The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-31
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aEIgIA

I
- apOlis since the beginning OF time
that is 10 say, for the last ten or
Hff5& twenty years-do not have a real
izing sense Of the fact that Indian
lpolis is really a big city. and that a girl
arriving here for the first time from some
little town in the State is as much at loss
where 10 turn her footsteps as an untrav-
sled Indianapolis maid would be if she were
suddenly set down in London Because the
streets run due north and south. and east
and west and because the Circle is in the
center of the city and offers definite point
to reckon from. the accustomed ones take
Il for granted that any stranger finds it
easy 10 get his bearings and set at once
about settling himself in a desirable spot
The girl who is a stranger in a strange
land when she comes to Indianapolis, how
ever knows that IL is far from an easy
thing. II she has the courage to ask ques-
tfons of chance strangers-and il takes
good deal OF courage to do that-she finds
that most people have only the vaguest no.
tons Of where desirable lodging boarding
places may be found. Comfortable house
holders pay little attention to the where
RbOuts Of accommodations for the transient
guests. unless there happens to be a board
tng-house under their very noses. And TO
start out with list complied from a string
OF advertisements of rooms to let, or from
the information furnished by rental agen-
cies. when one doesn't know whether Union
street Delaware street is the center OF
fashion, or whether Thirty-fifth street or
Market street is the closer to the heart of
the city, is scarcely an easy matter.
A USEFUL SERVICE.
One of the duties undertaken by the
Young Women's Christian Association is
90 direct women TO boarding houses and
lodging places which will answer their re-
quirements. and in view of the growth OF
the city and the number OF young women
who come here yearly to take positions.
the task Is considerable and serious one.
Frequently girls are sent directly from the
station to the Association building, and
after the secretaries ascertain the young
woman's wishes in the matter Of lodgings
the requirements OF the position she has
come TO take, and the price she can pay,
they are able to direct her 10 a number of
desirable places. Some Of the business col
leges ard schools In the city recognize the
help that the Association is in the matter
OF settling strangers, and ii is not an I'M
usual thing for the heads OF the schools to
bring their pupils to the Association, and
ask It's help I'm the matter of finding con-
venient boarding places. A list of rooms is
kept there-not complied from advertise
ments. but a list OF places OF which news
has been sent in brought in by members
OF the Association-and the addresses OF
two or three places. meeting the require
ments Of the home-seeking girl. are given,
with fuI directions as TO how TO reach
them. Frequently the places may be
reached by telephone, and arrangements
are often made in this way without trouble
TO the prospective ledger. The secretaries
of the Association, however spare no
trouble to themselves TO settle any woman
who may apply 10 them.
Miss Souther, the new secretary Of the
Association, intends TO form a Committee
which shall have the inspection OF rooming
places submitted to them so that appli-
cants for homes can have the benefit OF
personal knowledge OF the rooms
The Association has one guest room with
accommodations for three women, and a dor
mitory which holds four. so that I'm the
somewhat infrequent cases when a late
night arrival demands accommodation in
the building, IL Is usually possible 10 grant
Il. In the larger cities where the associa-
tions have commodious buildings there are
Accommodations for unexpected guests as
well as rooms for a number OF vonns
women to occupy for any length OF time
IL Is hoped in time 10 erect I'm Indianapo
a new and larger building with more rooms
60 answer the growing needs Of the Asso-
ciation-
ILLUSTRATION IN POINT.
The need of a refuge such as this, for
women who are strangers in the city. Is
shown I'm an incident which befen one
woman in indianapolis only a few years
ago. The woman in question was not a
stranger here. and on her arrival late at
night en- route from her home 10 a water