New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-06
FRESH AIR FOR LITTLE ONES
ruE THIBUNE'S GREAT CHARITY BE-
GINS ITS TWENTY-FiRST YEAR

'NTRl FIELDS THIS SOMMER-lN
Es7TNd AND PATHETIC CASES.
The ,wenty-frst year of The Tribune Fresh
.,- Fund will be opened tomorrow, and from
,hen until cool weather comes parties or poor
children will be sent to the various places where
recommendations have been secured for 'herh'
thousands Of children whose ideas Of the country
are vague. and to whom green fields are un-
known will have an opportunity for the hrs'
time to breathe the country air. ana III many
instances the two weeks outing VIII ne 'he
means Of preserving the health OF the little ones
during the hot season.
When the plan for sending poor ana heeoy
children 30 the country was first carried INTO
execution In 1877, sixty received the Dement'S Oh
the philanthropic movement. and those who sent
them to the country incurred an expense vi
$751; CO. Since then the number Of benefc!ares
has grown every year. more people pecai'e III
,ercs,ed in the work. The Tribune Fresh AIT
Fund gradually became one OF the recognized
worthy charities of the metropolis. and carfui
., children. each with Fresh Air badge. became
an every day sight on the great railroad lines
leading ont of New-York. The second year over
thousand children were sent to the country, ana
the number increased steadily, until 1t reached
1000 last year. when S2394s 90 was expended.
LARGE CONTRIBUTIONS EXPECTED THIS
YEAR
Contributions to the Fund came from many
sources. and although ali but $40 90 Of the Fund
was exhausted last year, the Rev Willard Par
sons under whose maraCement the Fund Is con"
Quoted believes that enough money VIII ne re-
ceived this season 20 make the number or hene-
Nc,aries larger than Il was last year. The 'ehc-
nent- house districts Of NewYork. Brooklyn ana
Jersey City contain thousands OF poor ch'ior'N
whose names will lie brought 10 The tribune
Fresh Air Funds office in the course or the sum
.ncr by the mission workers IN the various us
trcts and an outing will be given to an "iiiie
the funds hold out. The men and women WI"
devote their time 10 the good work 81 securing
country outing for the poor children receive ho
nav from the Fund, but the thanks OF the Ht'le
ones and the blessings of the parents. VINO know
how, much good the tour in the country does are
q ROYAL compensation for the labor. Each or the
o15 parties Of children which were sent TO the
country last year was accompanied by a COM
pete.t person who escorted the !,ttle travellers
20 their destination attended 10 their wants. and
Guarded them against possible mishap Not one
n these persons received any pay, and no paid
courier could have attended 10 the difficult duties
better or more faithfully than they. Each little
band OF children reached its destination without
accident and all returned refreshed ana lnviS-
Grated and with a store Of wonderful tales ABOUT
the country, and all The little ones were IN hopes
that they might go again.
NO DISTINCTIONS OF CLASS OR CREED.
The Tribune has avoided discrimination IN
favor Of or against any class or creed ana
II has received thanks for its work from all
churches and denomina tons. The lnVestSa-
tons OF the workers have brought TO light
u,uei. distress and suffering and in many
Instances the excursion into the country has
been only the frs: step to recla'mirg children
whose life would have been failure.
The manager OF the Fund polncs to the case
Of the Lassmann boys as one Of the many of
the kind IN his last years experience. and *
shows also that The Tribune Fresh Air Fund
docs more than give the children a country
vacation--that Il stops the progress Of many
who are on the down grade. and assists them to
q higher level.
The Lassmaun boys, fourteen. twelve and
eleven years old. had been deserted by their
parents who. when they went back to their
home in Switzerland. told the boys that they
were old enough TO take Of themselves.
The Oldest boy sold papers and earned enough
money 10 pay fer the scanty board which they
mad IN a poor family. AS the weather grew
warmer his customers left town, his income
grew smaller and he in debt to his poor
landlady.
Times grew worse. and one evening he came
20 what he called home" and found his little
brothers IN the street and the door barred
against them The boys wandered about the
streets during the day and slept In doorways or
under drays at night. Finally the order to
"nove on" given by a police officer frightened
the older boy, and, having heard of The Trib-
une Fresh Air Fund. he came TO the Office told
his story and asked to have his little brothers
sent away with one OF the fresh-air parties
COUNTRY TRIP FOR THE WAITS.
His story was Investigated and found to be
true; the boys, bright lads. despite their un-
kempt condition. were made presentab!e. ana
within few hours after the little father had
asked for help the trio on It's way TO the
country. The boys had an opportunity, possibly
for the first time, TO see that there was sunny
side 10 life They remained in the country three
weeks Az account % treir case was published
IN The Tribune. and liberal sum was sent
by people who had read Of them. TO be used in
behalf o. The Lassnann boys. A farmer made
application for TWO or all Of the boys but, in
the mean time the father had written from
Switzerland asking 70 have the boys sent 70
hin. With the money which had been con-
tributAd they were clothed and sent TO Europe
and made the trip in charge OF a man who took
them 70 Basic.
a letter was received at the Office OF The
Tribune Fresh Air Fund after the boys
arrived in Europe. in which the boys and their
parents expressed their gratitude for what had
been done From the time these boys came TO
U.s." said the manager OF The Fund. until they
were safe in the hands Of their parents, the
Fund never lost sight Of them for moment
and this case is only one Of many with which
sehave TO deal every season.
The particulars Of another case were given by
young woman who is interested in the work.
End who has devoted much time 10 it. She
says: "One Of the boys who will go with the first
party is the son Of widow whose husband died
CT phthisis Her baby died last winter and she