New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-20
FUND FACES CRISIS
Ten Thousand Dollars Needed to
Complete Season.

For the first time in three years the manager of
the Tribune Fresh Air Fund has been Obliged TO
reiuse invitations from the country for children
when the people there eager to entertain them
Tree Four parties held up waiting for
money TO secure their tickets In the chill
dren had been notified and were ready TO go even
'le cars had beer arranged for TO carry them to
the country but the cool weather caused the con-
trihutons to fall off and tickets could not be Sc
cured Invitations for other parties besides the one
mentioned have been received. and decision upon
few days
1t is possible that one or more Of the Fresh Air
MONIES Will have to he closed soon unless addi-
uohai FUNDS are secured. The manager needs $4,000
more to carry on the work until the middle of Sep
tember and more than that if the new invitations
arc 10 ne accepted. This has been the best season
OF ali up to the time that has been carried
on under the present administration Whether II
haii continue to be so depends upon those who be-
heVe In this form IF philanthropy
Play-two short weeks lust OF plav-is what the
Fresh Air outing means to many city children n
Is something which they cannot do at any other
ume during the year. It means freedom from cross
oaOies' VINO are constantly in the care of little
fathers and mothers; freedom from the long hours
OF work In the dngy homes because they are too
young TO 60 to the factories and their parents
prihs the work back TO the tenements for them to
DO AS soon school Is over they must hasten
nome To work late in the evening pulling the
'N'''i4S tiitduS out or garments, making artificial
mowers and dozen other things by which they
are able TO make few cents to help nav the rent
Inc fortnight in the country the one bright spot
III uleir young lives. They talk about II from one
year s END to another. Before the snow is off the
ground they begin tc look forward to It,
Last week two children, a boy and a girl were
taken from their home in Mott street and sent into
the country. II was a gloomy tenement I'm which
they lived, but II was all they knew of home A
nanny OF seven Lived in two rooms OF the
tenement one small window in each room. OPEN
3 Ing out on an airshaft. was all the ventilation
theTe was. and the were on the first floor
llttle light to say nothing of sunshine ever found
us way over the roof Of the tenement towering
aooVe The family was desperately poor. the father
out OF work and behind in payments OF the rent
Every cent that could be raised went to the land
lord and there nothing for clothes for the
five children
When the Fresh Air workers came 10 get them
ready to go into the country the scantv clothing
which the children had in rags The mission
ares TOOK them 10 nearby clothing store and
bought the necessary articles Both were very
dirty and there WAS no hot water in the tenement
The missionary tried cold water. but despaired Of
ever making them clean enough TO go away and
found It necessary 10 take them a hathhouss
near the mission
The rooms in which the family lived were dismal
and dirty The kitchen and bedroom which made
up the home were scsntily furnshed-s stove. table
and chair In the kitchen and bed and an extra
mattress In the other room At night three OF the
children would take the mattress into the kitchen
and sleep there the floor. while the rest 81 the
family slept IN the bed The walls we're painted a
dark green. and here and there the plastering had
fallen or the paint peeled or
Day after day the only food the children got was
coffee, bread macaroni At irregular intervals
the family all gathered in the kitchen and ate
whatever was afforded This under-nourishrnent
and improper nutrition for the growing boys and
girls make them anamIc and their bones soft and
weak II is small wonder that they responded so
quickly the good food and pure air at the
Tribune Home.
is that really you. Katie7'' asked missionary
OF little girl when she returned from the coun-
! try.
Yes. it's me-" she replied. When I'm in the
city I'm skinny. but when I'm In the country I'm
fat
what made you so fatT'
"Oh. / many sticks Of corn. And had
such a good time There amt a day when
somebody aint doing nothin'. Every day We went
| picking eggs and we found such big ones They
| were regular busters
The Fresh Air work saves the lives Of many or
the children" Of the missionaries said recently
| 1T Is always a great pleasure TO us 10 see the
summer again. when we can send the press
ing cases OF poverty and need which come under
our observation into the country for a short time
Parties went yesterday To Bennington and Rut-
land, Vt. Greenwich y. y. and Sunderland, Mass
Two parties returned. one from Auburn. N Y. and
| the other from Cohocton. " Y.