Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-02-01
Al THE LIGHTHOUSE
PhIlADeLPHlA'S SUCCESSFUL Tenn
PERANCE RESTAURANT.

A Substitute For the Saloon Whicl
Works Early and Late-More Tha,
Pays For Itself While Fighting Adj
jacent Gin Mills.
A substitute for the saloon thai
"orks early and late Is the Lighthous,
restaurant Of Philadelphia. Its door.
are open from 4 O'Clock in the morn
ing until 10 at night and at any time
during these hours patrons are sup
flied with ''the cup that cheers and not
:nebriates" and with excellent food al
reasonable rates. The restaurant is
the good right arm and powerful prac-
teal leverage Of Il large and growing
Christian temperance social settlement,
10 Which it gives its name.
The plan Was inaugurated some years
ago. says Jane a. Stewart in the Union
Signal. by Miss Esther Warner Kelly,
the Sabbath school teacher in the mis-
sion attached to the Episcopal hospital
on Lehigh avenue. Miss Kelly was I'M
pressed with the urgent need of estab-
fishing in the Kensington mill district
some effective means for diverting the
swaims of hot and thirsty factory
workers from the perniclous influence
of the saloon and for coming in closer
social touch with the mill people for
the purpose of social uplift.
Through the generoAty of Christian
philanthrOpists, chief among whom was
Dr. Howard Kelly of Baltimore, the
large building at Lehigh avenue and
Waterloo street was purchased, and
the Lighthouse restaurant began its |
bene6cent existence. The excellent |
and low priced bill of fare and the
cleanliness and cheerfulness Of the
place soon made it q popular resort of
the workers. The institution was sue
cessful from the start Always self
supporting. it now brings an annual in
come of $500 toward the expense of
carrying on the general work, which
has developed into valuable form of
social settlement work OH a Christian
izins basis.
The growth of the restaurant is sig
nificant. At first only coffee, milk and
rolls, eggs, soup and soft drinks were
served, and to men only. Later ten
cent dinner of meat, potatoes, coffee.
bread and butter was tried. On these
lines. however, expenses exceeded re-
ceipts. and In January, 1898, after
three years experiment. u fully ap-
pointed restaurant was undertaken.
with fifteen cent dinner as the chief
feature. Additional space was secured,
and the many mill women who had
come 10 the kitchen window with their
kettles for q hot dinner We're given &C.
commolation in q separate neat dining
rO0,U.
DHfinS tie first year the receipts ad-
yanced from S2,S0S.6+ to $6,26SS1. The
second year the total receipts were
Sl0.272.SI. Out of this last sum the
restaurant, besides meeting the ex-
Penses of the restaurant proper, includ-
ing gas, coal and ice. paid for furnish
mgs S3Si.92; for wages. $1,55G.50; for !
rent Gor the social rooms), $24O, and at d
Tie end of the year handed over $515.7O '
toward the expense involved in run q
Ming the social settlement. No salaries.
however. are paid for the management.
the work being entirely a labor of love.
Tie best time, perhaps, to visit the
Lighthouse Is at the noon hour. The
scene is an impressive one. The whis- u
les of the big mills blow promptly, the "
of machinery dies al once, and u
IL another moment the crowds pour IL
tut into the streets Oh the run for din q
Ter. Only a half hour Is allowed in III
most of the mills; then all must be at II
work. again. Many go to the saloons II
or free lunch with beer. but every u
ay about $50 men and. wonderland of Ill
ate boys and girls-sit down to e
earty dinner at the Lighthouse. u
As has been indicated, around the o'
astaurant as a nucleus have gathered al
network Of lines of social enterprise. al
hese include mems athletic and study I'll
ubs. outing and literary societies, la al
DR. unions conferences. the mems gos- VI
Il temperance union. whose weekly 49,
ceilings are conducted by redeemed 49,
en-. and boys club of $50 members.