The New York herald., 1870-05-09
THE HOMELESS P0oR.

Lecture by DIR. Samuel A. RasOrs IN Aid Of
the Children Of Misfortune.
The state Of the children OF misfortune was treated
OF last night in lecture at the Cooper Institute by
Samuel A. Raborg, M. D. The lecturer was intro
duced 10 the crowded meeting by the jealous and
energetic Father Bodhsh, Of the congregation OF ST.
Paul. The lecturer pointed out the wealth and
glores OF the island OF Manhattan, the site of the
queenly metropolis OF our great republic. ana then
dived down into the night reuges provided for the
wretched outcasts whose poverty denies them a
home. The 'homeess poor' he defined TO be those
who have no home no habltation, who know not
in the morning where they shall lay their weary
limbs night. The number Of vagrant children alone
he estimated at 40, COO The number OF poor working
girls and Of destitute sewing women who were
driven by cruel and sheer necessity to live poison
ous atics and Easements full Of slime and squalor
he had ascera,ned by careful inquiry to be immense
To this fact he called the attention Of the gorgeously
dressed ladies, who do not see the blood
and tears which lined their sheeny silks and
rainbow-tinted satins. It was not. I'm the
burning words OF Tom Hood, "fne linen they were
wearing out, but human creatures lives" Bread
was dear. but, by blasphemy against Gods image,
fl6sh and biO0d were cheap; and terrific misery,
death and desttution increased fearfully with the
high tide swell and ow Of thoughtless calous lux.
ury.
lie gave several instances OF juvenile debauchery
OF boys and girls who got drunk daily on pen -ortis
Of rum. There were to his knowledge quite crowd
LOST FOREVER TO SOCIETY
and already In arms against 1t. When society ex-
posed these neglected children TO the necessity Of
being vicious 1t had no right to them when they
acted according to the OILY doctrine they had
learned. The institutions where children were taken
OF the Five Points House OF Industry, the
Howard Mission and the new asylum in Fourteenth
street, which. being Catholic Institution, ought to
prove and become metropolitan, as the greater num-
Der of citizens in New York belong to mat fa h.
Tho cellar population numbered 10000. Their
abodes were the theatre Of vice. drunkenness and
misery. These dens were overrun with vermn
Each night 'shake downst were provided upon the
floor. Frequently, double hunks were ranged along
the side walls. Men, women and children were mud
died together without any regard to modesty. Buck.
cts of benzlne, miscaed whtskey, were always kept
for the unhappy inmates. Along tile river front these
tramps had to keep in bed Till the waters subsidized.
Some 200 OF these dark noisome dens nave been
closed; but a number large enough to be disgrace
10 civilization were still In lull blast. He gave
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF AN INSPECTION
made OF one OF these caverns In Cherry street. The
ceiling below the sidewalk, no area In front or
rear, no VENT ation and the inspection had to be
made at midday with the aid OF lantern.
He showed what excellent regulations were pro-
vided for the cleanl neaa and ventiiatiOns of low
lodging houses In London, and for keeping the
apart Such institutions were proved to be q good
Investment. There was one here at As Elizabeth
street. which looked a neat home, which proved
his propositions, though 1t contained 252 boarders
the charge being only one dollars @ week. He ad-
vocated the establishment oil one such establish
ment in every ward Of the city. After detailing
the noble efforts OF philanthropy In London and
Paris to place outcast humanity upon level with at
least dogs, who have master and home. He in-
yited the sympathy and interest OF his audience in
this great subject, with view to the creation OF
proper asylums FOR the homeless thus doing away
with the shockngly barren shelter afforded 10 1885, 600
annually in The police station houses OF this city.