The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1916-05-06
HOTEL FOR GIRLS.
Home Bequeathed to Workers by
New York Merchant.
EXPERIENCE SHOWED NEED.
Suggests That Hotel For Unmarried
Working Women 30 Erected In
Business District, but Does Not Con-
fine Executors to Any One Region.

ster, merchant who died March 16
last, bequeathed about one-third Of his
large estate for the foundation Of q
corporation which Is directed to erect
in the retail dry goods district an
apartment house wherein unmarried
working women shall have apartments
at cost.
The decedent, who for many years
lived at the Hotel Netherland, was q
native Of Providence, r. l., son of
Josiah L. Webster, a dry goods mer-
chant there. He came ito New York
early in life. In 1896 he retired from
active business, but new pr lost his in
terest in it or in the people who work
ed for the firm.
Before providing fors the project
which had long been in his mind, Mr..
Webster bequeathed to- five cousins
$4,000 each, set aside $4,000 to Thorn
as W. Beckley, described as "serv-
ant" and gave $4,000 to his coach.
man, Frank Falkner. ..
He bequeathed to Joseph L. Web
ster, his brother. all his horses. car
riages. harness. clothing, jewelry and
automobiles and two-thirds of his re.
siduary estate. He then said
Having been engaged for many
years iii the business known as a de.
partment store in the citysof New York
and having employed a large number
of unmarried women in chat business.
have realized that the domestic envi-
ronments of many Of them are not con-
ducive to their morals or Shealth, and
have concluded to endeav6r to improve
the condition of some of them by Civ
ing them the opportunity to live in
clean, well ventilated, comfortable and
attractive apartments, and for that
purpose direct my executors to form.
or cause to be formed, as soon as prac
ticable after my death corporation for
benevolent purposes under the mem
bersh1p corporation law of the state of
New York or under such other law of
the state of New York as may be ap-
pl1cable at the Tine - -
"The particular objects for which
such corporation is to be formed are to
generally improve the conditions Of un-
married working women and particu-
larly to establish, maintain and con-
duct apartments in the borough of
Manhattan for occupation by unmar-
ried working women regardless of their
religious belief or nationality and
wherein they may find comfortable and
attractive homes.
"The name Of said corporation shall
be the Webster apartments, and the
territory in which the corporation shall
be principally conducted shall be the
borough of Manhattan"
The decedent suggests that the build
ing be erected in the vicinity of the re-
tail stores, but does not conflne the ex-
ecutors to any particular district. He
says he thinks the sort of building he
desires can be erected and equipped for
about $500, 1000, but he does not conflne
his agents to this sum. They can spend
more If they think necessary.
"The building shall contain library
and restaurant" directs the decedent,
land such other appurtenances as will
tend to render the apartments CON-
Portable and attractive. Apartments
are to be let furnished and unfinished
II direct that said apartments shall
not be conducted for profit, but solely
for the purpose of providing unmarried
working women with homes and whole
some food at small cost to them and
in deserving cases without cost to them.
l direct that the directors of said cor
poration shall fix the rentals and the
prices of food with the view of carry
ing out that purpose. The cost Of main
tanning the apartment and restaurant
in excess Of the receipts therefrom shall
be met from such income as the corpo-
ration may have exclusive Of the re-
ceipts from said restaurant and rent
ais"
The decedent asks the executors to
serve as officers of the corporation until
the first annual meeting. gg:5ss.s-s1,