The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-05-20

have not some kind of Travellers Aid
Society.
3 The Travellers Aid Society is at
present supported by various organiza-
tions, but the Y w. C. A, the w =.
T. u, by the Jewish Council OF Wom-
en-, Catholic Women's League, ana IN
some places by a single woman cluo.
These societies in different cities nave
no connection with each other. The
various societies realize that mucn
more could be accomplished through
cooperation. To this end a conven-
ton was called in Atlanta on April 20.
There were nineteen states represent
ed at that convention. The delegates
were unanimously of the opinion tnat
we should have a national Travellers
Aid Society. That the society shoulu
be non sectarian in its organization
and work. It purposes to PROVIDE IN
formation, advice, and protectlon 10 all
travellers who by reason OF lneHpe-
rience, ignorance illness, or other dis
abilities are in need CT assistance.
This is accomplished by keeping at
the depot and docks agents OF the So
ciety, who meet all trains and are on
the lookout for those VINO might need
their assistance. The agents, lor the
most part are women. They wear a
small badge of identification they
are paid salary by the society, ana
are not allowed to receive grdtultleS
or fees from those whom they assist:
while the society feels that its
most important work is the care and
protection of young women ana girls,
men, women and children of every race
and creed are helped solely on the
grounds of their necessity.
Much to be Done.
rs this kind of work necessary
This question naturally arises in our
minds. We have churches, schools, y.
w. G. AS. Do we ned independent
organization. Let's see: Hon. Theo-
r>5ore Bingham. police commissioners of
New York, estimates that $4,000 young
women and girls are lost in the United
States each year. The records of the
immigration leagues of Chicago show
that 100 young girls and women We're
lost between the port of New York and
Chicago in the year 1910. The figures
are appalling. An army of 10000
young women lost each year! We in
Pensacola may say that these things
happen only in New York and there
fore do not concern us. But such is
not the, case. Capt. NJ. j. Bouterse,
agent for the Woman's Relief AssoCia-
ton of Pensacola tells me that not
less than three country girls coming to
Pensacola from a distance to work
within the last three months have been
led into the wrong OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
roundings which mean worse than
death to them.
Some Cases in Point.
"A few months ago a nineteen-y year
old girl got on the train in Kentucky
to go through Cincinnati at p. m. A
man had become acquainted with her
on the train. and told her he would
help her find her train for Indiana polls
that night. When they entered the
depot an agent of the Travellers Aid
noted the difference in their baggage,
III their dress and general appearance
and suspected that something might
be wrong, so spoke to the girl to ques-
ton her. Immediately the man dis
appeared without ceremony. The girl
frankly told the agent that she met
the man on the train, that he had kind
~ offered to take her up town to sup
per and told her that he would bring
her back in time for the train. The
agent took charge of the girl and gave
her supper and kept her in the waiting
room until time for her train. She
telephoned TO indianapolis, to see if
her sister would be there to meet her
on arrival. They wired the Travellers
Aid agent at that place to meet the
girl and deliver her safely to her sister
Last August a young girl was seen
passing through the terminal station
in Atlanta. Mrs. Payne, the Travellers
Aid agent there, approached her and
upon questioning found that the girl
was fifteen years old and had been
raised in the country seventy five miles
north of Atlanta. Her father had died
a year ago, her mother q few months
before. The girl was taken in by
neighbors, but they tired of the ex-
pense of keeping her, and advised her
to go to Atlanta, where she could
easily find work.
Mrs. Payne asked her if her father
and mother hid left anything. She
said: Just a little furniture, a big
COW and a little pen of small pigs and
that the neighbor said he would sell
them and use the money to fix up her
parents graves. The girl had fifty
cents in her pocketbook and did not
know soul in Atlanta.
IF the Travellers Aid agent had not
found her, who would? In a city the
size of Atlanta where would she be
now? But the Travellers Aid did find
her and took her to the y. w. G. A.
home, and they found work for her.
They had the property of her parents
administered properly, and the pro-
ceeds sent to the girl.
This is the work the Travellers Aid
is doing"