New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-29
OFF FOR THE COUNTRY.
TWO TRIBUNE FRESH AIR PARTIES SENT
OUT YESTERDAY.


The Tribune Fresh Air Fund began the week 8
work yesterday in very energetic fashion by
sending Off two parties OF children TO the country
one TO Cattaraugus y. Y. and the other to De
kalb Junction. n. y. Both bound for places
IN this State where the residents have Invited the
little people to visit them for two weeks as their
private guests. There is always q good deal of
work connected with this sort Of party. and its
success is entirely dependent upon the generosity
OF the hosts. The people of Cattaraugus, y. Y,
have given such warm and hearty response TO
the needs of the work that as many as sixty
children started for that place last night.
AZ Cattaraugus the work Of arranging for the
reception Of the children has been conducted by
the Rev. ". NJ Burns in able manner, and his
unt:rng efforts have been well seconded by those
who have extended invitations 20 the poor children
o: the city. 1t IL pleasing TO know that all nave
striven enthusiastically and AS one person Tor the
common cause, and the results are indeed grauty-
ing To the following people. who nave invited
children TO their homes. are extended the hearty
thanks of all who on hot days think OF the poor
little unfortunates of the tenemcnts:
Mrs +. T.. johnson. Mrs. Morgan Mrs t. NJ
Cbe,. Miss Lena Kecler. Mrs. Ransom Mrs Weld
nor. Mrs. Wallace Rich. Mrs. 0. {. R'ch' MIS-
Etzel. Mrs. Pierce. Mrs. Jet Rich. Mrs =. watson
Mrs Mosher Miss Victoria Payne Mrs. Or Lat
tin. Mrs J. r. Farrar. Mrs. Job Prince. Mrs. Van
Arnam Mrs. w. s Babcock. +. s. Rich. Miss Ada
phillips f.. :. Oaks. Mrs. T. l.. Johnson Mrs.
Clark Ny. Beach. Mrs sherman. Mrs. Ida Russell
Miss Bessie White. Mrs. Salisbury Mrs. AnGov''
Mrs. Paul Smith. Mrs. H. Moench. Mrs C"yion
Rich. Mrs y. NJ. Burns. Mrs. Dawson and Miss
Nellie Benson
If these kind hosts could know the circumstances
of the children who TO them from the city
they would feel that they had reaped a reward one
hundredfod what they expected in merely giving
the little sufferers n breath of fresh air. To this
party. IN particular these two weeks of country
life will be- ike dream. like wonderful feeting
vision of another world. To these poor city young
sters such land Is heaven. They viii romp In
the sunshine. grow plump and healthy. and thea
come trooping back TO the city 10 dream and tell
about 1t until they get another chance 10 go. Ii is
hard 10 realize the surroundings in which some OF
these children live they are 50 utterly miserable.
SO absolutely FETCHED. There may be love in thet'
homes but IT is love amid difficulty.
The two predomnating features of this party
were the number Of children who live In tene-
ment- houses and the number OF the smaller ones
for whom this was their first sight. experience or
even idea Of the country Some Of them came from
Bone Alley Block. large tenement-house known
as the worst apology for a human habation in
the whole city. In this tenement-house which is
not on the street. but in behind and dark. damp
and iH-smeing, there are no less than eighty fam-
lies living Each family no matter how large, oc-
cupies but two small rooms, and it is usual sight
10 see ten or twelve people huddled Of these
dismal apartments. Everything Is so dark. so
crowded and so nsufferaby hot that the poor little
mites of tender years VINO have no reserve strength
10 draw on lead pitifu existence indeed. In this
building the death rate is for;y-1ve In every thou
sand according TO actual computation. 1t is liter
ally den OF human misery. and the name OF Bone
Alley has become fraught with terrible meaning
The building has been condemned time after time.
but II STANDS. a monument TO the wretchcdneSs or
human beings From this place some Of these chill
dreN 80 directly TO their first experience OF any
thing but nigh walls, heaIed pavements. close
sitting rooms. With barely space for getting in and
ou;. and al the attendant distress of life in the
some of them. one little girl was telling another
came dancing around the corner. seized her little
friend ana. IN an ecstasy OF JOY, exclaimed: 'ls
The other looked the speaker in open-eyed
wonder ard then asked in a weak bewiliered. little
voice: What country" She had never even heard
the word before. II was enough to bring tears to
ones eyes. Imagine. If YOU can that little unfortu-
when she catches her first glimpse Of the
country.
There ar,ther girl who had good fortune and
VS. seat away with ,h;s party She wa I;tle
la and nsed that her nams Vas nss 5a
Some OF the children terribly afraid Of getting
lef; one girl who was gong to the country at s45
O'Clock in the morning Shc not running
any chances. She brought a lunch for the even
ing which DISAPPEARED by 10 a. m TINS was suc, C.,
the shuttle. When seen o'clock in the afternoon
she was serenely confident that she could no; hold
vii appreciate the good things the country offers.
At DeKalD Junction the arrangements for fifteen
children have been conducted by he Rev. 4 y.
Ferguson. Tha, glorious time VIII follow under
the care OF the kind hosts There - nor shadow OF
q DOUBT The following people. who extended
Their hospitality viii be gratefully remembered by
the tired and sickly children who are gong u enjoy
It: Mrs. Ferguson. Mrs q. \. Bishop Ms George
Mrs William Wilson and Mrs. Rodney Brown The
generosity of these kind friends wi! bring ray
heretofore has been Of varying degrees Of dark
ness. TO put II mildly