New-York tribune., 1886-08-21
CITY POVERTY AND CRIME.
SOCIAL WASTE OF THE METROPOLIS.


BUFFALO, Aug 2O-A paper on "The Social
Waste of a Great City" was read before the
American Association for the Advancement
of Science, at Buffalo. to-day, by DE- i. L.
seaman. of New-York City, who for many years
rvos Chief of staff at Charity Hospital BIackvelPs
IsIand. and in that position obtained thorough
acouaintsnce with the operations of the Depart
ent Of Charities and Correction. In his paper Dr..
SEAMAN gave much interesting information con-
corning the workings of tnat department. 1t is
therefore of special interest to New-forkers.
Following are extracts from 1t:
Tn ,hs bnmau body there legitin ate waste OF tssue
and substance, s;ructuraly Indispensable TO its best
and taeIe is waste which depietes vitality
"a is beyond the power OF science TO make good While
II tie herald OF approaching dissolution great eity
"a n CORPORATION, body polite IDS complex orgsnha
ton 100. a legitimate waste as u peIpetna evidence
Of is aT IL T. ead oss % o social capital and resource
,njle IL ponts tho way ultimate dsntegraon Men
and cities thrive Waste Iu SarTco o
~ ten wears among the charitable INSTITUTIONS under tue
,ro of the Board Commissioners OF Charities and
Correction, aud also under tue commissioners oi
Emigration, ths fundamental maxim OF social science
s atbered significance With the growth OF experience
The people have Decome so To ths do~nWau
drt-tis unresng curI ent OF wretcnedness prohgacy
rrv Of Architectural groups and the glamor OF official
admnist strat0n and Official reports Dristilng WIN
aud tunH aSo. ~ M 3nen,cin, world with
brnc IRONY asserts ITSELF and cOmpcIs recognition as
npera ely does the cancer as II eats us way to the
vtas scizes VI and subsidies tue iartst string ol
,.lds mat graccs . metropolis the world over. Where
there might nave been under shiewde better prOvi
dence paIks groves, museums art galleries. lOoiosicai
n1.tIy and useful thft. stretching NJ little intervals
rom Dvornors Hsrs Island, lnll eighteen miles, the
Semsss OF penalty and retriDuon has planted It's gro"-
inc colonies o. social wa-te-Oi broken, degraded,
repulsiye dangerous human detrtus AMI this baleul
colonization has pushed It's way along tbose beautiful
Laste'H "e,IS, S 1 OF eastern frontaee lar us nfo
uftfN L. o. leU A
excr-scences OF moribund civilization The munich
paity 1. body ana requires no aD0rod or exhaustive
direreutiai diagnosis to determine tnat body thus
smitten with Doils ana bains, with tangled ana
distempered wits 10 secIchea win ieyers o. aranN9h
very ife blood, Is at best IN desperate condition.:
so much Tor these "lDstituIions Of charities anu
coyreetou." In abundant outlay and thorough and
Intelligent organization, and In general scientific over
'srn,d indeed We have come make of them,
80 hat when distinguished visitors dignltares or
scientists upon rs Tor munc pal hosoltaes, who
doc, not forecast the inevitable festive excursion
through ana among these same insltutloDs WITH It's
decked III bunting. us ynnheunSs' i,s eongrato
l.t0ry speeches. the commissioners uncover our
plague spots and social ulcers our paupers ana aester
ADDE'S our crszed and our foundngs or the euncstnn
of the yisitOrs Why not extend the route on future
occasions. and 50 complete the panorama llls would
take in the Morge and P0tters REID ana tneir upand
sprngs and feeders. the bagnios win their moro than
1000 prodsate wsinen the 1000 aran sn%ps; ane
underground hells and dsreputabe concert ana dance
halls wnch day and night. year IN ana ONT. Keep mp
would be something like logic and thorougnness IL suen
exposition 400 ~ -, A.. ,,.. ,,,
A
lyIng all the the city frontage now become
rank OF its loss and shame no Will venture
and prO-pcCtlNe Fhluc OF
reverted sequestereI real estate ana the outlay lcp
resented IN It's multiplied structures Ald 10 the'e
assets Of the Board commissioners 0f CHARITIES ana
t :; 100 cn,oni.s: Haleyne Hospital; the VAR ous
buildings in the oi tue dol atment; the hospital
,,,nn ans tncn ie police stations and properties the
sa,Is ana prsons. and a Just allotment Of court and
Justice chambers The reectiOus made ana The
harvest Of tares Is gathered Tas i, bat traction OF
go 4 AM
the millions spent the erection and SUPP ort or tOuhh
log t.yluus, rcOrmaorcs OF various sorts ana uses
df,pensares chidrcn's aid societies. nH:mares anl
hospitals founded aud sustained by in.iflinal ana
private bencncence, All pat oi IN, sreat oai
wrnug from the puDc thrift and tuIned aside from es
innate aud benefits to Tie nourshD'ent and mainte
nance o. th. terrible underworld.
