The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-20
Is the Basis OF Salvation
Army's Latest Scheme.

Two rousing meetings were held by
the Salvation Army yesterday in spite
of the enforced absence of Commander
Booth ECKER Able speakers We're Sc
cured IL the place of the sick leader,
and q. almost enthusiasm was man
Tested. 1t is promised, however, that
Worcester people will soon have an
opportunity of listening to-the COM
mander. Within month or six weeks
if his health permits, Mr.. Booth-Tucker
will probably come to explain in per-
son his fayorite scheme of rescuing the
country's paupers by means of farm
colonies.
The first meeting was held at $50
D, m. Rev. Archibald McCullagh con-
scented to preside at the meeting and
after being introduced by Adjutant
Edwy White, made a few remarks tesr
tifying his approval of the work Of the
Salvation Army. Next in order Brig
Miles of New York national sec
rotary Of the junior department and
former commander of the midwest di
vision, who was the orator of the day,
spoke on the subject, Relief work of
the Salvation Army and it's farm colo
MES"
Brigadier Miles said, in opening, that
1t was today unnecessary to describe
the methods employed by the Saliva
ton Army, or to talk much about that
organization. Today everybody un-
derstands and approves of their work,
where but -afew years ago, public SEN
timent was strongly opposed to the
order and army workers met with in
suit and contempt wherever they wan
dered. 49, ,4.
When Brigadier Miles first joined
the army, it numbered but 200 officers.
Today it has membership of $4,000
officers carrying on the good work in
all parts of the earth, while it's soldiers
number 100000.
But I was never so proud of my
order as during the great blizzard .
said the brigadier. I'VE never did bet
ter work than during those few terri
BILE days. Cur commander said, we
are the ones to care for the poor during
this time of suffering and we did"
In the city Of New York alone we dis
tributed $4,000 garments and sheltered
1000 every night. We fed many thou
sands. And this without discrimination
or favor. 1t is not our business to in
quire whether the applicant be worthy
or unworthy when the storm RACES
without.
The work of the army is roughly di-
Vided into two parts-city work and
county work. Under the former there
are six Observation-Disclosures, or work.
Al in the country; food depots. where the
poor can buy nourishing food cheaply,
of which we have IA; wood yards and
salvage depots for the unemployed to
work in; prison gate homes for the res
cue of discharged prisoners; rescue
homes for fallen women and Stun
posts for the dispensing of charity in
the worst sections OF the cities!
Our country work is altogether new
and is still in RXnariunantal qtata
There are in the country 100000 I'M
fortunates in a wretched condition on
account of inability to procure work
We propose to take this waste labor
and by means of waste capital place it
on waste soil, and by this trinity Of
waste we hope to experience the rich
est returns.
Our oldest colony is in Colorado. The
land is worth 500 an acre. We put each
coloniSt on 10 acres, supplying him
with supplies and utensils and let him
repay us by easy instruments. At the
end of 10 years if he has repaid us the
value of the land, all is his At this
colony we raise melons principally.
The farm in California is much the
same, only the land is worth $50 an
acre. We raise beets almost exclusive
ly. Spreckles, the sugar king, buys all
our output at 81. 80 per ton. Our new
est colony is in Ohio, where we have 2SS
acres 20 miles from Cleveland.
In the evening the principal speaker
was Col. Cozens of Boston, who spoke
, on Great battles for souls" Other
prominent Salvationists who spoke
were Maj. Atkinson, general secretary
Of New England, and Staff Capts Ger
berich and Wilder. Several prominent
local clergymen occupied seats on the
platform in the afternoon meeting.