New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-28
OUT OF THE CITY'S SQUALOR.
A THOUSAND CHILDREN IN THE COIN.
TRY THE WORK OF THE WEEK
FOR THE FRESH AIR FUND.

young farmers son from the northern part o6
tho State had occasion 10 come 10 New-Yoyk the
other day. He had never been away from his IA.
tive county Before. and a visit 10 such a metropolis
meant the even, OF lifetime 10 him. For weeks
he had thought and dreamed OF nothing hu, tia
urban scenes which his ina gina.ion pictured Mn.
arets. towers and gced domes came before his
eyes. He imagined an island OF broad marble
white streets, with mansions OF splendid arch!.
lecture rising either side. and handsome eau..
pages rolling by. He thought OF rushing business
streets. whore great transactions were accom-
plished with silence and dispatch. All the ant.ci.
pated sights became magnihed into heroic proper.
lions by his imag nation.
When he struck New-York he started out 70 see
the town" by spending five cents. and. boarding q
Th!rd-ave. cable-car-tor in this way he could get
tho most FOR his money. he argued--he rode from
the Brooklyn Bridge one hundred a nd twenty
hfth-st. and back agan-and he saw the town"
II did not turn out just as he expected. and the
Bowery and Third-ave. were something OF dsil.
lusormcnt He saw crowded streets They were
crowded with the poorest people IN the world, tho
Inhabitants OF NETWORKS East Side tenement
house districts. The people were poorly dressed
some OF them had experienced sickness and prtva-
uoh ot the most severe sort. and some had known
what II was 20 starve Mothers sat on front door
steps with babies in their arms and their faces
looked pinched and weary. with lack-lus,rs
expression that betokened suffering Children
s"armed through the streets and made them their
dirty playground. because they had no other place
10 so Men out OF work lounged az the corners
~ was scene or human life and activity FAR df.
ierent from country peace and homely comfort.
Inc farmers boy saw splendid architecture"
nut 1t was OF the brownstone sort and no could
not Know that tho saudy fronts hid interiors that
sunocata1 In their crowded closeness and III odor
Hc could not see the closet-like rooms which held,
as an ordinary thing. families OF eight or ten
apiece nor had he experienced the miseries OF
night In one OF these buildings. The streets
not broad. nor were they exactly white In hue In
comparison with country scenes the farmers boy
found New-fork a sorry disappointment
lie still did know the life that was the lot Of
these people whom no saw. He knew nothing OF
the abject poverty the unrelieved sickness and SUI
fering. the "out-of-work' monster. the overworked
mothers. and all the other plful adjuncts OF life
In the tenemeats Yet he involuntarily made
contrast. and wished himself home again He had
not seen NETWORKS splendors. He had caught .
glimpse OF her East Side
Many other people have noticed for themselves
this same contrast and one result OF their concu-
sions is The Tribune Fresh Air Fund which every
summer takes thousands OF the poorest children
from these districts and gives them two weeks OF
life In the country The benefit TO each child can
only be conceived by those who have seen tho
places IN which the children live as they really ara
During the space OF the present week The Tribune
Fresh Air Fund will send over thousand chill
dren TO the country
Four parties of them left yesterday. and went 70
Thompsontown. Penn; Westhed. y. j.. New-N lho'
sor. n. y. and to different points along the New
York Central Railroad. The party for Thompson
town has been arranged for by a. l.. Frank. anu
is being entertained by the following Kind hosts Nn
Mrs. n. G. SunsInan. Mrs John Shell Mrs j. . IN
s C. Musser and Mrs Edward spicher. These en NH
dren will so TO the openest OF country anu vs.
receive the kindest Of treatment. What has aiWaIIs
occurred should occur again. and some OF me ua ,bs
ness of the tenements should he dlspe.eu " w.
return of a band OF rosy. laughing children