T5e Geredify o evil is an element Of incalculatlc sig
nincsnce. tho fearful ioing ~ or lo nag dowh ir0m rom
weakness. vice ond moral darkness oil ms p'S' lhe
Increase is more Than compounded II spreads ana
icneracs in ever direction without spendns or ui't
iLg IT'S death dealing Nlgor. Eyll Is erefal0us' II .
the ntf or under world. 10 stamps s offspring indc
lhv only inbrecds 10 deader pui Fose II grows
by what il captures, dehle- and anLcas IN some vital
noIee' way W ,,, cep rei,-ns to me civ sco iree
iera Is en visible hidden. upon his or hor res
Iest nn-poses and flircst opportunities OF social
reoebliit. .uon The underworld win the police and
detc,t.e forces practically IN it, interest holds IN
rigorous bondage every unfortunate or gi>crcant who
las o1ce served time" There often tragic interest
in Tue struggles oi these ensnsreh wretchos 10 break
away from The meshcs 81 about them. Bat the mael
str1!n mas no bowels OF mercy. Ana tho w5ud-be
f1gi,ives are flung back asaln and again in,o the
GcgOurlDg wnrpOo OF crime aud poverty, until the end
is reached the dsssctng table or IN Fottsrs fied
Mon who INSIST breaking with ths tyrannons fellow
ship oIten driven to seek refuge among e various
iHstuOns on the Islands IN menal Or hat mental ser
vice heipers messengers or orieres under the beg
gsriy wages OF tie departleh AS br'iei ~ etha't'
than life al largo constantly inpercd by TIE threats
ani al.nrements OF evil association
The cY0wning source OF harm and public injury Is un-
questionably strong drink ami 1runsenness Yet the
People pocket hush or conscience money OF h,if
million yearly and then legahze o. explicitly con
at the establishment OF mere than ten thousand
drinking places IN the city. Tie mora!ist and social
reioner have ior gene atoms -hoytcd III our ears ana
spread DcOre eye, the terrible statistics OF this most
repeat the refrain. Science and rhantnrOpy haud in
hand, demonstrate expostulate aud threaten; yet the
brbet.knc goes and the city, for II. yearly dole OF
half million let, loose ihis army OF incendiares, moro
dreadful than conhasFatlon' more deadly than pesti
and osiIience are ther progepy n drink snc lust fur
nis tHree-iodrths OF the criminals tuey lavish
flnc he wards Of the hospitals Eliminate or shorten
within hygenc limits the traffic IN strong drink. and
these institutions OF waste wcnli, in a decade,
snriycl anI Shrink vol nigh Out OF sight.
WHAT the morast or scientist do by way Of resus
citatiOnI Very little at bost Inc hosam and jctsam
are ueie sArels aud II. OF wasted lives
"a ministry must begin at thu cOurscs-s necessarily
propny Tactic, nutntve, educational. Oh these islands
there flexible twlss. oH gnarod blasted Dighei
trunks m.ensDle to moral or social influence rhe
phy Sican, ricst and turnkey share common outlook
or baned ho,cl-ssneas and almost the sole bles
sou the sole faF ana precious Jewel 10 be found IN this
world oi refuse and desOlstl0n IS tho culture OF
stronger sErrr medical science ana tue training ana
education o min.Iants for the sick ana hospital
wards And tae sole ground u hOle ani All meOratiOn
Lies III the rigid enforcement cr more practical civii
service ami In the yslaut ersutOus and nsIlcnsivc
supervision OF the state Board Oi Charities whose stated
aud fearless prObnRs INTO dark. uIsuspected corners,
scientific inslght and humane devotion 10 their
uuNclcOme mission instituted energize every
pToeci or re orm fof betternen thus Tar attempted In
municipal institutions.
rne hindfgnces IN the work and the conditions MI
orSblo and even hostile To- It's best administration lie
ia full s.sHt OF every thinking observer. fatality
turks the organization Of the board manage
ment Hero IA the sphere where there is demand fol
tie sOnndest phiiantnrOpst, the matured student IN
nd itcaI
service. such alone competent To look after and
ster this settlement OF social Financiers
say for BANKING. tris funds aud the ubic treasury
metaIrglsts and chemists and engineers Tor mining;
learning. logic hnl elDqucnce for forum; that is
the specialist full ripe FOR bis specially. But how IL il
with This board who have 80 long been in placel Here
the tome resence OF strong isouslity has
felt. but who is weak stupid 10 identify
the board under Its present Constitution with these
Necessary Interests IN the life of tue community