The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-07-24
TO UPL|FT
FALLEN MEN.
Rescue Mission Will be
Established In This
City.
A new YORK SOCIETY
Heads q Movement 70 Rescue
Members Of Unfortunate
Classes-Lisht Work for
Inmates Of Homo.
A new YORK SOCIETY


established in Canton. and will be aux
iliary to the help and hand society of
New York City, an organization which
has done great work in reclaiming lost
men and women in the great metropo-
lis John Lawrence of New York city
arrived In Canton Tuesday and has al
ready taken active steps toward estab-
fishing the mission. He has rented
three-story building at $40 South Cher
ry street and is fitting it up, buying the
furniture and equipment in this city.
Two more men will join him in few
days, one to have charge of the ordi-
nary department and the other the
Industrial department.
The primary object will be to better
the condition of fallen men. Light
work OF a character that can be done
by almost any man, will be provided.
The product will be burlap sacks and
woodchopping department will be in
stalled to give work to those who can
not master the art of sack making.
ENCOURAGES THRIFT.
The plan is to have the men work
for their board and lodging, so as not
to encourage them in dependence. Per-
sons of dissipated habits. whether
from alcoholic drinks or drugs, are
taken in and cared for and given en-
ployment. Moral and religious infiu-
ences are thrown around them to en-
courage them to reform, and wherever
possible employment of permanent
nature is found. Persons who come are
given employment for three days, af
ter which they are thrown upon their
own resources. Usually in that length
OF time they are restored to better
physical condition and are in shape to
accept employment. The rate paid for
making sacks is SO liberal that one
can earn bed and breakfast in short
time. All that is necessary is to make
ten burlap sacks in order to get lodg-
ing and breakfast The inmates are
out of bed at $50 each morning and
work until z o'clock, when breakfast
is served. From to 10 they are CIV
en- an opportunity to seek permanent
employment. At 10 they are expected
to report and resume work If they have
not succeeded in getting employment
elsewhere.
Those in charge visit the police
courts and take charge of any unfor-
tunates who may have been arrested
for trivial offenses, such as vagrancv
or first offenses for intoxication. With
the mayors consent these will be taken
in charge and cared for. No effort
however, will be made to take charge
of regular police court characters, as
their rescue from the penalties or the
law would not be wise.
INSTITUTION SELF-SUPPORTING
Missions of this character, branches
of the New York society, have been
organized in all the larger cities OF the
country, as far west as San Francis
co. They are not experiments, but have
done much good in every city where
thew have been installed. They not
only solve the question as to what shall
be done with the hungry, poor ans
unfortunates until they can be other
wise cared for, but many permanent re-
forms are accomplished and men
who are discouraged and furnished en-
ployment and encouraged to take a
new start in life. The wages paid for
making the sacks are SO liberal that at
the end of three days one can not only
have earned his lodging but will have
cash surplus coming that will enable
him to live few days longer until he
has earned something additional.
1t is the intention of the manage
ment later to establish similar insti-
tuition for the reclaiming of lost and
destitute women. This branch OF the
work has been carried on very sue
cessfully in the slums Of New York
and other large cities.
These institutions are self-support'
ing after they have been once estab-
lished. a contract having been entered
into with New York firm to take all
the sacks that can be made. While the
greater part of the expense will be
borne directly from the home office In
New York, contributions will be asked
from some of the liberal citizens OF
Canton to help defray the first ex'
pense The quarters that have been Sc
cured will accommodate 80 or more
men. l,t