The New York herald., 1869-11-29
A GENUINE CHARITY.
The Home for Respectable Aged and Indi'
genf Fema;;ssss How the Institution
was Founded, Its Struggles
for Existence and Its
Final Success.

Among tue many charitable Institutions wi tn
which this city abounds there is none that CON-
mends itself to public favor for the good work
n has already accomplished In Its particular sphere,
as well as for the objects 1t has In view, than the
Institute for Respectable Aged and INDECENT
Femaes' Like many other institutions or charity
In the metropolis which were started without a
single moneyed backer, SO to speak, this one began
life under very poor circumstances, and like oil
poverty stricken things, was forced to struggle
through infancy that was fraught with sulierlngs
and hardships. until at last when at the point OF
sinking beneath Its trials, 1t was given helping
hand by men whose strength lay IN their riches and
The abundance Of their charity.
Years ago. when the public and private charities
Of New York were confined to very narrow limits
compared with what they are now the almshouse
polished name for the workhouse-was regarded
by oil good and pous persons rs the right place for
an men and women who were too poor to support
themselves. 1t was no concern OF anybody's-who
could afford TO sympathIze In formal sort OF
way with the suferlngs OF the poor with
out undergoing any OF the pangs to
which poverty gives birth Y-that many Of the
stricken ones had been swept from comfortable
homes and resides by the sea OF adyersty when all
looked blighted around them, when the sun was
shining their well-tled asres and their every
surrounding betokened long life Of happiness un-
tainted by aught that could give pain to the heart
anguish to the mind Indeed 1t was all the same TO
them whether the poor who craved for help, or who
did not crave for 1t, belonged to the class OF ind
gents who come TO griei by their own bad acts, or
the offspring Of the once rich who had seen better
days, but who had been leveled with the lowest OF
the poor by the sudden sw0op of financial panic or
the imprudence OF father who died after gambling
rhil1raus a had IN m IN fha
aimshouse. It was the idea that some provision
should be made for aged females who had been well
OIL In their younger days. or who at best had always
enjoyed comfortable home, and to whom the aims
house appeared as living tomb, that moved the
promoters OF the asylum Of which this article treats
to action IN the matter-of establishing an insttu-
ti0n or beneacent character the Institute for
Aged and INDECENT Females
ORIGIN OF THE ASYLUM
To have suggested the establishment OF such an
asylum fifty years ago was In itself a courageous
thing, but to oDlain the means necessary to carry
out their cherished plans was a thing OF no small
difficulty for its promoters. But the charltaD le
ladies who had determined to make their enterprise
a success were nothing daunted by the discourag-
ing counses they received from almost every side
they turned, and the summer Of 1913 associa
ton called "A Society for the Relief OF Aged and
mu1gent Females" was formed. The association
did not meet with much success al the start, and
subscribers to the iund were for a long time few
and lar between. Time wore on slowly, however
anu at The end oil d year the subscriptions were
such as TO warrant the promoters OF the association
In making extensive preparations Tor an enterprise
on large scale. On the ltn OF February, 1914, the
first formal meeting OF the ASSOCIATION was held In
tho session room OF the old BRICK Presbyterian
church, which at that time was situated on the
site now occupied by the large building on the cor
ner OF Park row and Printing House square. At the
meeting constitution was adopted and board OF
managers elected, consisting Of the following named
ladies:- Mrs. James Dunlap first dlrectress; Mrs.
Ii. NJ. Mumtord, secono dIreclress; Mrs. Jonn Dng-
ham, treasurer; Mrs. RENSSELAER, Havens, secre-
tary, and the following direct0rs:-Mss RebeccA
Leggett, MISS HardenbroOk, Miss Ann Glass, MISS
Ann Nichols, Mrs. Della Henry, Mrs. Benz AMIN de
Frese, Mrs. Annie Churl, Mrs. Sarah Gum, Mrs.
