Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-13
Y.N. c. A. BUILDING BOOM
Associations Throughout Country Collect
Two and half Millions in Month.
BIG STRUCTURES GOING UP RAPIDLY
BOIdest stroke t. Made I'm san Fran
cisco. where Half million Dollars
is Goal, Rockefeller Giving
Half.

Within the period Of a single month the
| Young Mems Christian associations Of the
country collected in money and pledges
g, 100000 for association buildings
This sum, which is the record for the as
ISOLATION, was collected during one of the
spring months in campaigns conducted IN
every part Of the country and under all
sorts of conditions. II is a proof of the
Importance of the building work of the
organization in which It has been unusually
active this year. The value of buildings
| now going up or about to be built In 100
or more cities would aggregate UP into
| the dozens of millions.
These figures represent the result of con-
| centrated activity of local members of as
| soclations and a large part OF the money
| Is donated in sums that are not amazingly
| large. Occasionally John d. Rockefeller
or some other wealthy man interested in
| the work favors some particular local as
| ISOLATION with a gift or some other wealthy
philanthropist remembers the organization
in his will. but the greater part of the
money is raised in campaigns conducted
| by committee OF hustlers among the bust
ness men of the city which is to be favored
| by the building.
| Results Almost Marvellous.
|
| appear little short of marvellous. One of
the bold attempts which the country will
watch with unusual interest is the cam
paign just started In San Francisco to
| rebuild the structure destroyed in the
| earthquake and fire. A half a million dol
| lars is the goal set and OF this John d.
Rockefeller has promised to give $4,000
provided the remainder is raised by the
| committee. committee under the leader
| ship of Morris X. Jessup has begun work
| and before August 1, more than $4,000
had been secured, and a successful out
come OF the project was in sight.
Probably the record breaking campaign
was conducted by the Detroit association.
| In less than thirty days s423179 was sub
| scribed, an unprecedented amount to be
realized in so short a time. The largest
| subscription was $4,000 by ]. L. Hudson,
who headed the committee. In the thirty
days 4,166 subscriptions were taken show
| ing the widespread interest taken in the
| campaign. One of the most prominent
| factors in this as in most of the canvasses
for new buildings was the committee of
| young business men, who in this instance
| raised $4,000.
Sometimes gift from some very wealthy
philanthropist is used as the nucleus OF a
building fund. This is frequently true of
associations which are maintained for GER
tain classes of men such as employees of
railroads or other Industries which give
work to a large number Of men.
Rockefener's Latest Plan.
| John d. Rockefeller has just undertaken
| to provide for a building at the navy yard
at Norfolk, Va. to be used by the men of
| the navy. He will expend about 10000 on
the structure and it will be fully equipped,
containing social and dining rooms, gym
nasium and baths and sleeping rooms, for
at least 700 men. There are frequently
| from 5000 to 1000 men Ia the navy yard
| at one time and the association Is literally
patronized by them. Helen Gould has con-
| structed a similar building in the Brook
| lyn navy yard.
| Miss Gould has also given s215,0O for a
building for the Union Station railroad
branch of the St. Louis association The
building will be beautiful in design and
| will contain all of the conveniences neces-
sary for such a structure. This branch
will be devoted largely to work among the
railroad men.
Another OF the larger buildings II now
| in process OF construction in Dayton. o.,
at a cost OF $4,000. 1t is fire proof
throughout and is made of reinforced con-
crete. In addition to this they will have
another building to use as a boys club.
The main building will be beautiful in
design, the first floor being of Ashley
Falls marble, made possible by the gift
| of friend.
| Half Million at Los Angeles.
| Los Angeles is also talking about a $780,
oOe building. In spite of the demoraliza-
ton caused by the earthquake. $4,000 was
raised in canvass and $25O.0Oo may be
| added to this by the sale of lot belong
| ing to the association. This will enable 1t
| to erect one OF the best buildings on the
coast. Houston. Texas. in a nineteen day
canvass raised sls2.6O4 which with other
| gifts will give them $4,000 for a structure.
Bloomington has done almost as well. Sc
| surfing $4,000 in a twenty-four day can
vass. wilmington, Delaware. has raised
s30e, O0O Wichita approximately $4,000.
Requests by will are becoming frequent
| and are often used to start building fund.
\ The Montreal association was recently
given two requests Of $4,000 each in addi-
ton to a residuary share in one of the
estates Henry II. Cook by will recently
left the Trenton. N. j.. association $500, 900
| to be paid at the death of his brother
| Omaha's recent achievement to which
lasting monument Is almost completed in
the imposing flve-story structure on Har-
ney street is among the most notable bits
Of Young Mems Christian association
enterprise in the country during this
period OF unusual activity. And Omaha
set examples that are being pur-
sued by many other cities with great
profit For instance its big clock has