Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-18
HOME OF THE DESTITUTE
The Wanderers Who Find Their Way to
Municipal Lodging House.
willing to Saw Wood for n Meal and
n Bed-Rules of the
Institution.

been given good big breakfast. Each
man hesitated at the office door long
enough to hand in his ticket, and then
passed on to the street. The tickets are
given out by the man in charge of the
yard where the wood is sawed and split,
ard they simply show that the men sur
rendering them have performed the work
required by the rules, which are as fol-
lows:
/. The house will be opened from am.
until 10 pm, except for those who have
S pm.
fronQ>5 to & pm.
). No person under the influence of liquor
will be admitted.
4. No drinking, smoking or swearing will
be allowed.
5. All applicants admitted will be re-
quired to saw one-eighth cord of wood
for supper. bath. lodging and breakfast.
q. No person may remain longer than
three days.
Z. All persons having stayed one night
and wishing further accommodations are
required to report not later than 2 pm.
=. All meals for Sunday must be worked
for on week day.
.. At the sound of the gong at 10 pm.
all talking will cease.
TO- All valuables must be left at the Of
fee.
IL. Any violation of these rules will de-
bar person from the house.
There is an unwritten law Of the insti-
tuition which permits man to spend there
three nights in every quarter, or twelve
nights in a year, and some of the local I'M
fortunates gladly take advantage of 1t.
In unusually severe weather this rule Is
broken, Superintendent Cutler
realizing that humanity demands it in
few cases.
Because of the size Of the house the Com
missioners restrict the number of dodgers
to fifty. This was done for the reason
that the health officials concluded it eS-
sential to the health of those who are
accommodated. During recent nights the
number of those registered has ranged from
thirty-five to forty, and short spell of
severe weather, it is thought, will result
in filling every bed in the house. The
men who were lodged and fed last night
We're all fairly well dressed, and scarcely
one the them had the appearance Of a
full-fledged tramp.
Home for the Holidays.
Many of the guests at this season." said
the clerk, .'are on their WY to their homes
III different sections, because, although they
are without means, they want to spend the
holidays with friends.
I'VE don't have many genuine hoboes.''
he added: most of the men have good
and are either looking for
work or returning home after a fruitless
effort to get employment. The average
man who cones here is by no means a
tramp, and nany of them are deserving of
better than they get in charitable tnsti-
tuition
Capt Cutler, superintendent of the lodg-
ing house, echoed the sentiments expressed
by the clerk. He said the condition of
some of the oyster dredgers who call show
ed that something ought to be done to pro-
tect them. Thus far this season about ten
& = N or1 +
ment have been cared for. One of the men
WAS in such condition that he had to be
taken to The hospital for treatment His
hand was cut and he was otherwise bruised
and marked. With him was another vic
tim, whose condition was not much better
Six dredgers appeared one night about
two weeks ago. and when they had told
their story to Capt. Cutler, the latter adj
vised them what to do and they are now
in a fair way to get their Just earnings
These men, according to their stories, were
employed BY the captain of an oyster boat,
and one day, while they were ashore, the
captain sailed away and left them. Think
ing he was coming to Washington, the
dredgers started in this direction, and upon
their arrival found the boat at the oyster
wharf When the captain learned that
they were here he moved mis- boat down
stream and anchored below the ARSENAL
but the marshal got the boat and the men
will probably get their money.
Willing to Saw Wood.
Not much trouble is experienced by the
in having callers to saw or
split wood for what they get. When the
house was first established there were many
who did object because they had been in
the habit of spending their nights in police
stations and begging enough to eat. Men
who are known as regular hoboes, it was
stated at the lodging house, object to do
ing any work, and they make all kinds of
hut tha ,1a ,;,{,,
work is never suspended except in cases Of
sickness or old age, and unless a man COM
plies he is shown the way to the front
door
1t is the intention Of the authorities to
have this institution reduce the number of
beggars on the streets, and to this end
blank books are furnished citizens These
blanks are filled out and sent with the ap-
plicant to the lodging house, where he will
be accommodated If there is ROOM The
books are distributed in order that citizens
instead of giving aims on the streets, may
send the beggars to the lodging house and
thereby discourage street begging. Under
the rules the house is closed at 10 p. m and
the weary ones who reach the city at a
later hour find it necessary to seek another
sheltering place. This forces some of the
unfortunates to call at the first precinct
police station in the adjoining building and
the overflow gathering sometimes contains
more than dozen sleepers.
Welcome No More.
1t is stated some of the men whose well
come at the lodging house has been worn
out make it point to call a few minutes
after the closing hour in order to get
pine bed in the police station, for which
privilege no manual labor is required.
Regular hoboes. said Clerk Healey, are
not fond of visiting the house, especially
when the weather is SO mild, for they can
spend their time about camp fires in the
woods and be happier than those who get
a good bed and board for doing a little
manual labor.
The house is kept in good sanitary condi-
ton. 1t is stated, and the food furnished,
Superintendent Cutler says, is good enough
for anybody to eat. At each meal the
guests are given an ample supply Of bread
and big bowl Of stew made Of fresh meat.
barley, potatoes and other vegetables, and
no man is permitted to leave the table hun
cry.
Congress Heights to Chevy Chase for
One Fare.
AnacOStia people can now go to any mart