Elizabeth Post. Mrs. Jessie Baldwin, Mrs. Richard
Cunningham and Mrs. Tyler Maynard.
But two OF the board OF managers are now In the
land OF the living. one OF them, now very far ad-
vanced IN age, still continues to do all that lies IN
her power To further interests OF the Aome. Her
name 1s Mrs. Goidsmlt, known when the first meet
ing Of the association was held a. Miss Leggett.
Until the month OF May, 1917, the association con-
tinued to meet IN tue Old church, when the place
meeting was changed to the residences OF the
members, eacn one taking her turn in extending
the use OF her home Tor the purpose. The annual
meetings, however were ned Tor long time after
tais arrangement in the church, and for several
years alter the association was formed at the
tlence OF Miss Catherine Brnckerh0ff From 1924 to
1888 the annual meetings were held IN the conslsory
room OF the Collegiate Dutcn Reformed church III
Fulton street.
In 1915 the Common Council donated the assocla.
ti0n the extravagant sum OF $500, ana IN the follow
Mg year $685. and, strange to say, these comprised
hli the moneys donated to the Institution by the city
fathers; and for the first twenty-fonr years Of It's
management the institution was forced to depend
for existence on legaces. charity sermons and col
lections In church and private subscriptions, which
latter were not IN very great number n0r very
nberai.
An auxiliary society was founded In 1929 Miss
Ann Domlnick ana MIR. +. Mowatt being the found
ing genluses Of the affair. This society made IL ,ts
special duty to provide for the outdoor pensioners, OF
whom there are ut present little over hundred;
and 1t is almost needless to say that IL has
great deaf or good In It's way IL spent 81 900
last year IN following out It's designs.
PROPOSITION TO ERECT AN ASYLUM.
The PROJECT OF erecting u suitable building az an
asylum for the pensioners was mooted In 1852 and
In the following year the friends OF the association
TOOK the matter IN hand and went energsucaIy TO
work to get the necessary FUNDS to further their
ends. 1t was felt that such building was an aoso.
ite necessity and 80 every thing that could be done
ure was done by those VINO had tile welfare OF the
institution at heart. In the winter OF 1884 Dr.
Scnreder preached sermon in the Church OF the
Ascension uhen IN Canal street) for the benefit OF
the society," and the collection which was taken up
on the occasion amounted TO S3i0. Among those
who were present at the delivery OF the sermon
were MIR. and Mrs. Peter c. Stuyvesant, aud on re-
turning to their home the former asked her husband
II he did not think tney could give the society help
mig hand IN some way that would put 1T on firm
basis. Mr.. Stuyvesant replied that he was certain
they could ana the following day donated three lots
motion. Charitable people, with plenty OF money
at their command. awoke 10 the necessity
OF giving OF tneir abundance toward the
worthy object, and so In short time after Mr..
Stuyvesants magnificent gift had been made known
subscription list was opened, ana Mr.. John Jacob
kstOr headed 1t with $4,000 opposite his name,
requiring, however, az condition OF the accept
ance of his donation, and an incentive to tue
managers to leave no stone Hnturned until they had
fulfilled his Wishes tat 100000 should be subscribed
within year after he had signed his name to the
list as subscriber. The managers thus put upon
their mette were determined that the $4,000 should
not be lost because OF lack OF zeal on their purt
and 30 formed themselves INTO sort OF houseto-
house visiting committee which made 1t Its especial
province TO beg every citizen to give little, no
matter now little, towards the society," They issued
m appeal to the merchants OF the CITY, and the mer-
chants who are always charitable IN cases where
real charity Is required, did not lend deaf ear 70
the appeal Within tue year, consequence the
condition OF Mr. Astor had been fulfilled, AMI pre-
DaratioDs we've maoe Tor erecting the asylum.
THE ASYLUM CONsTRUCTED.
There was good deal OF delay in arranging the
prelimiBares out in 1881 the first decided step was