The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-24
GOOD WORK DONE BY
THE TRAVELLERS AID
FOR ELEVEN YEARS IT HAS PRO
TECTED THE UNWARY.
Women on Guard at Depots Prevent
Untold Evil by Extending Thei,
Protection to unsophisticated Coun.
try Girls Who Would Otherwise Be
Easy Victims for Evilly Inclined.

Christian association board of managers
felt the need of having woman at
the depots to meet incoming trains and
direct to places Of safety the young
women ever streaming in from the
country to the city for employment.
The 7. w. G. A. asked the cooperation
IN this of the Women's Christian asso-
citation. The proposition was accepted,
and ever. since these two associations
have been carrying on a continually
increasing work under the name Of the
Travellers Aid. ~ .s,- -
A committee Of twelve, six from each
association, is in charge of the work,
At first but one aid was employed,
Mrs. Boardman, who spent her time at
the Union depot. For over three years
past two aids have been at work, Mrs.
Boardman at her original station, and
Mrs. Thornton at the Milwaukee sta
ton. Soon it is hoped to engage
third aid, who will. by turn, relieve
both the present aids, who are over
worked, being employed in meeting
trains from early in the morning till
late at night.
Everyone Can Commend.
The work is one which everyone can
commend, and no one condemn. Daily
there, are supplemented girls from
rural districts who come into the CITY
on various trains, utterly ignorant Of
what they are to meet. If the good in
| f1uences: do not interfere, these girls
are soon surrounded by the evil influ-
ences Of the city, and in hundreds Of
instances in few months they have
reached depths Of degradation such as
they never in their rural life ever
dreamed existed. Country girls fire.
quently enter the city after having
read the hundreds Of newspaper "ads''
OF female help wanted,,',' with the
idea than in few hours they can Sc
cure their pick Of hundred different
remunerative positions. It is often the
case that they enter the city without
even money enough to pay for single
nights lodging. Sometimes this is the
fault of their parents who, tho they
should know better, have never been to
large city and know not of its evil in
fuences. .
In days gone by the railroad depots
have been the headquarters of conf
dence men and others evilly inclined
;. incoming country girls and, thru seem
ing friendhness at first, gained the
!. newcomers confidence and accom-
J, plished their own ill-advised designs.
Since the advent Of the Travellers,
| Aid work, the actual industry of cap
turing country girls entering the city
has been largely done away with. The
aids at the depots are firm and will not
tolerate interference by would-be
4, wrongdoers.
The Travellers Aid association has a
small contingent fund from which the
aids are authorized to draw in cases of
!, emergencies, and frequently small ex-
penditures result in the accomplish
ment of wonderful good.
Uses Seven Rooms.
3 For some years past the association
l has rented seven rooms on the third
? floor Of the brick building directly
! across from the Milwaukee depot. Here
Q lodgings have been given to hundreds
most Of the time for prices ranging
from 10 to so cents, and not infrequent-
ly without any charge. -
]! Oct. 16 last the association opened
:, commodious new home for unfortun.
;. ate transients at 72O Third avenue S
s with Miss Small in charge. The Travel
ers' Aid committee, under the direction
Of which the home Is operated, consist.
10 Of Mines. E. P. Stacey, W. A. Miller
= T. B. Lindsay, G.. A. Wheaton and M
E. Chase. Of the Y. W. c. A., and Mines
@. n. Upton, A. D. Malin, Charles God
ley, r. slocum, II. F. White and n. II
Stahl of the W. O. A. Thru use Of thi.
fine new establishment, 148 difreren1
from rural districts during the pas
~ month have been given a total Of S.
:, night lodgings. This Is practically
of double the work along this line tn,
I'd Travellers Aid did year ago.
" Additional Expenses.
IN The opening of the new home hal
n. caused an additional expense Of SOM
s. 5000 year in the work of the associa
IS. ton, about $4,000 year in all. Thre
We women have already pledged 800
=, year each Of this additional none,
", ". needed and three more women are be
n; ing sought who will donate the remain
az ing $500 needed The three donatin
$100 each already pledged are Mines
W. II. Dunwoody, w. 8. Benton and
g. c. Gale.
e, Looking after country girls who ar
IS. apt to find city pitfalls, is not the onl
IF good work of the association Ere
quently there are aged, infrm peopl
travelling who arrive in the city with
out means, without friends and withou
money. They are cared for. Sometime
ng young children are found travelin
alone, and on leaving trains in the cit
depots are. completely lost. They ar
st given kind attention. Sometimes wome
he with number Of small children a.
. rive in the city without means an
= without aim as to where they can g
ise The Travellers Aid attends to thei
:. wants. And so it is this association
i've doing a great work for the stream Q
y mic humanity ever coming into the city an
unprepared for conditions they imm'
he diately have to face.
the
ice s'O-Be-Joyful" Meeting