The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-12
RKLIEvINo DESTITUTE SAILORS.
The Commission that Spent S1,47O.7O In
DISTRIBUTING &5.O5.


The Commissioners for Licensing Sailors
Boarding Houses met yesterday in the Office OF
the Secretary, Treasurer. and counsel Of the
Commission at 60 Wall street Commissioners
MORGAN. Luce. and Wells were present Mr..
Morgan moved that. in the absence Of the Pres
ident. Capt. Luce take tho chair. Tho motion
WIS seconded by Mr.. Wells. put by Mr.. Morgan.
carried by Mr. Wells. and announced Ms carried
by Mr.. Morgan. Mr.. Wells. rs Secretary. read II
letter from Thomas W. Wilson. resigning tho
Presidency Of tho Commission. The rcsgna-
ton was accepted. Mr.. Morgan nominated
Capt Luce for the Presidency. md at the same
time Commissioner Ferris arrived. Capt, Lure
made speech, accepting tho Office aud thnnk-
ing the Board for the honor. Mr.. Wells sug-
gpsted that. merely rs matter OF form. 1t inight
be well to vote on the nomination Capt. Luce
wns then unanimously e"rted t. succeed Mr.:
Wilson. The Auditing Committee reported
that the report NJ Mr. Wells In thu capacity ot
Treasurer had been examined and found cor;
rect. The figures show that 81 800 was received
in the past yenr. and that from this amount the
salary OF n. Dana Wells. Secretary. Treasurer,
and counsel Of the Commission. 81 600. has heen
pnid; expended for rent. fuel. stationery, &C..
i s5l l Ecl!J, afforded destitute sailors ''u'
In the capacity Of counsel for the
Commission and member OF II Commit
toe for rrcpnring, amendments to ne
and an ats. Mr.. Wells snbmtted some ansnd,
ments and additions TO the law. which Will be
copied and referred 70 the several organizq-
sioners. and viii BE- further discussed nj hc
next meeting. The Commission adjourned,
subject to the call OF Mr.. Wells in the capucly Of
The Commission was created in 1866 by an
net Of tho legislature. The scheme originated
with the Seamens Friend Society. the object
being 20 promote the comforts Of sailors re-
naming In this port, to relieve their distress
when destitute or shlpwreekied and TO p,qiect
less persons. The act requires every Keeper
Of u sailors' boarding house to pay n license fee
Of 900 and the proceeds are supposed to be APP
proprated by the Commission for the objects
named. Until recently there has been no fixed
compensation for the officers OF the Commits
sion. The Secretary hus, in some yenrs. rr-
ccvcd 90 for ench license issued. amounting in
In February, 1878. James ]. Ferris. then and
now one Of the Commissioners presented to tie
Legislature remonstranee against the acton
OF those CONTROLLING the Commissi!n setting
forth that II had fallen into the hands of " UNI
principled parties. who controlled the funds
and disposed OF the same TO suit their own sulf-
act being By them ukry g2dGr Fd.' sSeapt hat
providing for the eXaction of fees" and more
over that Of the sums received by the Commits
sion from 1850 70 1876 Inclusive, amounting tQ
many thousand dollars. only S9273 were paid
for the relief OF the class whom the scheme was
designed TO benefit. Nothing was done regard
The present CJmmssion consists Of William
d. Morgan. selected from the Chamber of Conn
mercc Peter '. King. from the American Seat
mems Friend Society Thomas WV Lson. from
tho Board Of Underwriters Richard Luce. from
the Marine Society: ~ Dana Wells. from the
Society Tor Promoting the Gospel among Sea-
men IN the Port of New York. and james J.
Ferris. from ~ Shipowners Association OF the
Stale Of New York.
Mr.. Wells. the Secretary. Treasurer md conn
sci. says. In regard TO the financial exhibit for
the past year. thut the uble t 81 the towuis sion
II not 10 collect moneys TO distribute among
destitute seamen: that the fees eNu'trd f1r
hcens are TO sustain an organization which
snail see that s"nlnen in this city ana brooklyn
arc furnished with proper recommendations ny
Keepers % sailors boarding houses and MT
cheated by them. and. In cdsrs not clining
within the province 81 other organizations of u
somewhat similar nature. o. furnish aid IN
small amounts 10 needy sailors. lie AYERS
thut the sum received by him IL Inadequate
compensation for the labor expended The
1905 charged 10 the relief Of destitute sailors"
was divided among some half dozen different
applicants Mr.. Wells says that he has FREE
quently notified other organizations OF similar
nature that no had a fund In his possess ion
which he would be- glad 10 devote to the relief OF
needy and worthy applicants whom they ml.ht
send 10 him.
section Q 81 the act creating the Commission
says: Every person receiving the license
hereinbeiore provided for shall payto the B1nri
OF Commissioners Aforesaid III, sum II $50,
which, alter deducting the actual expenses Of
said Board incurred in the transaction Of the
busincss-which expenses shall not exceed the
sum OF 81 .JOO-shall be- by them applied for the
relief Of shipwrockcd and destitute seamen."