Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-05-15
7. N. {. A.
Importance Of Securing a Per.
manent Home in Las
Vegas.
the RfyfhUfS or THE ORGANIZATION

The promoters of the Las Vegas
| Young Mems Christian association are
meeting with no open opposition, IN
fact the objects of the enterprise are
so cosmopolitan that all classes OF our
| citizens who desire the welfare OF the
| city cannot help showing a cordial
front to the movement. Yet, after this
| has been said, there are those who still
question the possibility Of the city
carrying out as extensive plans az
have been entered upon by the asso-
tAG11AHke1As. That question has
once Tor all been settled, by a con-
ference Of the directors Of the associa-
ton with a group OF the most infiuen-
fc4aa citizens and business men. and
the plans OF the association declared
feasible. 1t has further been proven
that a $4,000 building with a $4,000
equipment is entirely within the reach
OF the city by listing the names oil
the men of the city who with reason
should be expected to support such an
enterprise and carefully estimating the
probable support to be given by each.
This list without carrying 1t to any
extent among the wage earners OF n
city shows a possible $4,000. Up to
date between $4,000 and $4,000 have
been subscribed, some subscribers
having exceeded the estimate while
others have fallen somewhat below,
on the whole showing that the assO-
cations plans are entirely practical
Another question that is raised Is
Of the possibility to maintain suci
a plant when once instituted. The
experience of the Y. M. C. A. interna-
tional committee Is that any city OF
1000 inhabitants a successfully
maintain an association when housed
In a building Of It's own and it was
under the advice of this committee
that the Las Vegas work was launch
cd. Mr.. w. M. Banner Of Danver and
MI. ". M. Parsons Of Minneapolis, two
men of very large association expert
ence. have looked the field over care
fully and pronounced unreservedly In
favor of the project. Las Vegas has
two points OF advantage over the usual
city of its size: "a There rs a much
larger per centage of young men
throughout the entire city than is u.s.
ma. (2) there are about 500 railroad
men here "a class of men who always
value and use the association priv
ilege. There are now two hundred
subscribed members. 1t would be q
very low estimate TO count upon a
perpetual membership Of three nun
dred. which at so annual dues wonld
give the association $4,000 to cover
its annual budget of expense. TINS
amount would cover the expense OF
general secretary at $1,000. physical
director $500, and leave $1,000 foi
ianitor work, fuel and light. But The
membership fees. which are In the
above figures placed at the very lowest
estimate do not cover the associa-
/, %tion's annual by any means
A iu4icr membership Of at least fifty
BOYS between l2 and rs years OF age
will figure. giving an annual revenue
of at least $3.50. Business men VII
/, forrn a sustaining membership mo-
, counted in the above, and in Las Veg
az may easily be counted upon for
81, 900. There is further to be taken
!. into consideration the rentals that vii
, accrue from the dormitories that vii
, constitute the second story OF the
4 building, which will be at feast $500
per annum. A ladies auxiliary mus
also be taken into account. Mothers
q and sisters of the young men directi.
: interested always lend willing hands
j.. II will be seen from the above tina
the work can be maintained upon al
: elaborate scale. There is this featur
!, in the work, however, the expenditure
can always be limited to the resource
: The question OF the perpetuity Of tn
association does moi enter when L
: once endowed with a permanent home
. Last days Of 20 per cent of China