The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1904-11-26

therefore, any case of destitution or
great suffering in the district comes
10 the attention of some member of
the club, who then reports it at
headquarters, so that steps can be
taken to alleviate the misery, and I |
have reason to believe that there
has been in consequence a very
general uplifting, a general increase
OF happiness throughout the dis
tr1ct. If we had a sufficient num-
Der of clubs of this kind through
out our great cities, while we would
not by any means have solved all
OF the terrible problems that press
upon us for solution in connection
with municipal misgovernment and
the overcrowding, misery, vice, dis
ease and poverty of great cities,
yet we would have taken a long
stride forward in the right direc-
ton toward their solution. So
much for the example that I use to
illustrate what mean by work in
combination.
Gas an example of what can be
done and should be done by the in
dividual I shall mention something
that recently occurred in this city
of Washington, thing that doubt
less many of you know about, but
which was unknown to me until
recently. A few weeks ago when
was walking back from church
one Sunday, noticed a great fire,
and found that it was Downey's
livery stable-you recollectit-thre
or four weeks ago. Through a
train of circumstances that I will
not mention my attention was par
ticularly called to the case and I
looked into it. 1 had long known
Of the very admirable work done
with singular modesty and self
effacement by Mr.. Downey in trying
to give aims and to be himself a
friend to those in a sense friendless
in this community, and, by accident,
found out what happened in con-
nection with this particular incident.
1t appears that last spring MI
Downey started to build a new
stable. His stable is next door to
colored Baptist church. Mr..
Downey is a white man and Cath
olic, and these neighbors of his are
colored, and Baptists, and their kim
ship was simply the kinship of that
broad humanity that should under
lie all our feelings toward one an
other. Mr.. Downey started to
build his stable and naturally
enough wanted to have as big a
stable as possible and build it right
up to the limits of his land. That
brought the wall close up against
the back of the colored Baptist
church, cutting out the light and
air.
"The preacher called upon him
and told him that they would like
to purchase a strip six feet broad
of the ground of Mr.. Downey upon
which he was intending to build,
as it would be great inconvenience
to them to lose the light and air;
that they were aware it was asking
good deal of him to cramp the
building out of which he intended
to make his living, but that they
hoped he would do it because of
their need. After a good deal oi
thought Mr.. Downey came to the
conclusion that he ought to grant
the request, and so he notified them
that he would change his plans,
make somewhat smaller building
and sell them the six feet of land
in the strip adjoining their church.
After a little while the preacher
came around with the trustees Of
his church and said that they very
much appreciated Mr.. Downey's
courtesy and were sorry they had
bothered him as they had, because
on looking into the affairs of the
| ,-.1., AI.o~v Fo,1rj fbot &C f6ay