Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-31
GETTING NEW IDEAS
Secretary Multer of Y. M. G. A.
Returns From Inspecting Tour.
FEATURES OF PROJECTED BUILDING
Result Of Observations of Struc-
tures in Other Cities.
TIL f COMPARISONS MADE

Secretary Multer of the Y. NJ. c. A. and
Architect Hill returned late last nigh; from
their visit to Philadelphia. Brooklyn and
New York. whittier they had been for the
| purpose of examining the large Y. NJ. c. A.
| Buildings there. with "A vieN. 10 using some
| of their hest features for The ncw building
| here.
The secretary was much pleased with
what he saw. and especially with the new
West Side branch Y. NJ. c. A, on West
| 9th street, New York whicn Was COM
| pleted in the spring
| Many of the problems with which we
| have to DEAL" he said to The Star reporter
| this morning, were present at the West
SIDE branch. SO that naturally we found
| more there TO interest us than anywhere
| else
The building is certainly fine one, and
| considering the circumstances nils ad-
| hlrably the purpose for whicn IL was con-
| structed. The construction alone cost about
slo.oGo, but TO put it in shape cost about
| s-W.ot or more. The site on which tho
| luildiHs had TO be erected there was mar
| row. as is the one here. So We could study
1 that feature with profit.
Special Feature.
| There was a special feature i'm the West
| Side branch which we greatly liked This
was the arrangement of the swimming
| pool. which is about the size of the one
| in contemplation here. being 40xls feet
IL Is IN the basement, where the lockers
| and dressing rooms are also located The
| gymnasium is located on the top floor. In
| preparing for this the members use the
| basement room. and are transferred in
their gymnasium costume direct TO the ton
floor, where it is located.
we think this is such good plan that
we VIII IN all likelihood adopt the plan of
the closed elevator and ali
The West Side branch has arranged for
fifty or sixty eeping rooms for the mem-
beTs We think perhaps we might arrange
mere for twenty or twenty-five rooms, on
the top floor and on the one beneath
Our building will have six comDlete stories
with basement and subbasement, making
eight in ALL
Besides the West Side branch I'm New
! York. we visited the Harlem branch and
| the Central, and the one in BROOKLYN bur
| the West Side seemed to fit our needs bet-
ter than any of the rest. as it is newer and
possesses more up-to-date facilities The
summer membership there Is about seven
| hundred, which in all probability will be
| increased to 200 in the winter. There are
\ no classes going on there now which of
course, makes big difference. IL several
| stories were added to the New York West
| Side building l think ii would be equal TO
ihe one IN Chicago, which we had visited a
short while before.
Philadelphia Structures.
mantown branch. the Central and the Rail
road branch. of which was secretary
There was one feature in particular
which we wished tc look into in the Ger
mantown building which was in regard to
| the location OF the hall in connection with
the gymnasium. in the Germantown build
Ing, which is like the one in Trenton. y. j.
| the gymnasium is just above the hall We
were satisfied that this was no. a desirable
plan, for great trouble has been expe-
rienced there on this account 1t has been
found almost impossible to deadea the
floor. SO that sometimes operations have
had to be entirely suspended in the gym
nasium while an entertainment some
thing else is going on in the hall. The pill
lars leading from one to the other act as
regular tcansmtters of sound
IN Philadelphia proper We inspected
Houston Hall, a university branch of the
Y. NJ. c. A, built by Mr.. Houston of
that city in meTCry of his son. who died
while On 4 trip to Europe. Il is connected
with the University of Pennsylvania, and
cost about S125.Uo. 1t is one of the best
visited halls of the university. as about
l.s0o students attend there daily Most OF
the GLIB rooms. including glee clubs.
located there. The furnishings of an
tiQue design in some parts. and are cS-
trenely handsome. Ii has had most bene-
fetal results on the students of the univer-
sity. and is most popular with all OF
them.
Space for Library.
West Side branch in New York has place
reserved for library of $4,000 volumes.
which naturally takes up considerable
room.
Il was greatly impressed on my trip
by the dignity and Importance of the Y. NJ.
c. A. work i'm all the cities which / visited.
Millions of dollars have been spent, and
the Y. NJ. c. A. institutions. officers and
members are regarded with the greatest
respect Its permanence everywhere Is
most marked.
II am sorry to say that Washington is
not in the race with the other Y. NJ. c. A.
cities Even Cleveland. which was the
smallest city we visited, is far ahead OF us.
There are two three times as many
members there as here. and there is a CEN
trail buiiding with two brenches.
I'm New York there are eighteen
branches: in Chicago, fifteen. and fourteen
I'm Philadelphia Why such a state of af-
fairs should exist here we can not say, but
we are striving to ascertain the causes.
One of them is that probably the wealthy
residents here do not take as great in
tercst as they do in other cities of a COM
mercial character. When man comes
here to live he has usually made his money
and is content to rest easily and enjoy IL.
Where men are striving for their fortunes
they are apt to take a greater interest. IL Is
my idea, in the Y. NJ. c. A and such in
stitutions.
Calls for Best Endcavors.
However, we will do our best to interest
them here, and l think everything Will
come out all right, eventually.
IF there is any place where the Y. NJ. c.
A. should be striving. 1 thing il should be
here. There are hundreds of young men
who come here not expecting to find per-
nanent homes, and they look around for
social pastimcs. and some place where TO
visit and spend their spare time. IL Is for
such as these that the " NJ g. A. is in
tended, and ii throws open its arms to.
them"
Mr.. Multer says that the operations for
swelling the subscription list for the Y. NJ
c. A. building will begin before long, and
Will be carried on with vigor.