The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-01-29
RESORTS FOR PARIS. POOR.


 Miserable Caravansaries Where the
 Needy Can Eat and Sleep.
 The municipal authorities are taking
 special measures to cope with the suf- fering caused by the present intense
 cold. Owing to the facts that the work
 house system does not exist in France and that there issno exact equivalent in
 Paris to the common lodging houses of
 London, the shifts of the outcast popu- lation to provide themselves with a
 nights shelter are very different in the
 two capitals.
 For such of the destitute as possess
 few sous there are two principal re- sorts. The more luxurious is the Aigle
 dor, sort of beggars' caravansary in- stalled, by the irony of fate, in the
 spacious and ancient building that was
 once the mansion of De la Raynie, who in his lifetime was the sworn enemy and
 terror of all vagabonds. This establish ment is kept by well-known character,
 M. Andre Belval, who Is feared by his slients on account of his herculean strength but liked for his good nature, which often leads him to give credit to old customers. For fourpence a night M. Belval provides each conner with a bed to himself-an appreciable luxury The ground floor is strictly reserved for the old inf1rm, and is known to the hab- tues as "The Senate" It Is preceded. curiously enough, by courtyard, known from time immemmorial as the High Court."' M. Belval is renowned for the strictness with which he keeps order. No quarrellng is allowed in the dormitories At the first signs of dis turbance the giant proprietor is on the spot, and the celerity with which he evicts recalcitrant customers is said to be a slight witness.
 A still more famous esta ablishment is that of Fradin in the Rue St. Denis. In a three storied house. supplemented by two basements, nearly a thousand rag ged and forlorn individuals are acoomo- dated every night in winter They pay four sous, or twopence for either a bowl of soup, cup of coffee or a glass of beer, and the right to sleep as best they can, huddled together at the tables or stretched on the floor Those who visit this inferno in the course of a expedition through Paris car " away with them the recollection of an odor that it may be hoped has no known equivalent. The business done by Fradn, who is proud of referring to the big dowry he proposes to give his daughter is most profitable, and it is that there should be practice ally no rival establishment. The oft described "Pere Lunette' used to be conducted on much the same lines. but it has greatly fallen 7in prosperity, if not in reputation-which would be diffi- cult-and has degenerated into a, mere cafe of the lowest class, though it Is still shown to ingenious tourists as a typical "dosshouse."
 The official arrangements for giving a nights ehelter are very inadeuuare. There are only four night refuges main- tained out of public funds. Those. l however as they are given a good bowl of soup and bed similar to that of the French soldier. 4 bath is obligatory on all applicants for shelter, and they are given sort of uniform tp wear while i their clothes are disfnfected To SUD- | plement these refuges the authorities | are issuing gratuitous lodging tickets, 1 the recipients of which are uuartered i In the low class hotels The han,jne | brasiers which were picturesque fea- ture of the populous districts of Paris i on winter nights are to be suppressed this season, the municipality having de- i 'ided, for reasons that are not very ap- parent that they do little good. This lid not seem to be the opinion of the shivering unfortunates who used to 'rowd round them.-Paris correspond nee of the Pail Mall Gazette, a