The evening times., 1900-01-27
AID FOR THE BLIND.
q Letter From Major Sylvester Of
fcring His Assistance.


Mrs. A. P. Bracket. President of the Aid
Association for the Blind Of the District Of
Columbia, recently received the following
letter from Major Sylvester. Chief of Po-
lice. regarding the proposed project of the
association Of finding indoor employment
and caring for the helpless blind Of this
city:
The law requires that the police shall
remove from the streets certain classes of
dependents and prevent the occupancy of
public space for private purposes and in
its enforcement those classes which are sub
Ject 10 action should be dealt with in a
manner as public interests require. and at
the same time as humanely as possible.
Provision has been made for the sick
for the deaf and dumb for homeless chill
dren, for the aged and decrepid, for those
who may be mentally disordered. for those
about 10 become charges on the District
who may have friends or relatives else
wherein fact every class excepting the
blind
The District of Columbia is behind 9th
or communities with respect to the sight
less. who as class are far more capable
OF helping themselves. with proper encour-
agement, than any OF the others / have
named.
'Appreciating their general honesty, abil-
ity. and intelligence ] have been slow in
removing them from public places. believ-
ing that some kind of shelter and employ
ment would sooner or later be established
which would save them from the humili-
alton which would follow strict and i'm
partial action. If driven from the streets
and corners where they sell pencils and
novelties they would have TO take their
departure to other cities. appear in the
police court, or suffer for the necessaries
of life
our association of benevolent men and
women is an effort for their care. pro-
lection, and indoor employment, and am
in thorough sympathy with the movement,
and viii be pleased to act as your treasu-
rer until your Institution. which is to in
clude home and workshops, is inaugurated
You have had given you. through the
generosity of Stilson Hutchins, esq, a
magnificent building for the purposes l
have named, on which / am informed you
must defray a mortgage in reasonable
time. You have thoroughly repaired and
partly furnished it, at your own expense,
leasing an unfinished floor to Mr. Cleve-
land TO employ your capable subjects at
broom and mattress making. Those who
are too aged or infirm to work you pro-
pose TO care for and entertain.
In order to provide for those who must
leave the streets. it is first necessary that
your home should be put under way and
sustained. II should be your first aim to
secure support for your building and
home for without ii there would be no
quarters for the proposed work in instruc-
ton The employment of the blind is con-
tingent on the success you have In main
tanning the building. The profits from the
workshop. as | understand it, accrue not
to you but TO the person who conducts 1T.
You require funds for matron. fuel. and
supplies, and furniture, and | have no
doubt our always literally disposed citi
zens will gladly come 10 your rescue with
donations of all kinds
Il wish you success with your project,
and trust that money and donations for
your home will be given literally and
promptly, so that you may first protect
those deserving and then advance to their
proper training, that they may become
self-supporting in measure at least.
Il will give you substantial contribu-
tion toward the debt on your building. hope
that others will do likewise, and that the
time is not far distant when Congress will
assist in the worthy cause