Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-11-27
WOMEN TO Open
EROOMSFOR
MEN OF STREETS
Coffee House, Reading Room
and Shower Baths to Be Es-
tabIished Downtown

Urged by the need Of "eome place
TO go for countless men and matur-
ing boys now on the streets Of Homo
lulu. q group Of publie-spiritcd women
will within few days open a free
reading room and rest room in one or
the most congested parts of the city
Nuuanu and Pauahi streets.
With no blare Of trumpets, with no
large promise Of what they are gong
to do, put with a determination 10 see
that a clean, comfortable, bright and
wellequipped reading room is avail
able TO all Corners, this little group
OF women has been quietly at Work
for several weeks and early this week
their plans were virtually complete.
Needing few hundred dollars ~
open up the room, though money to
maintain IL Is practically assured.
they presented their plans in a bust
qess5lke way TO Secretary Brown Of
the Chamber OF Commerce, and the
plans. have been referred 10 the com
miftee on charity and social welfare.
Mrs. Melville Moncrief, Mrs. q. b.
Guest and Miss Sarah NeWcomb are
three Of the women who have been
most active in the work. There are q
number Of others, less directly en-
gagged IN fitting out the readingsroom.
who prefer that their charitable actiy-
tiles De moi made publicly known.
The new reading-ropm VIII be on
the corner OF Nuuanu and Rauahi
streets, and will be opened early in
December, according 70 present plans
II is 70 be called the happy Thought
Coffee House, Free Reading and Rest
Room, and the women who have
planned II intend to make 1t rest
room IN the broadesr sense. Every
man win be welcome and It Is parli-
culariy desired that soldiers use the
room and the shoWer-baths and wash
rooms, which are also TO be fitted
Up.
Il win have no suggestion whatever
Of religious or institutional quarters,
say the ladies. They want the men
first Of al TO feel entirely at home,
20 smoke and play cards II they wish.
Cigars and tobacco will be on sale
&C modest price, and coffee and
rolls viii be furnished at cost. And
when any man Temporarily down on
his luck" comes ID hungry without
the s cents, he will get his coffee
and rolls anyway.
1.-THE object Of this reading-room,
says the first informal announcement
as given TO the Star-Bulletin yester-
day, Us 10 afford q placeNwhere men
can 60 down town, which has some
Of the facilities Of q saloon, some so
ciai life, without the sale OF intoxi-
Cnnts We want the men to play
cards and smoke and chat or doze In
their chairs II they're sleepy. No line
viii be drawn Of any sort except that
gambling and drinking cannot be al
lowed, and We know We win have no
trouble with either gambling or drink
ing.
The rooms viii have free wash
room with shower-bath and layatory.
We win sell good coffee with rolls or
doughnuts for five cents.
Another feature is that we shall
establish on modest scale q free
employment agency. where We will
receive commuhications from. people
who want workers or from men who
want work.
THE policy Is to be strictly non-sec.
tartan and with no religious features
OF any sort No religious literature
VIII be distributed here. There will
be no temperance literature here.
There Nin be no services; no ser.
MONS A kindly welcome will be ex-
tended to al.
What we are going to give as near
" IS possible Is q practical demon
stration Of the golden rale--to act.
not preach; to give cup of hot cof-
fee free TO those who need 1t
and give good cheer free to all
Between four and FIVE hundred
dollars win be needed for furnishings,
carpenter work and plumbing, as fol-
lows:
Tables, chairs and stools, dishes
and spoons, coffee percolator. water
heater. towels Plumbing sink for
dishes. toilet, shower, wash
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