New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-16
u" HAPPY DAYS" PROMISED.
But THE LITTLE MOTHERS WILL SPEND
THEM IN MODERN HOUSE.
THEY MOURN THEIR HISTORIC HOME RECENTLY
BURNED AND HOPE FRIENDS VIII.

BURNED HOPE FRIENDS Will.
CONF TO THEIR All
The many friends ~ tho Little Mothers whose
beloved Holiday House burned On Tuesday
afternoon. will he glad 10 know that tho prospect
of happy days for this summer has not been
entirely destroyed by the calamity
The president ~ the Aid Association. Mrs. Alma
Calder Johnston. was seen yesterday by Tribune
reporter. and she said
we already have several plans for getting an
other house. and y friends will only help US
10 furnish II feel sure that can get II ready by
May ~ when we have arranged nave first
outing
The association spent seven years furnishing the
old house. and everything In It ~ any value
destroyed ny ne fre. Tho things that
saved just happened m he the useless ones that
had heen put into lesky part Of building
which was the last 10 burn. One ~ the principal
losses the furniture ~ the nvo pretty bed
rooms. which had been fitted up with great diff
Guilty and the pride Of the society. One NJ
them furnished by the Y l.. VI club composed
OF ex-1dttle Mothers now grown I'D. and they were
accustomed IN II during their vacation. All the
kitchenware also DESTROYED. The loss Is only
partially covered by the Insurance"
The Holiday House the property ~ the city
and the Little Mothers have heen allowed IN occupy
II since 1890 II Is los years old and built by
o. the Schuylers Since then II has passed through
several hands. and owned nv the Holcomb fam
fly when the city bought H. II most solidy built.
and would have stood for another hundred years.
The side walls have fallen bodily. They
are composed 81 a solid wall 81 brick. two bricks
thick with split oaken laths and nearly inch and
a half OF plaster The inside. and planks inch
and half on the outside Outside this another
siding OF thinner boards split instead OF sawed
The great beams which supported the structure
were OF solid oak. over a foot square and still
smoulderng.
we Will never get another house like IT," said
Mrs. Johnston yesterday 1T almost seemed as II
II must have been built especially for the Little
Mothers. and It home-llke and hospitable
looking that Il rest Just TO go into II.
don't know how going to reconcile ourselves
to living In a modern house.
Tho fire started by tho grnss which has
been on fire along tho edge OF tho water for weeks
II reached tho house by n zlg-zaG line. straight
In It's general direction that II seemed az II tho
catastrophe had been decreed by fate. The out:
tree standing near was isnied. II scattered sparks
IN all directions. ono Of Which, lodged in tho siding
/ OF the house II started TO work upward over tho
roof and the flames, reaching the other side. leaped
down and consumed the pump.
The conhaCration was discovered ut O'CLOCK
Tuesday afternoon by a small boy. ana the poce
Sf hogh no engnes 30 FAST thar
died shortly after nothing could be done" Inc wei
was soon pumped dry and another l,tle
further away was exhausted. As the tide out
no water could DO obtained from tho SOUND. ana
there was nothing do but to stand and watch
During the last seven years the Holiday House
has not only given days outings 10 tired Lite
Mothers who had no other opportunity or obtaining
them but has also entertained them for longer
period. when they could he spared from their
iabors From six 70 eight OF these guests were
always to be found AZ the house during tho sum
mer and "a WAS called homo another
took her place. over ton thousand happy days
have been registered IN the Little Mothers calen-
dar This work began. not including tho longer
visits, or the mental moral, as w'll as physical,
good that comes from sight % Mother Nature =
face and tho contact with refined surroundings.
In order 10 secure just what is needed Tor INC
new house an quickly possible The Little
Mothers will. doubt, prefer con;rieutons or
money. Their treasurer Is George + Han, Ban"
OF New York No A. Wa-st