Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-21

Arrangements have been perfected
whereby the new building for the Good
Samaritan Home, which has been erected
by The founder. Mr.. William f. Downey.
one OF Washington's best-known philan-
thropis.s, will be dedicated next Sunday
afternoon at $50 o'clock by Cardinal Glib
bons. archbishop of the Baltimore diocese.
Following the ceremonies of dedication adj
dresses will be delivered by the cardinal
and Rev. DR.. Stafford, pastor of St. Pat
rick's Roman Catholic Church. Commits
sioner Henry b. f. Mcfarland and Mr..
Dow ney will also speak. The exercises are
to be held In the hall of the home located
on the second floor of the building, and are
expected to be of an interesting and i'm
pressive character.
On account of the small size of the hall
Mr.. Downey has been obliged to limit the
number of cards issued and has confined
the invitations, as far as possible, to those
who have assisted him In this humanitarian
work Only those presenting cards, there
fore will be allowed TO enter the building
during the exercises, but Mr.. Downey has
extended cordial invitation to all inter
ested to visit the home at any time after
the opening day.
Though carrying on his philanthropic
work in modest and unpretentious man
ner. Mr.. Downey has nevertheless attained
prominence In Washington and the coun-
try at large that comes to few private citi-
zens. 1t will be remembered that president
Roosevelt gave public testimony to the
work being performed by this man in an
address presenting DR.. Charles Wagner
the Alsatian divine and author of "The
Simple Life" to an audience at a local
theater on the occasion of the latter's tour
OF this country. The President cited the
humane efforts of Mr.. Downey as an EEK
ample of what be done and what should
be done by the individual citizen" and like
wise said many other complimentary things
about a man who, throughout his life has
practiced works of mercy for the benefit of
his fellowman. These utterauceS of Presi-
dent Roosevelt attracted widespread atten-
tioE and comment: in particular the Incl
dent connected with the colored Baptist
church, which is located next to the new
home. Since then Mr.. Downey has been
the recipient of much attention from per-
sens both here and in other cities who were
unaware of the work he has been doing in
a quiet way.
The Good Samaritan Home was started
February g. 1895, during the severe blizzard
of that year, when many men almost per-
ished with cold and hunger. 1t has been
said that many of the first inmates at the
time of that pitiless storm of snow and
ly frost-bitten. Always of a charitable
turn of mind, Mr.. Downey's sympathes
went out to the afflicted in these times
with particular force and he resolved to
be the good Samaritan and heal the sores
and nourish the bodies of all those in need,
anG it has been declared that nearly all of
the first charges of Mr.. Downey became
good citizens afterWard.
Across the street from Mr.. Downey's liv-
cry stable is a blacksmith shop, and in the
upper story of this building the home was
laid out. Here the desolate and the home
less were made welcome. There were ac-
commodations for twenty-five persons, but
often during stress of wind and weather
forty were gathered together under it's roof,
for Mr.. Downey is proud of the fact that
not since the home was opened in 1895 has
he or any one else connected with 1t used
a key in the door. No one has been turned
away.