moody: the condition Ol" PACKING HOUSE EMPLOYEES. 57 



« 



and later joined the Bethel church. Some time after, an acquaint- 

 ance of the mother took the girl to a toAYn in Missouri, ostensibly 

 for a visit, but really to make her the prey of an old man of fifty- 

 five years of age, a prominent physician of the place. The child 

 was easily led into this by promises of money and plenty of finery, 

 and later the female v>'ho had designed this wickedness turned it to 

 her own account through blackmail, and parties interested were 

 paid liberally to close their mouths, even the mother accepting 

 $50. The girl is now home again and seems to be desirous of 

 leading a better life. This incident speaks for itself and is only 

 an average illustration. 



On Splitlog Avenue Mr. Fowler has built a Methodist church in 

 which we found a revival in progress, whose total number of con- 

 versions to date had been seventy. A little farther on we find a 

 Pleasant Green Colored Baptist church. In the bottom are also 

 found, on the Missouri side, Liberty M. E. church, a Jewish syna- 

 gogue, a Catholic church, a colored Baptist church, and the Rail- 

 road Y. M. C. A. On the Kansas side. Bethel church, State Line 

 Mission (since closed). The Salvation Army was forced to leave 

 the Bottom on account of lack of funds, but the people are rejoicing 

 in the fact that they Avill soon reopen. It is a noticeable fact that 

 while these people cannot always tell you about the churches, 

 they are quite well informed as to the whereabouts of the Salvation 

 Army — a fact that goes to prove that there is needed here more of 

 the '' good Samaritan " and less pulpit preaching. 



On Hog Avenue Mr. Fowler has erected ten two story tenements 

 of twelve rooms each. Three rooms up stairs rent for $5.00 per 

 month; three rooms down stairs for $6.00. There is one entrance 

 for each two suites of rooms, thus securing comparative privacy. 

 The buildings are well made. Each suite has its individual wood 

 and coal shed, and city water is furnished from several large 

 hydrants in the street in front of the houses. This water is turned 

 on twice a day by an employee of Fowler's. These houses face 

 the street and do not line the alleys as the shanties in the "Patch" 

 and other places do. Coal is peddled to these people by hucksters 

 at 15 cents per bushel. These, it seems to me, are far preferable 

 to shanties at the same price, and Mr. Armour might well follow 

 Mr. Fowler's example. 



On James street board ranges from $3.00 to $3.50 per week. On 

 this street the best stores in the vicinity are found — in fact, this is 

 tJie thoroughfare of this little community. In the Bottoms are four 

 schools, viz., Kansas City public, colored and Catholic schools. 

 The Unitarians maintain a night school on North James street with 

 a loan library in connection and sixty pupils in attendance. 



