The New York herald., 1869-03-12
THE SAILORS "sHUG" HARBoR.

and Otherwise Observation-Disclosures Food
and Ciothins-High Life Among the On
cIals-The Way the Money Goes.
II may not be generally known that the institution
known as the Sailors "Snug' Harbor was originally
founded on the last win and testament Of Robert
Richard Randall. made the first day OF June, 1901,
wherein he nominated the Chancellor OF the State OF
New York, the Mayor OF the city, the Recorder OF the
city, the President OF the Chamber OF Commerce. the
President and Vice President OF the Marine Society,"
the Senior Ministers OF the Episcopal and
Presbyterian churches OF the city, and their success
ors forever, his executors and trustees. De Witt
Clinton probated this will and David Gelston and
Sylvanus Miller were the Surrogates who made the
document matter OF record The Legislature OF
February the 6th 1905, made these executors trus-
tees OF the Sailors Snug Harbor, with power TO
make the necessary proper rules and regulations
for the government OF the Harb0r not Inconsistent
with the laws OF the United States and OF the State OF
New York. The act was amended March 25. 1914
giving the right to the assistant minister's in OF
sickness or the absence OF their elders, TO act in
their place. The property donated In the will con-
tains II acres / rood, 81 perches ana
l32 feet on Broadway, between Eighth and
Thirteenth street, running east OF Broadway, SO az
to include Stewards grand store, and four lots of
ground also in the First ward of this city, besides
s723 in three per cent stock, 64sO in six per cent
stock and fifty shares In the Manhattan stocks. In
May, 1884, the corporation purchased 156 acres OF
land where fhe building s now located ON Staten
Island.
For long time the inmates OF the iarbor have
complained that the agents OF the corporation
using Its funds In such manner that the aged, de-
crepd, disabled and worn-out seamen In the instI-
tuition were deprived OF the necessary healthy food
and clothing, and that the hospital was In
daous condition. and that the food produced disease
and caused death IN some cases, among them.
DISPRoPORIIONATE MORTALITY.
The hospital, 1t appears generally contains from
sixty TO ninety PATIENTS and the rate OF mortality
has been usually sixty persons during the year.
FACTS DEVELOPED BY EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES.
one witness who was examined by deposition In
the case Of William Belcher Us. the Sailors snug
ner In which the inmates are treated. He states as
follows:-l am sea captain and sixty-one years Of
age; ! have followed the sea tnrty-fve years;
have been an officer and master OF vessels
twenty years; ! am an inmate OF the
fruit at the Harbor the men; there very little
sweetening milk In the coffee; the cofiee and tea
are generally OF very inferior quality; the lea there
was any sweetening In 1t at times; the pork was very
poor: II Is often rusty at times this pork is cooked
with drv peas for Fridays food; have never seen
any fresh pork at the IIarbor, although there were
800 hogs raised there ana sold OF the place; there
were eleven cows Kept on the iiarDor grounds and
have never had piece OF iresh veal OF any
kind; the beef, as general thing, whether
m, iresn OF sas was o very poor 4aanq.y; q
beef sent there in scraps led IN two baskets daily
that came from the odds and ends and chips OF the
butchers stalls after the good pieces had been sold:
il off the neck and lore shoulder exclusively:
never had any beef from the hind quarter; have
any baking pieces, ribs or chimes; the
roasting pieces Of this beef generally or the
neck. next to the horns OF the animal; have seen
occasionally q piece OF beef that eat and tasted
pretty fair this has been SO since the new governor
Thomas Melevile. came into the Harbor the mutton
furnished Is generally of very poor quality and when
sent into the table cold for a relish X Is not tit Tor
the dogs TO eat; 1t smells many times very
badly; there are some exceptions; the mutton is
s.f hs.nn and .l
from the fore quarters: have never seen hind
quarter OF mutton on the table al the larbor: have
never seen any mutton chops at table; have never
seen any butter IN the Harbor that was fresh but
once: the rice used was not what IL should be; IL is
often mixed with sour Zante currants which are
