use their best efforts n
have the matter brought to the attention
of congress. 1t lftls been pointed out "a
them ov cprSain rcssinists that the lato