Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-17
RESCUE MISSION
DOES Great WORK
EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS Ex-
PENDED IN IMPROVEMENTS
TO THE BUILDING.
STRANGERS CARED FOR
Sleeping Apartments Furnished for
Ten Men; Cleanliness 10 Watch
word Around Building;
Every Inch Occupied.

That the Open Door Rescue Mission,
of which John Astra is superintendent,
lis accomplishing a great work among
the needy people Of Ottumwa. the
drunkards and others, is shown by g
visit to the Mission, which Is located
at 326 East Main street, One has no
idea of the work done until one pays ~
visit to the little building. Every bit Of
space in the structure from the base
ment to the roof is used in some man
ner for the care and comfort OF the
class of people who could not be IN
duced to enter church edifice Super
intendent Astra Is aided in his work
by his wife, who takes as much interest
in the saving of human souls as her
husband Aided by helpers, the Astras
make the lives Of down-trodden ones
that of joy and sunshine.
improvements are Made.
Eight hundred dollars has been ex-
pended recently in remode1ipg the
building and the money has been well
spent It has been used to make I'M
provements to the building and the i'm
provements show what willing hands,
whose work for higher purpose can
do within short time. While the place
| is no veritable palace, it is most COM
| Portable and when drunkard or Grim
inal enters the place to spend the night
he is in good surroundings and the in
terest which Is taken in him by Mr..
and Mrs. Astra and their helpers
makes him see new side Of life.
Ten Comfortable 4eds.
The main floor of the building is used
for the chapel, and every evening the
chairs are well filled with home people
| and strangers who are eager to listen
to the words of the speakers. The Sec
ond floor is devoted to sleeping ac-
comrnodations for strangers and the
living apartments of Mr.. and Mrs.
Astra The latter have two small
rooms for that purpose. Upon entering
the second floor there is a large room,
presenting comfortable appearance,
with pictures hanging on the walls,
plenty of chairs and an air of cheerful
ness everywhere. On Thursday even
ings the working girls bible class uses
this room for meeting place. coming
there at 6:15 o'clock. They bring their
lunches and after partaking OF the
lunch, with coffee and other eatables
furnished by Mrs. Astra, they spend an
hour in studying the word of God. At
the conclusion of the class study they
attend the meeting in the chapel. To
the rear of the reception room is an
other room partitioned of, which IS
filed with ten iron beds, with plenty |
of clean bed clothes. These beds are
given out every night for fifteen cents
each and there are many calls for them.
Cleanliness is strictly observed here. A
roomer must first take a bath before
he can sleep in the beds. And that is
not all He must leave his clothes in
the fumigator so that il there are any
vermin on them they are killed by the
fumigation. He is then provided with a
clean night shirt and can Journey to
|slumberland sleeping on nice, COM
Portable bed. These beds are called
revenue" beds.
Basement 10 Used.
The basement Is as interesting a
place as the upstairs. The reception
room located at the bottom Of the
stairs is used for many purposes. The
Sunday school class uses this room and
1t also serves as waiting room for
poor people on Saturday who are TAX
ing their turns in receiving clothing
and shoes from Mrs. Astra. Immediate
ly back Of the reception room is
small room and on Saturdays when
clothes are given out, it serves as a
private room, and no one In the recep-
ton room knows what the others are
receiving. This room is also used as a
class room. Bordering on this room
to the east is closet where old cloth
ing is kept While the room now con-
tains considerable clothing, shoes and
other apparel, superintendent and Mrs.
Astra find shortage of children's
clothing. This is always needed and
donations are thankfully received. Sew
eral cots are stored in the cloak room
and when person asks for lodging
who has no funds, he is given one OF
these cots for the night. The fumigator
is located in the basement. There Is 4
shower bath located in the same room
and basin for washing out clothing.
Another room provided with folding |
bed. is the sleeping apartment OF the
janitor who cares for the building. At
the rear Of the mission Is a large shed
which is used in storing furniture
which is distributed among the homes
of the poor people of the city. The
walls in the basemen are all white
washed and the floor is of cement and !
is kept as clean as possible.
The $500 used in making improve
ments to the building was secured by
selling the old mission place on West
Mill street. Superintendent Astra and
AS~~N III