Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-25
THE SALVATION ARMY
Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Of
American Life Begun.
MEETINGS IN NEW YORK
OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS FROM
ALL SECTIONS PRESENT.
Brief Resume of the History of It's
Work in This Country
Miss Booth.

| Twenty-Five years ago the Salvation Army
| in America numbered but eight persons.
4 Today the twenty-fifth anniversary of the
| organization will be begun in series of
| meetings in New York city, at which there
| will be gathered several hundred officers
| and soldiers from all parts of the country
/ representing in their turn many hundreds
| more all of whom toll and pray and live
: for the hetterment of their fellowmen. All
! this in quarter of a century!
This mighty organization has come to be
! recognized by all classes alike, not alone IN
/ our own country, but in almost every cour-
try on the globe, as the greatest agency
| ton and reforma ton of criminals and evil
| doers of all grades and types, and for the
| practical, permanent aiding without pau
| perizing, of the poor and unfortunate
brief resume, then of the history of the
| movement in this country will doubtless be
/ of interest to our readers.
History of the Movement.
The first country, outside of England to
be affected by the work of the Salvation
! Army was America. AS far back as 1872,
| when it was in it's embryonic condition,
and was only known as 1.-The Christian Mis-
! SON. one of its converts, Brother Jenny,
| found his way to Cleveland, Ohio, and
! there to use Gen. Booths expression in an
/ swering his letters, raised the banner OF
! the mission" 1t was impossible, at that
early date to send reinforcements and
| hence the work fell through with the de-
| parture of Jenny.
| In 1870 a second start was made by
| family named Shirley. This time it was in
| Philadelphia that operations were COM
! menced in an old factory. The urgent APP
| peal for help sent to Gen. Booth met with
,, an immediate response, and in February,
Dni1f
with a band of seven "hallelujah' lasses,
| landed in New York.
Tireless Work of Members.
Opposition, ridicule, persecution and even
Imprisonment were met with, for the work
of the army was little known, and less un-
derstood in those days None of these
things, however, served to dampen the ar
dor or quench the zeal of the little band of
| workers, and ere long it was apparent that
the Salvation Army had come to America
to stay.
The first convert of the army in America
was notable character of those days
drunkard, bum, a general nuisance to
the community, who came to be known as
"Ashbarrel Jimmy" from the following
rather ludierous occurrence which, never
theIess, came near being fatal to Jimmy:
Not being overload of work; in fact,
caring for little so long as liquor was forth
coming, Jimmy was accustomed to search
1OT MS udlly lOOu dIIOllS Tic IeluSt VI TIC
ash-barrels and garbage cans.
"Ash-Barrel" Jimmy.
One bitterly cold night, when he was
too drunk to stand up straight Jimmy was
investigating the contents of an ash-barrel
| when he lost his balance and fell in, head
| first He was quite too drunk to help him
| self, and as the hours passed his head froze
| fast to the side of the barrel, and his poor
feet We're badly frozen also. A passing
| policeman, Captain afterwards Inspector)
Williams, the feet sticking out Of the
barrel and raped them with his club.
There being no response, he looked within
| the barrel, saw Jimmy and tried to rouse
| and drag him forth. Jimmy was not to
be reused, however, and as he was frozen
| fast to the barrel the policeman seized him
| by the foot and dragged him, barrel and all,
| to the station house. Then, when he was
| sufficiently thawed out and partially sobered
| they sent him, by way of joke to the
| Salvation Army.
But that was no joke for Jimmy, as from
| that time he was changed man. He got
| converted in the army meetings, cleaned
| up, went to work and became an earnest
and useful member of the army, rising to
| the rank of captain. and remaining in the
ranks until he died, few years later.
Growth and Development.
For many years the army confined itself
almost entirely to purely spiritual oper-
atoms. but with the arrival of the late
| leaders, Commander and Mrs. Booth
Tucker 0he latter's tragic death in a rail-
| way wreck at Dean Lake, Mo-, which oc-
| Cured October %, 1909 in 1896 the social
| or philanthropic side of the movement was
| brought to the 'front.' and institutions for
| helping the poor were opened as fast as
| men and money could be obtained.
Farm colonies, with the object of assist
| ing the poor but worthy and Industrious
| married man to obtain home, were estab-
| lished in Ohio, Colorado and California
| The difficulties met with in their establish
| ment were overwhelming and seemingly
| endless, yet today these colonies, in ex-
cellent condition, exist as proof positive
| that the scheme is not a visionary but
| practical one, and capable of almost I'M
| limited extension and improvement.
| Industrial Features.
| Hotels for workingmen, and the same for
| women, have been opened where clean,
comfortable accommodations can be Sc
cured for a merely nominal sum. These
| are great boon to the respectable work.
| ing classes.
| Rescue and children's homes and many
| other institutions for helping the poor and
| needy are also successfully conducted by
the Army.
| At the present time the standing of the
Salvation Army in America, roughly esti-
| mated, is as follows:
| officers and employees. ..........3,7O6
| Corps and outposts. ............... 1876
| Institutions for poor and needy. 143
| cdrH colonieS. ....................
| Expended annually for poor re-
| lief 100000
Events of Interest.
| The great congress scheduled from,