LODGING-HOUSES. Houses which provide shelter for homeless people. The rapid and con tinuous increase of the floating population in large cities, due to the steady drift of low-grade labor to the cities, has accentuated the problem of lodging-houses as distinguished from the tene ment problem. This undomiciled population is a fruitful cause of disorder. At first America attempted to solve the problem by allowing time homeless to find shelter in the police stations. The buildings were ill-adapted for the purpose, decent sanitary conditions usually impossible, and the general situation so demoralizing to the self-respecting laborer that the practice is now forbidden in most cities. Various rescue mis sions have conducted houses. often furnishing a free breakfast in addition to the night's lodging. In all the large cities there are many places where lodging and breakfast eah he had for a pittance; but these places are run for gain, and conditions are often very bail. New York has some 105 such houses, with beds to accommodate 16.000.
There is a general sentiment that decent ac commodations should be furnished the homelesa, and in most cities efforts are being made to sub stitute sanitary houses for the filthy accommoda tions now so common. The most striking ex amples in this country of model lodging,-houses are the two Mills hotels. in lower New York City. conducted by D. 0. Mills. They accom modate 2250 men. Each lodger has a private room at a cost of twenty or forty cents per night, with the privilege of free baths and use of laun dry. Large, well-equipped reading, writing, and game rooms are provided. The enterprise has paid a fair return on the capital invested.
Boston. New York, Chicago. and other cities have established municipal lodging-houses, where those who cannot pay for shelter may obtain lodging and breakfast in return for a few hours of labor. usually sawing and splitting wood. An agent investigates the stories of the men and assists, in securing regular employment. No one may remain more than two or three night; con secutively without a good excuse. In several cities, as Philadelphia and York, similar institutions are maintained by charity organiza tion societies, Salvation Army, etc. In sonic of the Salvation Army shelters a charge of ten cents is made for lodging in a dormitory, and fifteen cents for a separate room, bread and coffee being furnished for breakfast.
Most of the British municipalities have lodg ing-houses. (In the Continent Paris conducts three establishments (refuges de nuit) absolute ly free to lodgers, giving soup at night and bread in the morning and assisting in finding em ployment. In Germany there are many private institutions. often carrying on some simple man ufacture (brooms, etc.), at which homeless men and women may find shelter and a chance to work. The Christfiche Ilospize in the larger cities provide comfortable shelter at very low cost to working men. See Roust :cc PROBLEM. Consult: Charities Perim-, vol. i., pp. 22-26 ( New York, periodical) ; "Model Lodging-Houses." Re -•icw of L'eriei•s (January, 1897 ) ; "Floating Populations." Annals of the American Academy of Social and Political Science, vol. x.: Riis, The Children of the Poor (New York, 1892).