Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-11
REFUGE FOR THE STRANDED.
Good Work Being Carried on by the
Municipal Lodging House.

I'VE are so quietly situated down here
that we are overlooked" said Superinten-
dent Tyson of the Municipal Lodging House
to Star reporter, land because our home
for deserving INDECENT men is located next
to station house No. l many citizens, and
no doubt many would-be applicants. sup
pose that we are connected with the police
department. We are not, however, as we
are under the supervision of the board of
charities, and the home is supported by a
specific appropriation from Congress.
This is not in any sense a workhouse,
but is a place of refuge for the deserving
poor without homes, who upon complying
with a few simple regulations. are given
board and shelter for three days, which
may be extended in certain instances, as
where a man has a good prospect of OBJ
tanning work. No willing man need go
without shelter or food in Washington I'M
less our accommodations are filled to the
limit, which Is frequently the case in win
ter, as we can accommodate only about nifty
men, We divide our dodgers up Into three
classes-the able-bodied, the weaker and
the very old and sick OF the first We re-
quire certain amount Of wood to be sawed,
split or handled, a full task occupying an
per day. The task Is lessened in the case
Of the infrm, and in the instance of the
aged and sick, they are usually excused
I'VE are not, however, in any sense
hospital, as we nave no nurses or meQl-
cal supplies, but we see that all who come
to US who require medical attention are
sent to the proper places as beft their
needs, and In this way we also do a great
deal Of good during the course of year
to the deserving INDECENT sick who come to
us. 1t is our purpose to help men to better
attainments, to encourage them to seek
employment and become self-sustaining,
and our dodgers are expected to look for
it, Idleness could not of course be encour-
aged, and a limit must be drawn some
where otherwise most of our dodgers would
like to become our guests for life, for the
house is Clean the beds comfortable and
the two meals furnished day are of good,
wholesome food.
'"rhere are many decent men who are
stranded In the city from time to time, and
with a good bath, food and shelter to tide
them over are enabled to secure employ
ment This is particularly true in the
warmer months of the year We average
about fifteen men a day now, and most Of
them are working men or mechanics out Of
a job, or who are passing through the city
In search of work. In the winter months
we receive more of the element to whom ac-
tual work for a longer period than is abso-
lutely necessary is distasteful, but We do
not turn away any poor man who will COM
ply with our regulations II we have a place
for him.
Therefore our citizens to whom this class
applies for assistance should bear our home
In mind, and direct applicants for aims to
u.s. We have little ticket books which we
which the tickets may be torn and given to
applicants. and these we honor when we
have the accommodations. This will relieve
the citizen of any humanitarian obligation
which a solicitation for food and shelter
may seem to impose and it does away with
practice encourages mendicancy rather than
rareves It,"