Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-01-30

Willard, Captain Hatfield, Of this ci,y.
asd representative Of the Posr Ivrxr-
IioEscKH met in Captain Ha,field's Office
recently and held q conversation about
the general treatment of sailors on shore
and at ses- The repsrter, addressing
captain Perkins, ASKED what that gen
tiefnan thought Of the existing evil of
the 90 called Sailors Homes, found
10 all seaport towns The Captain an
svered that he thought the evil was
increasing. and then related mauy in
stances OF the anderhanded advantages
taken by the proprietors Of these
Homes" They use brute force TO
compel sailors to patrouize them, often
employing regular "slugRers" 10 vhip
any one Who shows independencs
enough TO 60 where he wants to, or
who refuses 70 obey them. Inmedi-
ateiy on a sailors quitting O vessel, he
IL met by the drummer of some one
OF the Homes" in the city, and is
taken bag and baggage into some hole
shere peor foed, bad whisky and vile
company are the factors OF life in the
Sailors Home" Very often the sailor
10 threatened with Q sound thumpinp il
be says be will not 90 with the drummer,
or II be says he is going to some other
house. When captain goes to one of
these houses for . crew of men, about
the first question pat TO the psopristor
of the hoase 10: q How much blood
money do you want?' Tue usual an.
swer 10: Two months advance, CAP
tam, at S35 a month" OF course, the
price IN regulated by the demand for
labor. From this demand the proprietor
takes what the sailor owes hin and then
pays the balance 20 Jack Too often
the debts charged against Jack are not
Just. aRd then the proprietors Of these
dens eften cheat him out OF his riRhtfuI
share Of the blood money.
There is q Law before Congress at
present providing that captains shall
only pay the honest debts of the sailors.
This IL intended 70 check cheating on
the part Of sailor boarding house keep.
ers. Bat who 10 TO say that the debts
are hooest2 II Jack protests, he is im-
msdistely taken ashore again and 90
verely thrashed by some Of the proprie
tors lieutenants, and then he is taken
to the next ship. where be Is very apt to
say the debt 10 An hsnest one. The
cap. lain pays the advance and the
boarding house rascal is satisfied, but
poor jack has been robbed. The sailor
often does not know where he is going,
or In what vessel. until he 10 placed on
board vito his baggage.
In Portland there are two homes fer
sailors. One Is the " Ssamsn's Home
of which Rev. Il. 3. Stabbs is sapsrin
tendent. Here the sailor receives good
food. good books, and all that wsuid
make an Ordinary man comfortable.
The other Is the Sailors Home" of
vhioh Jim Turk Is the proprietor. Here
there are no good books, not very good
food, bat Turk 10 lavish with his whis-
Ky and advances the boys spending
money. and on that account Dost of the
sailors fall into his clutches. Many of
these sailors regret that they ever saw
sscb q man as Turk. He employs q
number Of solid men, to make the
sailors obey, and does not hesitate to
cheat them AS much a. possible. After
the sailor gets aboard tue vessel the
captain and his mates take as good
care that be does not escape as do the
bosses on shore.
Zone time" said Captain Perkins,
the Henry Willard was lying az Astoria
foudJ W oati. Nout W otttouu tot
Grew Of men, Who we're brought 10 the
vessel in the steamer Emma Hayward,
then running on the river. An old
farmer passenger, thiukinR the steamer
would remain there some time. went on
board the vessel with she sailors TO look
around. He no sooner stepped on board
the ship than he was ordered by the
mate to go forward The steamer left,
and the old man begged TO go ashore.
The mate would not hear him; but
dnally, when tie farmer attempted TO
jump into the river. the officer listened
TO his story and. finding be was not q
sailor, sent him ashore IN q small boat.
| tell yoa that old man had . beaming
small bost.h called out: Good bye. Mr..
Mate. l am glad l don't have to 10 TO
Europe With you this time"
The proprietors Of ''Sail-r's Homes
are not the only ones who steal and
cheat In the traffic OF Jacks labor. The
city officials and policemsn are able
colleagues, aud come in fer q portion
of the spolls. Ana then Jack hinself
thinks II 10 no sin to svindle the boss
of "hsme" or the captain Of a vessel.
IL IL net unusual for q sailor to live one
or i've months at one of these boarding
houses. drink the free liquor. run in
deot. and then suddenly p,ck up and
leave during the night. At such times
he usually goes into the country and
works on some farm for q time, after
which he drifts back TO the sea and goes
through the same routine again