The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-15

sail within few days of each other. Then
the land-sharks secrete the sailors In some
low place, and feed them on the vilest
kind of Jersey lightning, thereby making
them insensible. When the captain calls at tho
shipping office for a crew, he Is told that scamen
are scarce aud II will be hard TO procure O crew.
Suppose at the timo the current wages by the
run to England be S75, he tells the captain that
if he will pay 500 to Sl20 by the run, he may
be able to procure a crew-he knowing all the
time that he knows where to get The sailors in
ten minutes notice. The cap tain communicates
these facts to his owner; pauses awhile, say
Ing that 1t is too bad etc. still he is anxious to
have his ship sail; so he and the captain con-
clude to give the demand. j He notifies the
shipping officer, and gets the crew. They come
on board with their outfit, viz, sheath-knife
and belt, one pound of tobacco, one jumper and
pair of overals, tin pan and pot, and mineral
water bottle of whisky. This is a splendid con-
diion to put a sailor on board ship to cross the
Atlantic This is all the sailor receives out of
his advance, and is obliged to do the wo rk.
The land sharks, after the vessel leaves the
wharf, meet and divide the money they have
swindled the poor sailor out of, and come to
the conclusion that they did not make so much
after all, and that they must run the advance
up higher on the next ship.
There have been great efforts made to amelio-
rate the condition of the sailor during the past
thirty years, and his character has been better
appreciated. We do not now look upon him as
an outcast from civilization, and its privileges
and comforts. Isolated from his fellows for
such great portion of his life, and unused to
the restraints and incessant strifes that are so
unceasing among his fellows ashore, he is
supplemented and free, and is more liable to
the successful attacks of sharpers and swindlers
That same mpressibility renders him as capable
of being improved in his moral and
mental nature, and there have been wise and
philanthropic men who have, within the past
generation or two, made noble endeavors to effect
an amelioration in the sailors condition on
shore. More than sixty years ago, Robert
Richard Randall, of New York, wealthy mer-
chant, died, and left in his will directions to
invest the proceeds of his estate, after the pay
ment of few legacies, in a home for destitute
and aged seamCn. 1t was not until thirty wears
after that, that his legacy had accumulated to
such an amount as to warrant the building of
, such home. 1t was, however, built in 1888,
and was dedicated to the cause of poor and aged
mariners under the name of the
Sailors Snug HarbOr.
1t then had an income of about SIX or eight
thousand dollars. Under O wise and careful
administration its income has increased to
nearly one hundred thousand dollars at the
present time. 1t has furnished accommodations
to tens of thousands of our American seamen
who have been throw upon our shores penni.
less and sick. Its influence is widely known
and felt. Philadelphia has no such institution
in her midst, but she has others which, in a
greatly inferior way in point of wealth and
power, are still striving to ameliorate the poor
sailors lot. We have branch association of
the SEAMENs FRIEND SOCIETY of Pennsylvania,
which, in its unpretendng way, is doing great
amount of good. The 'Home" OF the Associa-
ton is located in Front street. near South
1t is in the immediate neighborhood of
the boarding-houses and shipping Offices
and consequently we'll placed for the conve-
nience of its dodgers. In this house there is no
LIQUOR allowed to be sold. The rooms are kept
clean and in good order, and the inmates are
obliged to observe the rules of the house, and
behave in quiet and orderly manner. A laun.
dry is attached to the premises, and every room
is well ventilated. The regular charges are one
| dollar and quarter per day. When the Home
| started, the boarding-houses of the "ring" were
| savage in their assaults upon it, and the most
| stringent rules were made by them to keep
| its inmates from getting situations on
board of vessels loading in the port.
But by the energy of the present
superintendent, Mr.. Daniel Tracy, the order of
| things has been changed, and those who board
| at the Home have at least as good a chance if
| not better, than those from the vile dens of
| Penn street. The Home does not conline its
good work to those who are boarders within
its walls. 1t assists the aged and destitute,
| and provides help for the families of those who
| have been shipwrecked, or have died in the
harness. 1t is an auxiliary branch of the Amer-
can .Seamen's Friend Society," which wields a
mighty influence over the great marine interests
of the nation. AT the Home religious services
| are held every evening at O'Clock and every
morning at O'Clock. There is also q prayer.
meeting held every Monday evening, to which
| all, whether inmates or outsiders, are cordially
| invited.
| Religious influences.
Besides the Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopa-
lian Bethels, there is separate and distinct from
| them, sailors church called the Eastburn
| Bethel. Their influence is widely extended,
and is felt ON almost every ship that leaves this
Lort. Still, we must say that these institutions
are not as well supported as they should be.
| There appear to be an indifference and neglect
| shown towards the sailor by our citizens that is
almost disgrace. For some time the Home
itself was closed for want Of proper support No
one ever thinks of inqurlng into poor Jacks
condition, and he is left TO his own resources,
to get along as best he can.
| AT the Home there is also a shipping office,