New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-25
TO SEND 1880 THIS WEEK.
Tribune Fresh dir Fund Has Cared
For $500.

This week will be q busy one for the Tribune
Fresh Air Fund Under its auspices one thousand
and eighty poor children will be sent. in twenty
nine parties, TO the country for fortnight's va
cation Since the work began this season, the
Tribune Fresh Air Fund has sent away three thou
sand five hundred and ninety children They were
ali assigned their hosts before leaving the city
Many children were reinvited by the hosts with
whom they had stayed in preceding years. The
others. who made their first trip this year. could
tell to whom they were assigned by referring 10
the lists provided by the fund for the various
missionaries.
Among the children provided for this season. are
many instances where five and six children have
been taken from family that was on the verge
Of starvation. In one particular case eight chill
dren were taken from family of twelve that had
lived in two dark back rooms in cellar. There
also a large number of boys and girls
sent away who out in body and mind
through lack of food ard through hard work and
the impure air of the lower East Side. Some OF
them have already returned from the country
filled with enough life and energy to stand the
struggle that the coming year Will bring
Said a prominent missionary last week:
The Tribune Fresh Air Fund seems to me to be
like giant with huge tank of vitalizins fluid IL
gathers in army of poor emaciated. little be-
ings, fills them with life, and sends them away
strong. happy, courageous. The majority of the
children. If not all, talk OF their trip every day
until the time rolls around for them to go again.
and have known many who write every week TO
their country hosts. Thes average person and
nearly all the parents of the fresh air children
know that the children provided for by the
Tribune Fresh Air Fund the missionaries. and the
kindly hosts In the country. but how few know
of the seemingly endless preparation necessary to
carry out the work"
While the great mass of poor parents anx-
ious have their children sent away. there are
those who exceedingly selfish" said Settle
ment worker recently 1T is with the utmost diff
hcuIty that able to send their children with
the fresh air parties In a great many cases their
parents Ioath TO let them leave the city, the
little ones are helpful in household duties and
rather than exert themselves TO do the work the
mothers will deny the child a fOrtnights rest.
This criminal selhshness is not confined TO moth
ers only I know OF family where the children
ran barefoot all the summer. One of the girls
bruised her foot and it was necessary for her to
shoes. The family could not afford TO buy
such a luxury shoes and I bought a pair
for her. The father who is a drinking man tried
every possible means TO steal those shoes. That
his childs foot was sore matteSed little 70 him.
The girl came to day and said: OH will
be glad when 1 can get out 10 the country No
body viii want steal my shoes out there. Nam
made me sleep EN- every night since got
EN- SO that papa wouldn't take EN- to the pawn
Before that child went away with the Fresh Air
Fund children the mother was forced to cut long
could not pawn them for drink
light when the second fnstaIment Of Tribune Fresh
Air Fund children strated for Shokan. y. Y. \
poor woman. whose child went with that party
walked nervously about the West Shore pier after
the boat had started. When the missionary re
turned from the Jersey side after seeing the chill
dren of she discovered the distressed mother pacing
the pier in Grief finally drove the woman
into hysteria. After she recovered. the missionary
said.
This poor woman earns a meagre living by TAX
ing washing. Her husband is a drunkard. and
svore that II the child went 70 the country he
would Kali the mother. For three nights previous
the girls departure the woman and child have
been sleeping in the homes OF neighbOrs 10 evade
the threatened attack Of the husband Now that
tEe girl is gone the mother is afraid 70 return 20
her rooms. her husband has beaten her many
times but she fears that he VIII carry out his
threat 20 kill her I read Oliver Twist years ago
and did not believe that there was such creature
a Bill Sykes. since / took my work among
the poor people OF New-YOrk have found not one.
but dozens OF parallel characters am afraid
that this before Will end like the sad story
OF Bill Sykes and Nancy. unless some better In
Aucnce takes hold OF this woman's husband