The sun., 1896-02-09
Municipal Lodging Houses.

To TIP FDIToR of THE SUS-Sir: " The nbando onmcnt
Feb. - or the present system will promote the
agitation for the erection in this city municipal
lodging houses."-ThE SUS.
A city with million and one-half Of people,
the first in the Western hemisphere. has not a
room, house, tor an unfortunate to lay his
head IN, except the station house.
We are so deeply engrosseG in sentimentalty
about sending missionaries to foreign countries
TO supply the natives with nice rcd flannel one
yard and one.half in width. and the Bible. that
forget that Mt our doors are good women,
girls. md boys in need of white or brown. blue
or red flannel To keep their limbs warm In our
very mutab!e climate for five months ont OF the
twelve. and who are hungry for the teachings
Of the Good Book. hut who never see it or even
hear Of It in the days when impress 'ons are
easily mnde-bccomo. ms it were. inclfaccabe.
"Municpa lodging houses" or. as they are
designated in British and Irish cities. might
asyums," must AMI should lave been In exist
ence long ago. There is many n middlc.agcd
man and woman over'aken Ivy the storms of
fortune who need temporary relief or shelter,
but who sturye for days before begging and
walk tho streets all night before going to n sta
ton house for shelter. There is something
about n station house that thousands OF poor
but respectable people so abhor that they would
perish, almost, in our streets before they would
90 into II police station and ask for shelter.
They think it a loss Of character to do so and
fenr that they are looked upon as susI icious
persons or mpcounious tramps.
The night asyIums or muniolpal lodging
houses are an actual necessity London alone
has 40 for homeless DOOR Every city and town
In England has one or more. believe the same
OF Scotland. but don't know. Dublin. Ireland,
has had one since 1896, for males and females
which gave shelter in SSl to G3, 2Gl: average
ench night, l73.
In 1864 the venerable Father Spratt OF the
cowled Carmclites founded another on tho
south side of the Iifey for destitute women and
children; male adults have to go TO the old
one in Bow street, on the north side
Of the river The applicants are furnished with
n place 10 wash their feet when they enter. too
many or them fooisOre looking for IA job " Of
work all day and can sit before II blazing big
fire 10 warm up. and then retire TO "a wooden
couch which is kept sc"npulously clean OF
course they are registered when they enter
nisordery or intoxicated persons nre moi nd.
mil ted: The poor You have always with YOU"
H. the Master las said, and they should be pro.
and puhlc order and sound sanitary cond lions
demands tho establishment OF municipal lodg-
ING houses"
We give millions for elementary education.
and rich men leave millions to found "chars"
and endow colleges, but We have not humanity
or brains enough to found an asylum for the
poor but respectable men or v omen Who have
spcnt their last dimo for meal OF food. perhaps
aud have no place TO shelter them but the
closed against them. There are too many crazy
people hI large on the subject ~ education and
iortisg missions; The College Of the city Of
New York should he suppressed and the funds
devoted TO places to she Ter the destitute honest
poor. who too often are hungry. but cannot beg
and s1 fds nnss m to 60 70 station
NEW YoRk. Feb. 8. 1895