New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-08-21
CITY IIEMIS

The CRIMPs.-Some years ago, when our merchants
undertook to break up the system of paying advance
wages to seamen and thereby cut off the main source
of profit from the crimps and sailors boarding house
keepers as well as improve the morals and means of
the men, they found that the lnd-shark interest
too strong for them. In vain the Chamber Of Com
merce resolvedi in vain the mercantile community
pledged themselves to another. Ships could not be
sailed without Sailors the clearinghouse men kept
Jack under lock and key, mobbed him whenever he
went to ship without his advance, and eventually
merce could afford to sacrifice cash to conscience by
keeping ships waiting after sailing day, and Mr. Shark
got his months advance, or blood-money, hereto
FORE for every man. drunk or sober, whom he put on
deck 1t seems that the sailors landlords eated by
past success have gone further than this in their
demands upon the mercantile community. Weare told
There is at present in this city large number Of
officers and seamen unemployed, who are very anxious
to procure chips. This they unable TO do, owing
TO certain regulations adopted by the Association of
sailor clearinghouse landlords. One Of these regna-
tons is that provided man is shipped on board of
vessel in this port who does not board with a member
Of this association, they will remove tue men whom
they have shipped. BY this procedure, the ship il de-
taned and the owners, from necessity, will remove
the obnoxious person, and his place will be filed by
one Of the bOarders Should the shippDg-master in
terfere, another resolution provides that the said
fOClGLOu Will suspend business uhvb
This practice has in several instances broken up
spectacle firms and the persons have sought other
business, where they will not be subjected to such
tyranny"
The Association which thus lords it over the sailors
and merchants, is composed of 200 members. We
know that they are men of large influence with the
" governing classes and exceedingly potent in the
manufacture of cur municipal rulers. These men, in
trsnched in their might, virtually say that sailor
who does not board in their filthy hieyng deus shall
go to sea in any ship out of this port. How long will
the merchants Of NewYork tolerate such an outrage
as this
The fact is the whole system of manning ships,
pursued here, is radically wrong. No inducement
whatever is offered to the sailor to make his home in
the ship and with her voyage after voyage as they
do in European vessels. On the contrary, soon as
lie reaches port he thrust ashore into the hands Of
these andsharks while his place is filed by longshore
and rggers till the ship is ready for sea again.
when he is once more dumped aboard by his master,
drunk, penniess perhaps diseased, months pay in
debt TO the owners and only bag a chest of mis-
cradle slops to show for all his earnings.
What have the merchants Of New-York done to
remedy this ? Nothing. 1t is true that one or two
Sailors Homes" have been established; but Jack does
not usually wait for long graces before meals;
and the consequence is that the homes not
well sustained, while the other houses Now, il
instead of the vile wretcbes who rob sailors,
der pretenfe of boarding Them the business placed
in the hands of good respectable persons, who would
provide comfortable accommodations, without
pblory pety where sailors could be from pun
derers the would learn to prefer such places
to the wretched quarters now provided for them in
our seapoits.
1t is net true that sailors are beyond improvement;
that they cannot be made sober and decent ctizons
We admit that it would be next TO impossibs under the
present yste since their landlords make them drunk
and keep them 90 till they ship them off again. In
this they find their profit. However soberly inclined
man may lie he must if he follows the sea, live with
these people when ashore, swallow their liquid poison
whether he likes il or not submit 10 he housed like
hog and kicked ike a dog, and give them all his
lngs. Now, why cannot merchants break up the ad-
system, break up the rum-poisonng lodging
houses aud refuse TO hire sailors from any Of these
harpies Ii would cost time, patience and some
money; but it is not to be credited for moment that
entered upon fairly and psrseyered in thoroughly it
would fail to break up this infamous cnmpng Associa
ton, and give poor Jack something like fair play.
CRY MoRrALITT.-The City inspectors report for
the week ending Aug. IS gives total of AZ deaths,
being decrease of 1872 from the Of the week
previous and 25s less than the corresponding week OF
last year. There were of men, 81; women, E|i
boys l67; girls, IA. The total from acute disease
80, Of which there were from cholera infantum
81 commissions nfantie 81 diarrlea, 49, scarlet ie
yer, 10; inflammation Of the brain, liz Inflammation
of the lungs, IL; dysentery H. teehing III milan
nation Of the stomach, To- measles, O. Group, o;