New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-16
THE LOST CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT.
NUMBER OBJ wAEDERERs RECEIVED DURING THE
PAST YEAR
A SLEEPING


DESCRIPTION op TuB RECEPTION, DINING AND SLEEPING
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, &C.
Among the many institutions Of this city there Is
one of which the public know but comparatively little IL
not peculiar however to this city as similar institutions are
IN be found in London Paris ell of the great cities in
Europe IT Is called The Lost Childrens Department Its
location upper story OF the Police Headquarters OF
No 800 Mulberry st. To this place oil the children who are
found wandering about the city, unable to return TO their
homes and many unable to tell whore their homes
are are taken and detained until they either called for by
their parents the event Of persons coming to claim
them until they arc sent the Juvenile Asylum on Wards
Island.
That this department ia necessity In our metropolis ex
perence has long since shown Formerly the little esrays
were taken to tie various Station Houses and there detained
until called for taken in charge by the Commissioners OF
Charities, aud Correction The large number Of wanderers
daily received finally suggested the popety OF establishing
place to which they could all be taken and cared for end the
result Of this suggestion the establishment OF tho Lost
Childrens Department at Police Headquarters
TIE RECEPTION ROOM
Of tho Department s large well ventilated sndwelehted
apartment in which there eight permanent beds and
number cradles The beds kept In state OF scrupuous
oeannoss the clothing being arranged 10 The tdest manner
and subjected to thorough airing every day The same TO-
mark will apply the cradles which, course are for the re-
cepn OF tic smallest specimens of humanity that are brought
TO the department In the ola heavy rush OF business
extra stock Of these articles furniture necessary to the
department being kept on hand Inc moor OF we
ia always clean owing the sorubbng 10 Which subjected
with consistent frequency ..
But the not merely used for sleeping apartment
The lost children who are received there usually In state
of hunger their arrival and In order 10 sppease their cray
log appctes they provided with food hree meals each
sn | bFopsb n is first permitted 70 satisfy hunger after
which his face happens to be not as clean as II Do ne
subiected washing and then put 70 De1 Inc
Of the Department allows mono OF her guests W ree
with dirty face.
The number Of
LOST CHILDREN
found wandering about the city during the past year was
79 Of which there we're found june 5i JAY 3oo Au
gust 33; September 1885, October l94 November l6o De
cember l2s January OIL February iO9 March, 1875 April
OF this number nearly a with the exception OF about ono
manJer being sent to Wards Island where they being
reared under the the Commissioners OF Cnses ne
number OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES at the Department
daily has greatly since the termination OF the war
Daring there sometimes received In one ngt no
o Than seven or eight OF these abandoned waits Now how
ever the monthly average s about eight These are never
kept at Department longer than the morning OF ne day
and given into the charge OF the Commissioners who make
tho usual provision for them forthwith.
SINGULAR FACT
in regard to many Of the children brought TO tho Department
has to the knowledge the matrn Of the place. These
children are actually carried into the sreetoen far from
the residences Of their unnatural parenand there aban'
doned Unable find their way home they are discovered
and taken charge by the police by whom they conducted
Lost Chldrens Department Sometimes their parents
of the cruel they have practced toward their
osprng and with shame plainly depicted upon their faces
come 10 the Department and take their little ones home aga
satisfied to know that their abandoned children arctic De sup
ported by the charity OF the city s...,
children state when they brought before the matron that
they don't home thai their friends are cruel ana
In order 10 shield FROM such treatment they permit
Themselves be to headquarters which they esteem
mothers, One little fellow who belonged to this class OF Lost
hos been received at the Department as often AZ ones
week for Tho est SIX months.
ADULTS
ara sometimes brought the Department although their
reception but rarely Not long ago woman named
Mary Wilson was found wandering about the streets by po
lceman On being questioned she not able to where
she lived and she taken TO headquarters and detained un
Early in March newly married couple came to TINS ely
from the West bridal tour The husband was ased ~
villa tho bride had only attained her 3ith year. Tho
say par engaged rooms at Greenwich ST. hotel and shortly
after arrival the head center went out 70 make some
IN her room until Bot she did not obey hs inune
ton She was to the odo ,S aS @ Ss
room and sailed forth to procure supply OF the desired
article She purchased the tobacco pu' on ae@pg 70 hna
an hour wandered about the streets bnt hns she told
her MISFORTUNE to p9cenan who TOOK her 70 the station
partment Police Headquarters where she was restored 10
her frantic husband during the evening Of that eventual day
nina If she had been under her vine
and 6gree exclaimed Well heros purity place for the
nnrty oreeer in, amt it, In station house. ehi Wall
who'd thought i'll never III SIGH place afore IN oil
my llfc."
the pair beyond the fact that the bride burst into
tears aud said she wanted tobacco and thought she
nigh, 90 out and get II to trouble him when be
back The reunited couple then left after expressing their
gratitude 10 the matIon for treating them so well.
COULDN'T IDENTIFY HER CHILD.
One evening March brghteyei but dirty faced little
felow-four years odwas brought in, and after under
going complete washing snugly tucked between the
sheets Of Of the beds The was very much
troubled In mind and for nearly hour INDUCED 10 crying
but nature becoming exhausted be fell asleep During the
evening his mother called and sad that she had lost her Mite
boy Aher carefully examining the occupants OF the Deqs
she snid he snt there, and Pm AFRAID III never sec MN
again. The morning the boy was up ana Playing WIN
the other juveniles in the TOOm when the man again eed
and on entering the apartment the little fellow ran toward ler
ard said That's nv mother" and 90 proved to be- The
stated 10 this writer that the woman was unable 10
ent, her child on tho evening previous simply because the
boy such strange appearance aes Dbs creamy
washed tat bis mother did not know her own ohAd.
ALL CLASSES
of society ore represented By tho children who become the
teuporarv inmate, OF this Department Although the
majority Of those received belong TO tho poorer
elasse, Madlson.ave.. Murray Hill and Finhave
furnish their quota toward the statistics OF this ips
tuition Gao OF the most remarkable instances OF
wandering known to the experience Of the OF the
,ula,aaa sM oaalsasd Tow weeks saaa xbsa three eau