The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-03


both legs cut of. He wanted work. so 1
finally procured him a place to run an ele-
vator. II was pretty hard 70 find such
man as this anything to do, but by per-
sistency I landed him."
The reporter asked Mr.. Reagin If any
professional men ever came there TO ask
for assistance.
professional men. like people in every
walk Of life" be said. meet with misfor-
tune. and they sometimes suffer the very
bitterest poverty. have had lawyers, doc
tors, preachers. schoolteachers and all OF
that class OF professional men here. They
are brought to reverses many OF them by
thinking that there are great opportunities
in the city. and so they leave their homes
IN the country towns and on the farms and
come TO Indianapolis only to meet with dis
appointment. And then again whisky plays
its part with these men the same as any
one else.
OUT OF EMPLOYMENT.
Then we have the business man. clerks
and that order Of men who are unfortunate
by getting out OF employment and are I'M
able 10 get started again. 1 remember one
old man who was a dry goods clerk from
Chicago. and had got out OF employment
probably on account OF his age. He was
here at the Inn for four or five months,
then went West. and 1 received a letter
from him not long ago saying that he was
getting along all right. Now, 1 want 10 en-
phasize the fact that men like these 1 have
just been talking about are not the box car
species. They come here and really amount
10 something. Last year there was sawed,
split and delivered $1,000 worth Of wood
from this place.
'~The men who come here from all sta
lions OF life. who are unfortunate and can
not get work. but are more than willing to
work. would excite your sympathy. Some
OF them are old and unfit for labor. yet
they are not eligible TO the county poor
house because they are not residents Of
this county. They could, Of course, be
transferred to the county which they come
from and this is very often done, but they
have horror OF going to the poorhOuse,
and some Of them would rather starve than
90 this
Are there any extreme cases of poverty
I'm this city?" Mr.. Reagin was asked.
Il suppose somewhere in the city there is
poverty in its worst form. but don't know
OF It. And I want to say if there is such
need not be the case. because the charity
ers are always willing and pleased to help
any worthy person in need. Positively
there is no reason why any man, woman or
child should suffer from poverty in this
city.
1.-The County Commissioners gave 5000 to
this institution this year. They paid us a
visit. and. seeing how things were done,
donated US that sum of money. They real
lied that an institution of this kind did a
great deal Of good. If it wasn't for such a
place as this a great many men would be
driven to desperation. will say that there
is less robbery in indianapolis than of any
place of its size in the country"
WITHOUT MUCH HOPE.
Mr.. Reagin was asked if these unfortu-
nate men displayed any character. and re-
piled:
mo; the majority of them work along In
a listless kind of way seemingly taking
little interest in their surroundings. They
appear to lose all Of their ambition until
they can get started again, and some of
them turn out pretty well. Among the
class OF men who come here we find many
that are good Christians. Some of the
best praying men on earth are here. We
have gospel meetings every Sunday after
noon and any one would be surprised al
the interest tho inmates of this place
manifest.
''I'u tell you where people make a great
mistake. and that is in helping these street
beggars. They do not deserve a quarter
of the sympathy they receive. These blind
musicians whom every one sees on Wash
ington street are there from their own
choosing and no. from necessity. One OF
those men 1 know in particular, who, as
soon as he becomes tired of saving on his
old fiddle repairs to a barrel house and
CANDLES mis- money away for drinks.
remember not long ago a boy who had both
legs paralyzed sat on one of the down.
town streets and created a great deal OF
sympathy on account of mis- pitiable condi
ton Mr. Grout. of the Charity Organize
ton, had the case investigated and found
that the boy was from some small towr
out in the State and that his parents were
we'll of and were willing to take care o.
him. but refused to give him money to buy
whisky with.
1.-THE place for all OF these cases Of Grip
pied and blind beggars is the county in
Urinary But, of course, they make money
by sitting on the street, and so long they
do this they will continue to be eyesor'
TO the public. Some Of these street beggar.
come from families OF beggars. You car
trace them back for whole generations
There is never anything expected of this
class more than that they will beg. They
are reared TO It and it is born in them.
Here az the inn we never judge person!
by what they say. but by what they do
We require that for a nights lodging they
must do about 10 cents worth OF work, anC
for a meal the same amount That mean.
that man will have to saw and spill
about one-eighth Of a cord of wood. ANY
good active man can do IL in forty minutes
while il viii take hour for one no
quite so spry. When they first come her,
we fumigate their clothes and make then
take hot bath If, after fumigation. thei
clothes are found unfit TO wear we furnish
them with others which are given from
people about town"
NEEnC OF TIT YUADTEDC