Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-08
SALVATION HEADQUARTERS
Division Offices Of Army Will Be Brought
from Des Moines to Omaha.
BROADER AND MRS. ], ToFT IN CHARGE
Important Change in the Division
Puts Iowa and Nebraska Under
One Commnnd-WorIS Branch
ing out in This city.

! The rapid growth OF the Salvation arm,
f! in the last year has made it necessary 4
change the boundary lines of the differen
! divisions and the result is that Omaha viii
! be made division headquarters for the arm,
; in the near future and Brigadier and Mrs
! James Toft will be stationed here in offices
] in one of the large buildings of the city.
| Up to about two moutha ago Nebraska
/ wal G part Of what is known as the south.
western division of the army, which ex.
tended from the South Dakota line to the
gulf and comprised Nebraska, Kansas
Oklahoma and Texas. The work progressed
SO rapidly that It was decided to make q
change and the states of Iowa and Nebraska
and the Black Hills district of South Da-
kota were incorporated in a new district
The headquarters, which have been at Des
Moines, will be moved to Omaha, and all
tho business will be transacted from this
point
Captain Stanley, in charge of the Omaha
section, said in talking Of the proposed
change that IL would bring to Omaha about
sixty officers twice year and would mean
tho gathering of good many members of
the army at different times when councils
were held. 1t will also make the city the
focal point for the visits OF all national Off
GERS and mean the bringing to the city of
many men and women prominent in this
religious movement.
This new division will comprise thirty
six corps, or that many cities with branches
OF the army located in them. All the cor
respondence will be handled here and several
innovations in the work will be begun.
There arc two corps in working order in
this city at the present time, with res
cue home in connection that is doing ef
fectivo work among fallen women. Work
has already been commenced on shelter
at AIS South Thirteenth street, patterned
after institutions Of the kind in large cities
which have been operated so successfully.
EstabIishment of IA shelter.
This shelter as it is called, will be in
reality a lodging house-a boon to men who
have no homes and who have but little
money. There will be good, clean beds
baths in connection-and each man as he
comes in will be compelled to take a bath.
His clothing will be taken into fumgating
room, where it will be cleaned and dsin-
fected, and he will be given a clean night
shirt to sleep in. In the morning his cloth
ing will be returned and he will be sent on
his way rejoicing, all for the sum of 10
cents
Another worthy branching out OF the
work will be begun as soon the head
quarters are permanently moved to Omaha,
and that will be sort of "slum post as
it is called in the Army. Two women will
take rooms in the poorest part of the city,
where poverty and degradation abound, and
will go from house to house looking up
cases of destitution and assist in every way
possible the people who are in need OF food,
money and kindness. In fact these women
will be 'little sisters of the poor" and will
not wear the Army uniform; simply dress in
plain gingham gowns and go into the houses |
to scrub floors wash babies nurse the sick |
and comfort the dying. Women who enter |
this work come from the wealthiest families |
and there are many college-bred women at |
the present time working in this manner to |
relieve the sufferings of the poor.
Christmas for the Poor. |
The Omaha corps under the direction OF |
Captain and Mrs. Stanley, has already begun |
to make preparations for Christmas and will |
follow the plan outlined by the national COM
mander at New York. There the Salvation
Army has obtained Madison Square Garden
for the day and 1t will distribute $4,000
baskets early Christmas morning, each one
to contain a turkey and all accessories to a
fine dinner for five persons. In the evening
dinner will be served to 1000 deserving
poor at one time. Captain Stanley will en-
deavor to send out 100 baskets from the
headquarters at 17l1 Davenport street. He
says this plan will do away with much Of
the trouble that has been experienced before
by the attendance of buns and the unde-
serving. He has gone to the Associated
Charities and to the county commissioners
and obtained list OF the deserving heads
Of families. They will be given baskets
either turkeys or chickens, pota-
-oes and vegetables These baskets will be
distributed early Christmas morning, so
here will be time to cook the contents for
Inner. In order to carry out this plan 1t
will be necessary to have a large amount
IF stuff donated, and all who desire to aid
n the scheme are invited to communicate
with Captain Stanley.
The county commissioners have lent their
lid to the movement, and the Associated
Charities have assured Captain Stanley of
heir hearty cooperation.