Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-01-11
NEW YORK LETTER.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS. |

!, Unless the wise, the charitable and
the far seeing citizens of New York
come speedily to its rescue one of the
most deserving charities in the city
must come to premature end and its
usefulness be destroyed. This is the
New York Red Cross Institute, the
pet child of Clara Barton, the "R d
Gross Saint" whose name is a benson
on both sides OF the Atlantic. A year
ago this institution was opened i'll a
little house at No. 233 West Tooth
street. Since then it has treated nearly
five hundred patients under its own
roof, besides carrying relief into hum
dreds OF homes. Only three of its
beneticiaries have died.
Yet, in spite of this splendid record
of we'll doing, the institute is suffering
for lack of funds. The owner OF the
little house han sold it and the pur-
chaser demands occupation in April
next. There is no money with which
to buy IA new house or to build. Unless
help shall come the Institute must
cease to be. Miss Bettiua Hotfkcr is
Sister Superintendent of the institute
and Miss Barton's personal represent
tative in New York. Miss Hoffker is
German by birth, and, though still
young woman, has had large ex-
perience in relief and hospital work.
She graduated at the Mount Sinai
Training School for nurses, IN Licking
ton avenue, and for two years there
after served as volunteer nurse in
the tenements of New York without
compensation. She has a small in.
come of her own, and like all the
other officers of the Red Gross instl-
tute, works entirely without pay.
Miss Hoffker said something pub.
licly of the needs and scope OF the
institute. The work is two.fold-to
train nurses for such great emergen-
cies US war, pestilence and disaster,
and to train nurses to labor among the
poor and the middle classes. eve
set great store by this latter branch of
our work." Miss Hoffker told me. "a
great deal is done for the abjectly
poor, but who thinks of the men and
women ordinarily above charity upon
whom misfortune falls with equal
weight? Suppose man who eurns
$18 or 500 week meets with an acci-
dent or has prolonged illness in his
house. Careful nursing will cost him
1926 a week. He cannot afford it and
he disdans to ask for charity. We
can send to such household a trained
nurse, as skilful as the best, for IS
week. He can pay that and still be
above charity. There is great need
for this work."
There are at present but six nurses
in the institute, but scores of applica.
tons are received, which it is not pos
sible to accept because there are no
funds to enlarge the hospital and
make work for an increased force. AS
it is, the twelve rooms in the building
are filed, because no patient is turned
away for poverty, or creed or race.
The society is most DESTROYS of obtain
ing plot OF ground and erecting a
suitable building. With timely help it
will be able to do SO. Without help
1t must relinquish "even that which 1t
hath"
The year now closing has been a
proud one for the real estate interests
OF New York. In fact, both the vol
ume Of transactions and Importance
OF new enterprises started in 1895 have
estublisheda record which has no prec.
i edent. An aggregate of no less than
$3.50, 600, 900 to $500, 0O0,O Of prop
erty has been sod in this city during
the past twelve months, both at pub
lie as we'll as private sale. The great
majority OF these sales were at en-
hanced figures over those of previous
years, showing the steady confidence
entertained by investors generally in
metropolitan real estate; and among
these investors Sun Franci-co,
Chicago, Boston, as we'll as other
cities, produced the quota. In re-
viewing, therefore, the real estate
work of 1896, one cannot overlook
the fact that more than in any previous
year these transactions have not only
great commercial value, but also
have an aesthetic aspect that, indeed,
is most significant. The centre of New
York is being, or, rather, has been
changed so us to stamp it with that
desire to make ench and every corner
attractive. Old cross streets have been
renovated, new business centres, both
wholesale and retail, have been estab-
lished, and from the beginning of the
year to the end thereof there has been
no let-up in giving old New York a
new and better aspect.
Street cleaning inspectors, letter
carriers, blue coat policemen, gray
coat policemen, and walking dele.
gates have already taken more or less
kindly to the bicycle. Last of all, we
are informed that the Socialists of
New York propose to form wheeling
corps for the purpose of disseminat-
ing their literature more rapidly and
effectively. There is no law against
this, though it may end in littering up
! the highways with Karl Marx pam
phlets. We believe the suggestion is
an excellent one for more than one
reason.
We all like well-balanced men.
Your Socialist is not we'll balanced un-
less he has at least two wheels az far
away from his head as possible.