The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-09
HOTELS FOR POOR GIRLS.
IFrom the chicago Tribune.l

BY the establishment of the Hotel
Edwards at 6231-3 Lexington avenue, a
number of phflanthropic people believe
they have begun the solution of one of
the great problems of the metropolitan
department stores.
1t is the protection of girl employees,
who have no homes, and whose wages
are too small for them to live at board
ing houses in a satisfactory manner.
If the hotel proves the success its
friends predict for it, the plan is to buy
or build a larger place, one that will ac-
commodate all of the girls in Chicago
of the class mentioned. In three of the
department stores that have pledged
hearty support to the hotel idea there
are 200 such girls employed.
One of the prime movers in this en-
terDrise is Miss Ina Law Robertson,
6O42 kimbark avenue, who is a woman
of philanthrOpic nature, and has the
means to obtain tangible results. With
her is associated her companion, Miss
Phoebe Joy Clements. Indorsing their
endeavOr is the Rev. Frederick w. Mil
lar of the Ryder Memorial church.
The three department stores already
asked to take an interest in the scheme
are Siegel, Cooper & Co., The Fair, and
A. NJ. Rothschild & Co. Responsible Of
ficials of each concern have given it full
endorsement, and promises of generous
support.
John Broekema, assistant superin-
tendent of Siegel. Cooper & Co., himself
strongly in favor of the hotel plan, re-
Gently laid the matter before Frank H.
Cooper. Mr.. Cooper investigated the
scheme, approved it, and said he would
back it financially. In the absence of
Otto Young of The Fair, Messrs. Hey
worth and Jones pledged the support of
their establishment and said they would
lay the plan before Mr.. Young on his
return to Chicago for definite action. A.
NJ. Rothschild of A. NJ. RothschiId 6,
Co. took to the idea at once and said he
would aid it in every way he could. This
week the managers of other department
stores will be asked to look into the
hotel plan.
The Hotel Edwards is not home. 1t
is not an institution cast in a repressive
mold. 1t is simply a hotel where the
girls can live as long as they like for
price that is expected to cover actual
expenses. The idea. of money making is
not considered. The rules are such as
obtain at any hotel-calling for proper
conduct. There are sixteen bedrooms
for the girls and two for the help. There
is a reception room, office, dining rooms,
kitchen, laundry, and bathroom. The
building is constructed of cut stone.
The interior is finished in oak. Steam
heat and electric lights are provided.
The hotel has been in operation since
October last, but was taken in charge
recently by the present sponsors. The
matron, Mrs. Whitgrove, has had five
years missionary experience in London.
At present there are fifteen girls at the
Hotel Edwards, but the capacity is
thirty.
The problem which the hotel seeks to
solve is looked upon by the department
store employers as unavoidable in their
business. The wages of the girls run
from 81 to IS a week. They are employed
in departments that the stores must
maintain. but which make so little profit
that inexpensive help must be used. As
the girls become older and more exper-
fenced, however, through a sort of civil
service system, they are advanced to
positions that make them financially in
dependent. But during the years that
their pay is small, unless they have
homes, they feel the pinch of poverty,
and are sometimes driven into lives that
would be avoided if their incomes were
larger.
The Hotel Edwards steps in to care
for these girls during the time when
they need help. The cost for room and
board at the hotel will range from 81 to
81 so a week. The laundry work will be
performed at so low a rate that a girl
may have needed clean garments at
about II cents a week. The smallest
charge is one-haIf cent for handker-
chiefs and cents for skirts and others
of the larger garments. The rate of
board mentioned includes lodging and
breakfast and dinner, with bath and
kindred privileges. If the girls wish to
take lunches from the hotel these will
be provided at 3 cents a day. At pres
ent girls who make SO to IS a week are
cared for at the hotel, but in the case of
| little girls making 81, when they have
no home, a special arrangement will be
| made.