New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-27
FRESH AIR FUND FACTS.

Statistics are proverbially dry reading. Yet
there are exceptions TO the rule Of every prov
erb and here is one The facts and figures of
The Tribune Fresh Air Fund at the present time
are neither dry nor dull They are full of vital
interest. making direct appeal to the sympathy
and attention of every one who has the welfare
Of his fellOw-men at heart. The movements
of trade. the rise and fall Of stocks, the state
of the crops appeal TO this one or to that and
are Of vast importance. The simple doing of
good appeals TO ALL and is fraught with impor
lance transcending all questions of selfish profit
end loss
The height Of the season is at hand. 1t will
be the height Of heat. humidity, suffering and
all evils of midsummer. 1t must also he the
height OF humane effort for ameOratiOn OF those
ills. Such latter the Fresh Air Fund intends
to make 1t. Last week ii sent 10 the country
fer two weeks each no less than fOrty-three
companies. containing In all 1,SlO children.
That was splendid record. But this week
may surpass it. The beginning is suspicious.
No less than $50 children were sent out yester-
day. and others will be sent. by scores and hum
dreds. daily. Last night there were nearly
1000 Fresh Air Fund children in the country
and the total number sent out this year thus
far is $685. Such figures are surely not de-
void Of interest
But neither is it devoid Of interest to observe
the total of contributions to the Fund. 1t is
generous sum. But II Is not commensurate
with the work the Fund is doing. 1t will be
remembered that the average cost Of giving each
child two weeks outing last year was exactly
So 80 This year the cost is about the same
For every 81 30 contributed. therefore, a child
can and will DE sent TO pleasant country home
for fortnight For every cent contributed is
sacredly devoted to that purpose and TO that
exclusively Not one cent ever goes for rent or
salaries red tape. But as we have said. the
work is Outrunning the receipts. The Fund
has sent out G.G36 children this year. AT 81 80
each they will cost $15.SG0 o.. And what have
the receipts 10 date been: Look at the state
mpnt in another column and see. They fall
far short OF the sum required TO meet expenses
already incurred. They will. Of course. be made
I'D so as 10 meet them. OF that we are most
confident But they should be thus made up
at once. and kept thus made up. If the Fund is
to do the work that lies at hand.
Briefly unless the operations Of the Fund are
to be hampered and hundreds and thousands Of
DOOR suffering children are 10 go without the
relief it would afford them. the total Of cOntr-
buttons should he Immediately swelled to ut
least $4,000. And then additional cOntrbu-
tons should come in sufficient TO pay the ex-
penses of forwarding 1000 week for the rest
Of the season. That means S6,7S0 week. or
S1.130 each working day. A large sum. you
say? Yes, but it is 10 do a large work. A
large sum? But here is the richest and most
generous community on the continent to give it.
A large sum? But il is mere trife compared
with the present wealth and the dawning pros
perity Of this people Come, let us meet pros
perity with generosity. and make this year,
which sees the passing of hard times, see the
coming of unprecedented good TO the children
OF the poor