The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-27
Associated Charities and Social
Settlement Talk Coalition
Much Good Expected to Result
From Plan.
FOR A FREE HOSPITAL
Proposed to Establish One for
the Poor.
Comfortable Sleepings Rooms
May Also Be Provided.

1t is very likely that the Associated
Charities and Social Settlement or
ganization of this city win shortly
unite under the names of the former
association. Inasmuch as their work
is identical and reaches the same ends.
the people who are interested believe
a coalition viii be very fruitful
Representatives of both organizations
met Tuesday afternoon to talk The
matter over. No definite steps were
taken, but all of the expressions in
dicate that a union will take place
shortly. Next week the Social Settle
ment directors will meet and decide
definitely what course they will pursue
so far as they are concerned. It is I'M
derstood that the Associated Charities
is willing to go on with the joining OF
the two organizations.
Should the union be perfected some
excellent results will accrue. At the
present time the Associated Charities
occupies a building at Ills Kansas Az
enue, and the Social Settlement has
the brick structure at the corner OF
Fourth street and Jackson streets 1t
is proposed to go to the latter place
if the two organizations come togeth-
er.
One of the best plans held out is to
esta blish what may be termed a city
hospital, even though it be on small
scale. It has been suggested that
part of the building be set aside for
this purpose and that three or four
wards be fitted up and nurses provid-
ed. Naturally these would be for inn
mediate use or emergency cases that
need attention at once. AT the present
time there is nothing in the city Of
that nature and injured people must
be cared for at the police station un-
til some hospital throws its doors open
to them. Topeka has long needed an
institution of this character and the
doctors n T0n6tya a
most enthusiastically in favor of the
plan. A number of the medical fra
ternity have personally interested
themselves in the matter and Offered
their aid towards it's contamination.
A member of the Associated Chart
ties recently made tour of all the 10
cent lodging houses in Topeka, and he
reports that the conditions are not
such as ought to be provided for the
poor fellows who come to the city
broke and in want. I would not
prescribe those places" said this man,
for men who are in need and who
can only pay few pennies for a place
to sleep, until they are back on their
feet Some perhaps are al fright, but
some are not The atmosphere is not
the proper kind"
To meet this condition one of the
plans, if the union of the two societies
goes into effect, is to provide some
comfortable sleeping rooms for IVAN
dererS'' and charge them a nominal
sum, about 10 cents. Alongside of
those quarters a bath room is to be
installed. and every sleeper IN the
apartments must first go through the
operation of a bath. "That is the way
we can keep the place Clean said
one of the promoters of the plan this
morning. What we really want is to
provide these poor fellows with a
clean place in which to sleep, in a
good decent atm osphere, and believe
that it will encourage at least some
of them to brace up. Occasionally
| you find a man in hard luck, down in
the mouth, and discouraged, and a
few little things like the necessary
comforts go long way towards put
ting him back on the right road"
These two organizations, with the
| Salvation Army, do some of the most
benevolent work in the city. At the
present time the Associated Charities
has nine directors and the Social Set
tlement six. 1t was practically under
| stood from the meeting yesterday that
1 if they are Joined a directorate of Is
! would be made, just continuing the
present officers in their positions.
! Carrie Nation some time ago an
nounced that she wanted to give the
Associated Charities a building on
South Kansas avenue near it's present
! location. Nothing more has been
| heard from her on that subject. The
| building on Fourth and Jackson streets
is fully adequate to carry on the pro-
posed work. and it is likely that it will
be used if the two societies join their
| interests.