New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-15
CHILDREN TR4VEL ALONE.
Come FiUe Hundred Niles Without
Escort an RaiL5cag's Care.

After travelling all night distance VARYING from
four to five hundred miles. party of thirty-two
Tribune Fresh Air children arrived safely in this
city at $50 yesterday morning without caretaker
The escort had been suddenly called away the day
before the start by death in his family The safe
arrival OF this company OF little ones. most of
whom were under twelve years old was due to the
kindly watchfulness of the railway officials
1t is no easy task for the managers of the fund
TO arrange for trains and connections in the case
or parties scattered over such wide area as this
one was To keep all straight requires the level
head of an experienced escort
The following letter insured the safety of the
little travellers in this case:
I. r smith. Superintendent Passenger Transporta-
Sir: | beg to quote as follows from letter just
TtSceiVea from Willard Parsons. manager Tribune
On account of sudden Illness. the party of chill
m august Ga Aug are ist DUE %t IN MeM %
escort There are fifteen in Buffalo, one of whom is
that is to start at 800 ?. m: August i3 Four in
rn Ia5ye are to start at ~ m Seven in Au
leave syracuse with six others at Syracuse at 5-
You arrange to have these children taken care Of
fo 1e Am and viii arrange to have some one
morning"
viii YOU. kindly wire instructions to conductor
children. and see that they looked out for?
GENERAL PASSENGER AGENT
In addition to this. the local officials at Syracuse
were asked to meet the Syracuse children and
tnoSe coming from Auburn ana see that they were
put safely aboard the right trains and into the
conductors care It will be seen that the carry
ing out of these directions involved little extra
pains on the part of the railway men, and their
courtesy is greatly appre ciated by the Fresh Air
workers.
Then, too the care of one of these parties on
the train is no sinecure for the escort The average
party boards the train well stocked with luncheons,
not always the most digestble. In addition to
this candy of all kinds is being rapidly trans
site aodS 10 Stir
luncheon is usually attacked before the journey
is well under way, and copious draughts of ice
water added. An inexperienced attendant
sometimes allows this to proceed Unchecked. After
an experience with a goodly number of carsick
children. however the unsophisticated caretaker
becomes enriched with sorrowful experience.
which stands him in good stead on his next trip.
Heads will hang out of the window, tco No
amount of solemn assurance Of danger and tales
of children who have had to go on into the coun-
try minus their heads will do away with the ne
cessty of constantly pulling them in from the
windows.
Then there a few OF the smallest children
who are troubled with inconsistencies at starting,
and have to be comforted. Innumerabe questions
must be answered. Add to this the task of count
! ing up a hundred two squirming youngsters
getting the tickets straight and dropping the right
children at the right places, snd there Is business
enough to keep the longest journey from becoming
| monotonous through idleness.
! The weather yesterday which threatened at first
! to be another blow to the day excursion, turned
out pleasant, and those who went up the river had
a delightful day. 1t is probable that the continu-
Gus cool weather has had tendency TO make
the need of the Fresh Air work less prominent in
the minds of those who might otherwise contribute
to the fund. However, relief for two weeks from
the heat Of the city, important as it is only COM
prises phase Of the benefit To make this
paramount is to ignore the effect Of the good food,
pure air, cleanliness and moral uplift, of which
so many needy and worthy children must be de-
prived this season on account of the deplorable
Shortage of money
Besides those going on the day excursion, the
third party sent to Port Jervs this season went
out yesterday. be boarded from the fund con
tributed by persons there. This makes ITO chill
dren who have received outings at Port Jervls
and vicinity through the efforts Of Henry Srader
and the organization there