architect of the building committee. By the plan a "Hall memorial" was provided for, in which may be preserved, as long as the building may remain, cherished memorials of its departed patrons.

Mr. Harkness's sketch closes with the year 1885. During 1886 the institution lost 6 children with diphtheria and had 40 cases of the dis ease, which were traced to the unsanitary condition of the basement. The matter was at once remedied, and while the building was in process of repair the board rented Ingleside for the summer, to the great benefit of the children. In 1887 Mr. E. F. Andrews gave to the asylum a copy of Stewart's protrait of Mrs. Madison, the first directress. Mr. W. W. Corcoran, with his accustomed generosity, gave the frame and appropriate easel for the portrait, and interest was added to the occasion of the presentation by the fact that Mrs. Cleveland, the wife of the President, unveiled the portrait. The managers having decided in 1882 that no girl should leave the asylum until she was 18 years old, except for adoption or because of incorrigibility, in 1888 6 girls were graduated from the dressmaking department and immediately found satisfactory places. Six other girls found employment in private houses, 6 children under 6 years old were adopted, and 17 were returned to friends who had become able to take good care of them. A very serious blow to the asylum this year was the death of its life-long friend, Mr. W. W. Corcoran, who had given the lot on which the Home was built, and who had aided largely in erecting the buildings, besides invariably sending gifts for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and May Day. Mr. Corcoran left a bequest to the institution, the income of which is used annually to provide a Christmas tree and dinner and a May-Day feast.

During 1889 Mrs. Sarah Utermehle left the institution $2,000, and in 1891 Mr. William Thompson made a gift of $5,000 to establish the Thompson fund.

The annual report of the asylum for 1896 shows that on January of that year there were in the institution 139 children-89 girls and 50 boys. During the preceding year 25 children were received (18 girls and 7 boys) and 61 children (35 girls and 26 boys) were dismissed, 6 of the girls having attained the age of 18 years. Forty-three children were returned to friends, 2 boys were sent to the Reform School, 5 children were provided with homes, and 3 died. The treasurer's report shows that during the year $680.33 was contributed to the support of the Home. This small sum, says the secretary, Mrs. Jane L. Stone Harrison, proves the existence of a general but erroneous impression that the legacies which have been received from time to time by the Washington City Orphan Asylum are sufficient to meet all demands made upon the institution. The latter, indeed, has cause for gratitude for endowments well invested by the board of trustees, but the interest on these funds is far from meeting the expenses necessary to the care of a greater number of children than are now with the institution. More children could be received, with its present appointments and

ST. VINCENT'S ORPHAN ASYLUM.

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service, if the limited income did not make it necessary to refuse admission to the increasing applications. The receipts from all sources for the year were about $13,000 and the expenses were something over $14,000, thus making an encroachment on the invested funds of the institution. An earnest appeal is made to the public for increased gifts. One reason for the extended space that has been given to the history of the Washington City Orphan Asylum is to show how large a work has been done without Government aid and also to call attention to the fact that the accommodations of the asylum are sufficient for an increased number of inmates, thus suggesting the idea that instead of starting new institutions it might be well for those benevolently inclined to build on foundations already firmly laid.

II.

St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum was established by the Rev. Father Matthews and the Roman Catholics of Washington about the year 1825, and was incorporated by the act of February 25, 1831, which named as incorporators William Matthews, Matthew Deagle, Peter S. Shreiber, Thomas Carberry, and William Hickey. The act makes the provisions usual at that time as to acquiring and holding real and personal property, but provides that "the clear annual income of property to be acquired by the corporation shall at no time exceed the sum of $5,000." The act further provides for a yearly meeting in the month of June of the regular annual contributors, at which those persons by the by-laws qualified to vote shall elect 9 female managers, who shall appoint a first and second directress. Parents, guardians, or friends of children may place them in the asylum until they reach the age of 21 years, if males, or 18 years, if females; and the asylum may receive children who have neither friend nor protector. The power of binding out children was given, and provision was made for schools. The asylum was located at the corner of Tenth and G streets northwest, the site now occupied.

The only aid ever received from the General Government was that granted by the act of July 14, 1832, which directs "the commissioner of public buildings to select and value such of the building lots and parts of lots owned by the United States in the city of Washington as he shall think may be brought to market and sold to the greatest advantage, to the amount of $20,000, which he shall divide and separate into two parcels of $10,000 worth each, one of which, at his election, he shall convey to the Washington City Orphan Asylum and the other to the St. Vincent's Female Orphan Asylum of Washington, and to the successors of each forever." These lots were exempted from taxes for five years, unless sooner disposed of, and might be sold or leased, the proceeds of the sale or rents not to be applied to any other objects than the purposes of the institutions named.1

United States Stat. L., vol. vi, p. 512.

III.

The St. Joseph's Male Orphan Asylum was organized at a meeting held October 13, 1854, and was incorporated by the act of February 6, 1855, the incorporators being Thomas Carberry, James S. Harvey, Thomas Feran, Gregory Ennis, Nicholas Callan, Hugh B. Sweeny, John Carroll Brent, Richard H. Clark, and William II. Ward. The object of the institution was charity and education. The incorporators were empowered to hold property not exceeding in value $100,000 at any one time. The corporation was forbidden to issue any note, token, device, scrip, or other evidence of debt to be used as currency, and each of the trustees was made liable in his or her individual capacity for all the debts and liabilities of the company, however contracted or incurred, to be recovered by suit as other debts or liabilities before any court of competent jurisdiction.

The asylum was established by the united contributions of the different Catholic congregations in Washington and was placed under charge of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. The institution was first opened in a house on the southwest corner of H and Thirteenth streets, on the 14th of September, 1856, where it was continued for about three years. It was then moved to a house on the north side of G, between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, and subsequently removed to a building purchased by the trustees, on the corner of Tenth and F streets, where it remained until removed to a house on I street, between Ninth and Tenth streets, bought from the Washington Orphan Asylum. In 1867 the asylum supported 60 orphans and half orphans, and a day school for small boys was also maintained.

The institution occupies 18,770 square feet, which is assessed for $24,401. The assessed value of the buildings and other improvements is $20,000. The only aid received from Congress is an annual appropriation of $1,800. The number of inmates on January 1, 1897, was 105, of whom 33 have been admitted during the year. The number of children placed in free homes during the year was 11, and the number restored to parents or relatives 31. Male white children between the ages of 6 and 14 are admitted. Besides the Congressional appropriation of $1,800, $3,455.28 was received during 1896 from solicitation, subscription, and donation, and $1,056.22 from private gifts, making a total income of $6,311.50.

For forty-two years after the incorporation of the asylum the total amount of money received from the Government was about $7,200, and the average number of boys cared for was 127. Orphans come mainly from St. Ann's Infant Asylum, being turned over to St. Joseph's at the age of 6 years, and retained until they are 14 years of age, when positions are obtained for them if possible. The institution is under the management of Sister Euphrasia.