The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-10


port for the month of December, and
also for the fiscal year 1917. Treasurer
Egbert Marshs report, the one on the
regular work of the Christian Union,
the other on the building fund, were
read and unanimously accepted.
The nominating committee, Albert
E. Lavery, Charles M. Cole, and Clar-
cree W. Foote, presented the names
CT Dwight L. Graves, David S. Day,
Clarence W. Foote, H. Almon Chaffee,
W. T. 'Macfarlane, W. A. Hathaway,
Dudley B. Billiard, Adolf Sherman,
and Charles E. Weeks, all of whom
were elected directors for the ensuing
three years,
The superintendent report brought
out the fact that 57,167 meal tickets
had been furnished to men during the
past year, and that the men paid back
for these same meal tickets $4926.55.
There were 1852 beds furnished in
the Christian Unions main dormitory,
4053 in the auxiliary dormitory, and
Ut sent to an outside lodging house,
a total of 1892 beds for the year.
This means that men have been COM
fortably sheltered on nights when the
rain was falling, on other nights when
the stormy blasts were blowing, and
the thermometer ranging about IA de-
| rees below zero. To some people this
would mean little, or nothing, but II
the sheltered one were your brother,
son, Of husband, the whole matter
would assume different proportions.
! While no man is being turned away if
| he cannot pay for his bed, these men
have paid for such beds during the
past year $2519.25. Mr.. Simpson be-
Iieves that a man should be encourag-
ed to pay his own way, this being the
only real method of bringing back self
respect and putting him upon his feet
cnce more. Men are sent to the bar
Der shop, and for such service they
have paid back $73. Besides this, they
have given into the Thank You Fund
$2S015, making total for the four
items, meals, beds, and barber and
thank you funds, $77S8.95. During
the year 6S2 pieces of wearing appar-
ell have been furnished men, these
same things having been sent to us
by friends of the work for distribu-
ton to the needy.
While the work is not self-support-
ing, and popular contributions must
be received, no one ought to feel that
such a work is an imposition upon
the charitably inclined. It would be
well to remember that these men sub
scribed one hundred dollars in the
: first Red Cross campaign, and paid it
too, and that in the membership cam
paign just closed, many of them be-
came members; more than dozen
have purchased Liberty bonds; and
no good cause has been presented to
men Of The Bridgeport Christian I'm
ion that the have not responded to
Isplendidly.
1t was unanimously voted that the
superintendent's and treasurer's re-
ports be printed for general distribu-
ton, the board feeling that all contri-
butors should see just what has beer
done with their money, and the good
results accomplished during the pas
year.
The corporation unanimously passed
vote of appreciation of the work ac-
complished by the staff of the Chris
. tan Union, Supt. Simpson, Asst. Supts
Hay and Robinson, Nellie Rowland
Bouton in the office, J. Homer Gould
in the. woodward, and Charles Downs
Janitor of the building.
{ The building campaign in Marcel
amounted to q little over $4,000 il
2 pledges and cash. After careful con
) sideration, the board of directors de
cided to build Immediately. Tins wa
= Cue to the fact that considerable
money could be saved by closing con
tracts that had previously been tenta
!. lively made. Contracts were made
Y with the Bowling & Bottomley Co., fol
| the building, R. T. Rock Co, for th'
= plumbing, and yelling & Co., for TIT
heating: Within twenty-four hours o
= the time the contracts were awarded
a representative of the New Have1
Wrecking Co., appeared, and desired
to begin the destruction of the oil
buildings. Temporary quarters wer'
found over the Davey Bros. wholesale
house on Water street. About tn
time the old building was two-third
down, notice was received from tn
City Hall of the proposed extension o
Middle street from Wall to State. Thi
4 would take most of the property o
the Christian Union. Now there is t.
be hearing on the proposed diagon
i al street from the corner OF Main an
I state to the corner VI w oil dlo w d
!" ter. This new diagonal street and tn
e extension of Middle street would com
II pleteIy wipe out the property of tn
u Union. Had it been possible to go o.
: with the building, it would now b
= rooted in and by June, or July,
. would have been ready for occupan
s cy. The Bank street location. is idea
for such work as that of The Bridge
mort Christian Union, and Supt. SimI
G sen explained about it as follows:
1.-THE Bank street location is in
U we'll lighted district and on line {
e march for a multitude of men VIII
=, drift through that section. Many sa'
= the brightly lighted chapel and hear
l. the singing; sometimes it was a son
10 remembered from childhood, or on
thAt mother used to sing while at he
work about the home. Both the hghr
and the singing drew men off tn
street. and some of those who hay
turned out best were not men VIII
came seeking a meal or lodging. Or
. concrete case will illustrate. A loo;
, man considerably under the influent
Of drink was walking along Ban
street, heard the singing, came in, an
listened to the message that was b.
ing given, gang as best he could wit
others when songs were announce
laid careful! attention to the testimo