Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-08
FINDS WORK FOR
UNEMPLOYED MEN
BETHLEHEM SWIMMING POOL
TRANSFORMED
Rev. D. w. Bartlett Puts All to Work,
Sells the Output, and Also Learns
Abilities Of Those He ls
Striving to Help

A workshop for the army Of unem-
ployed men who come to Los Angeles
during the winter months without
food money, friends or clothing Is Rev.
Dana Bartlett's latest addition to the
Bethlehem institute.
The large plunge, which during the
summer months is usually crowded
with men and boys in bathing suits
has been emptled for the winter and
has been converted into something
very much like a junk shop.
In this enclosure men of many
trades may find something by which
they may earn bread while the insti-
tute is securing permanent employ
ment for then.
Rev. Mr.. Tartlett Is sending wagons
to any part Of the city for cast-off
clothing. furniture of all kinds, broken
or In roIair; shoes that can be mend
ed by a cobber, broken boxes and
wood to cut into klnding, rags, metals,
sacks, bottles and magazines.
The articles are taken to the work
shop and there sorted. Men are put to
work chopping kindling, others mend
furniture, old chairs receive new bot
toms and broken legs are propped up;
two or three broken-down couches are
taken to pieces and one good one Is
made, mattresses are renovated old
carpets cleaned and patched, rags are
sorted and sent to the paper mill and
shoes receive new soles and patches
wherever necessary.
The men are paid by the piece for
hAeir work and carpenter and cob
bier are kept to oversee and give in
structions.
Sold to Poor
Furniture in every stage of wear is
to be seen in the tank. A platform has
been built at one end, and when the
articles have been repaired they are
placed there for exhibition and are
sold at a low price to the poor of the
neighborhood.
The walls are already lined with
sacks of kindling, the work of men
who have come in seeking employment
I'VE do not aim to give permanent
employment to the men, said DR..
Bartlett, in explaining his plan. 1--WE
only hope to tide them over a desper
ate time while we are finding employ
ment for them.
MANY people have their cellars and
garrets crowded with articles which
they are glad enough to get rid of,
and these are the people we want to
hear from.
up to the present time we have
been able to. find employment for all
the men who have come to U.S. but
from now on the rush will be so great
and the need so pressing that it will
be necessary for us to give them some
way of earning enough to keep them
alive.
"About Thanksgiving time there will
probably be large number seeking
work. Men come from all over the
country, many of them sick, in the
hope of saving their lives. They have
no money and no friends. They want
work, but it is hard to find and they
have not even enough to buy food and
warm clothing, which is absolutely
necessary.
why, only today two men came in,
both respectable, fine looking fellows.
but here for their health and with no
money or work.
''The class of men who do not want
work steer clear of u.s. but a large
percentage of the worthy unemployed
seek the institute"
By this method of giving work to the
men DR.. Bartlett also hopes to find out
their ability to fill positions secured by
the institute employment agency.
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