damaged; as to resn fish, oysters. claims, mackerel,
lobsters salmon, Goldfish shad and such like never
bave any IN the Ilarbor since have been there;
the inmates formerly bonght fresh fish, steaks eggs,
trdt and sea food and cooked them in chaing
dishes themselves which was great i'm
provement the method of living at the
Larbor; Thomas Meeville has put stop to this
and forpddep IT. we never got any fruit apple pies
pies Of any kind: we have not had boiled turrps
ON the table since Melleviile there boiled
onions; during last year we got fresh string beans
three or four times: we had fresh beets set on the
table tins year twice; we never had carrots set ON
the table as a DISH nor canlinowefs, nor cabbage,
nor watermeions, nor peaches. nor apples, dried
or fresh: IN the Summer and spring we get very
poor poiatoes in the fall we get new potatoes raised
on the Harbor grounds; they are small and seem
sorted over, aud tile largest are sold out of the
place: the cooking ~ lily conducted and generally
very poor ami not such as 70 make healthy and COM
eat: as the quality OF the hour used AT the harbor
Is the second ana Third quality OF -four; sometimes
| have the second quality OF hour used, which
pretty good; never any first quality -four thcre
the quantity OF ratios there mas never BEEN 10
my knowledge, quantity Of provisions furnished
that was equal 10 the army and navy ratons of the
United States the quality OF the sugar and molasses
not first rate at any time: the molasses u set
the table to be poured over the rice pudding
and dun and Is OF a very dark color and generally
inferior: have seen hay cartea away from the IaI
bor and taken away from The stock OF cattle Kept nj
H.
away from the Earbor and was told the former gov
ernor sold them; at one time quite number OF cows
were driven nom the itarbor; the report was that
the hogs were sold oat OF the iarDor and have
them taken away from the Ilarbor myself: saw
large timbers cut down on the grounds and carted
away with double teams; there were two carts
ning; these timbers used 10 bnld docks In New
York; wood has been cut OIL the harDor and ta&ep
SHAMEFUL TREATMENT or THE PATIENTS is
HOSPITAL.
This witness coutlnues:-As To the hospital treat
nient must say nave never been In the hospital
except IA visitor: as such ! have been there fire.
Quently: the hospital room smeled very bad; gen
efallv the patients have not been provided with
comforts as they onCt 10 have been: their cleaDli
ness seems to have been neglected. the nurses
not competent for their tasks with some exceptions:
from what have seen the sick IN the hospital and
the inmates OF the Harbor aid not have. either in
quantity or quality, food enough make them rea-
sonably comfortable or 10 preserve their health, and
according To my understanding the whole manage
ment OF the hospital SHOWS tnat II - one OF the most
rascaliy conducted institutions ! have ever seen:
tins say general thing: there Is great neglect
was sick; he told TO call at the hospital the next
morning; he did nothing FOR me; such rs the general
bad management of the iarbor: but 1t makes me
sick to say what have seen going on: we never
have had any toast or milk toast, vr ship bread or
crackers. or cheese set on our table, at ore time
however, formerly, for snort time, IN
1852, we had cheese. tut II was stopped;
STALE bread has been served up with lnolasses
within a few weeks Tor pudding; the clothing OF
the Harbor is generally OF poor quality; have
never had an overcoat furnished: the inmates never
had overcoats furnished them for the winter; the
fires were stopped at Yn early period IN the spring
and not IN the frrbor until late in tie fall, and
the old people suffered RON want OF common fuel
and heat; tue clergyman has o domain OF from two
10 four acres of ground around his house; tie
same with the doctor and the governor; each
OF these has large garden nled with fruits
aud delcacies. and none OF the inmates OF
the Harbor allowed TO touch single
thing: al time some oyercoats were furnished
fhc men these were such rs belonged to persons
who had deu IN the harbDr: all thesliine that have
been nj sea have never seen vessels go badly fur
uisned with outfits and provisions as those are Ut
the harbor: a. general rule the Hatbor provisions
are much inferior TO those of seagoing vessels: Mr..