The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-15
CARE OF WAYFARERS
Committee on Police Does Not
Favor the Plan Suggested by
Welcome Mission
ADVERSE REPORT
EXPECTED MONDAY
Committee and City Official In
Spect the Workings of a
Boston Home

1t is practically settled that the city
council committee on police. to whom
the petition of the Welcome Mission
relative to caring for indigents was
referred some time ago, will report adj
versely. Nearly all members of the
committee feel that the matter Of look
ing after wayfarers is a matter that
should be left in the hands of the city
or its Representatives. All are agreed
that the present system is inadequate.
Members of the police committee,
with Chief of Police James M. Dren-
nan and City Almoner Freeman Brown,
visited the Wayfarers' lodge, on Haw-
kins street. Boston. Wednesday night,
to see how that institution cares for
the men who apply for assistance. A
great percentage of the men who APP
ply at the lodge are not tramps in the
usual acceptance of the term, but men
who. for one reason or another, find
themselves without the means to pro-
vide food and shelter. Neither are
they known as tramps, but as way
farers. The men who apply seldom
abuse their privileges, and in a score
of years only four men have been
turned over to the police.
Men are admitted to this institution
by tickets which are obtained on appli~
cation at any of the police stations in
Boston. Upon admission, they are
stripped to the buff and given a check
attached to a string, which is placed
about the neck. A mans clothing is
then tied UP in a bundle bearing a cor
responding number, and the bundle
placed in a steam sterilizer which
thoroughly cleanses the garments, in
addition to killing whatever vermin
may be on them. The men themselves
are conducted to q bath room, where
they are thoroughly scrubbed after
which a comfortable night robe is pro-
vided. and the wayfarer goes up stairs
to bed.
Every detail Of the institution is kept
clean and wholesome. The men are
obliged to arise at $50 o'clock in the
morning. They are then taken to the
wood yard, where sticks are piled up in
certain quantities which each man is
supposed to dispose of before break
fast. A saw and saw horse are provided
each man. Breakfast consists of beef
soup, bread and hart tack. A man
may come back several nights in sue
cession, providing those in charge of
the institution are satisfied that he is
| trying to secure work, but on every oc-
casion he is obliged to go through the
process of bathing and having his
| clothes sterilized.
The Boston institution is under the
| direction of the overseers of the poor
and the cost for maintenance last year
was about $4,000. The total cost was
in the neighborhood of $780, 900, but re-
ceipts from the sale of wood amounted
to about $4,000.
In Providence there is a similar in
stitution, where wayfarers have a
| chance to work and earn sufficient
money to pay their fare to certain
| places. A new institution along these
| lines is being built in Providence al
present. and it is probable that the
committee may visit it before any de-
| finite action is taken.
In Boston officials say the city is
practically rid of tramps since the new
| arrangement was made. In years be-
| fore as high a number as 60 600 were
cared for in a year, but since that time
$4,000 has been the greatest number
Members of the committee claim that
the same rule would apply equally we'll
in Worcester. Another point raised is
that the care of tramps or wayfarers
can not be placed in the hands of any
board other than the overseers of the
poor. The present arrangement, where
by the police look after indigents, of
course, conflicts with this point, as well
as the proposition of the Welcome mis-
sion directorate.
Those interested in the plan proposed
| by the Welcome mission have stated
that they are merely striving to get at
the best solution of the problem of how
to look after wayfarers sin the best
possible manner, and the question
seems to have arrived at that stage in
the minds Of members Of the police
committees where it remains for them
to place the matter in the hands of the
mission or have the city take charge.