The New York herald., 1867-03-06
THE FRIENDS OF THE SAILOR.

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How Jack Lives and il victimized Ashore
Existing Laws and the New One Proposed
for His Benefit-SaiIor Boarding Houses and
Their Charges. &c. N ~
Poor Jack has often been the subject for specuations
OF humaniarians and the exercise Of modern phian-
thropy He has been taken hand by charitable socie
tcs has had religion pushed at him in the form Of tracts
moral dscourses dessertto meagre meals, aud
has been otherwise dlsinected morally. But notwith.
standing all these efforts the ills that beset the unfortu
nate sailor immediately coming ashore have rather
been hidden than allcviaed and although attempts have
been made to nerpOse the strong Of the law be-
tween him and the sharks that proy him. his wrongs
are still many and unaeviated
Benevolent provisions the welfare and protection Of
the Jolly against the greed Of the land sharks have Of
ate become absolute necessity, in view Of the bare
faced operations Of the lattcr class in the way
of robbng, cheating, III treating and selling the
creduious seamen Legislative action of the most
complete and powerful character being called for
and overcome the difficulties of the case, there
finally passed, the 2lst Of March last bill for
better protection of in this port By the pro-
visions Of this it made unlawful for any
person. except pilot public officer to board
at,emp. to board yessel arriving until it had been
made fast at wharf. Keepers Of sailors boarding
houses forced tv this law obtain licenses
which are 10 bc' obtained only OF aBoard o. Ccmmis
soners' composed OF tue Chamber Of Commerce, Sea-
mans Friend socIets, BOARD OF ynderwriters Marine
Society of New York. and the society the promotion
of the gospel among This Board Of Comm,s-
siones receives $40 for each license issued and fdr
nshes badge to each party licensed. the said badge
having engraved thereon the name of the house
It's keeper, and the. pQmper and street in which
i situated. 1t is oSi,smtory on agents, runners
the keepers themselves boarding c solicit
the Of seamen, their badges conspicu.
ously displayed n order that the seaman may know
with whom he s dealing. The President OF this Board
is Mr. f. W Chester who chosen 70 that post on the
authority given BY the Legislature for the Board 10 eject
its officers By this act Tho expenses ot the Board
limited 10 ST. 700 per annum the income that
being devoted 10 the relief Of shpwYeccd and dos
ttuic sea,nen As there hundred and sixty
sailor boarding thus licensed 10 this cv az $50
each there Is left balance 500 in the mar o. the
Board 10 be ap1iied 70 this latter purpose
But Notwithstanding the restrictive measures imposed
through the operations OF this act, poor Jackst
mains ip sad pight and finds the foes ashore
with appe,,cs moro greedy than for the punder Of
his pockets This fact has become apparent 70 the Ii
censne BOARD, who have urged the amendment OF the
existing Law on several important points which have
been heretofore neglected have since arisen the
injury OF the poor sailor BY this amendment il a pro-
posed incorporate the Board Thc Marine
Board Of the New York - which in addition 10
the powers relative 10 the affairs Of seaen conferred
the original has the power Of rcvokng licenses and
authorized 20 establish an Office or Offices for the him
ping OF seamcn vessels and Tor the paying
Of OF after their voyages Moreover IT as pro-
ylde T. at no seaman shall be shipped at one OF those
offices willis a OF intoxicaon, but II presenting
himself for such purpose whe in such condition he
may be detained until he has become and exer
his reasoning faculties. Again. II s declared uniaw-
fu for any drayman or other party the lug
gage of sailor from any vessel from any place With
having first filed in the Office Of the Board copy OF
his license and obtained written permit from that ati.
thorty authorizing the Of such luggage by
him. In addition &c this sailor who atautons hs ship
without permission viii be broag before this Board
deScrter, and II captain refuses to give sailor
leaving the written character he deserves he may, by
their reduced to the racks be shown
that he has acted sp;cfcily in the matter
The trailie N saier. which has gwen rise 70 the
l. carried I, most shocking manner tlis city
Seamcn sftgail bought aud sold like slaves BY the
shipper who calls them out he needs them from
crowd IN which thev huddlcd in his ofhcc Tie
boarding house keeper gcoerav keeps bis saior victim
until hc has up heavy b~or at least pretended
one he pushes the poor on the shipper oh.
tanning FOR him the 50 or $40 wtch he tthe boarding
house keeper claims 70 I've due 70 him.
quarrel has lately broken out between the shippers
aud the boarding house keepers, the latter Of whom
have IN the organization Of the SeaYnens' Boarding
House Keepers Benevolent Association, held special
meetings In order tc consider the nimcai action OF
shippers, and % devise Of staying their
The regular fee paid by boarding house
keepers ge rid or their boardcrs S. and addition
TO this the shippers whose only capital Is an Office,
desk and three four stools receives fec from the
merchants and having all the power thrown into his
hands, MANAGES 10 virtually control the mercantile
The boarding house keepers declare a. a body that
they will not furnish men to the Shippers until they
come down 10 the legitimate tee 30. The shippers
their rart will make concessions, and confident
that win apply them without relying on any
TO bring them while the boarding house keepers de-
clare hat they can. by their influence keep the men
back and will do until their demands complied
with. The 6ght as It stands, however is Tor the
bcned. Of the saor but of those who prey him and
he understands It. wisely holding aoof from any par
ticpaon In quarrel which not intended to result
bis favor IN any event.
Tho mcdus operandi Of the and housckecpcrs
In their systematic nvcglng OF the unfortunate sailors
fIxFq te "a kent on n rhcu
vessel arriving Is likely 10 anchor In the after
hagng discharged her passengers or after having
pcted her VOYAGE especially II has been Of dcep
water characterthat is if the vessel has come from
China, California or some other remote point
tor In that case, the sailors composing tho
due them. Having asccrtaIncd the period al
which q vessel Of this character will anchor in the
stream the lookout hastcns to inform his employer
The vessel on ts appesrance n the river s Immediately
boat load OF sailors having been easily obtained he
them 10 shore for the moderate sum OF 81
cart then procured the luggage and sailors piled on,
possiby couple Of blocks from the place OF iandine)
arc conducted 20 the boarding house ai the moderate
rate OF Al so a head for their transportation
Thus Jack landed high and dry ashore He feels no
restraint-he is free man once more Exuberant in
spirits he thinks every one must ieei equally Joyful
with himself and conddngly trusts that every body s
equally honest with himself He = socially inclined and
else to be The boarding house Keepers arc probably
well Of this peculiarly OF the class a. the most
observing Of philosophers could BE- ana accordingly
humor Jack 70 the extent OF hts inclination.
In this joyal frame Of mind the unfortunate sailor
nnds dflcnlty scrapipg acquainances Va the low
uens In Water or Cherry street, near which MS pisce
fairly about him. syrcns Of questionable graccs
Voc ana fascinate the vietm, and engaging N their
orgies he showers bis hard earned dollars on his TEN
porary iavores with prodieai hand Wild intcxice-
IN n oIay,co o0a av.oa