The Portland daily press., 1891-01-20
SAILORS SNUG hAR1oR
The Institution Founded by Quiet
PhlIanthropIst.
900 Old Salts In a Spot of almost
Ideal Beauty.

terry and embracing that part of Broadway
wnlcn to-day lies between Eighth and Tenth
streets. Here, In fine old dwelling of the
colonial style. Mr.. Randall passed his declin-
ing years, tilling his fields, laying low many
stately elm or oak, and occupying himself
with the various cares and pastmes of
country gentleman, Within easy stroll on
either hand rolled the tides.of the Hudson
and:East Rivers, and northward wooded land
and cleared pasture stretched as far as the
eye could reach. Upper Westchester fur
nishes to-day comparison of what the
Mimic farm was about A. d. 1900, and 1t is
worth bearing in mind in connection With
the accommodating values of the property as
years went on and the future uses of it as
declared by Mr.. Randall in his last will and
testament.
His father, Thomas Randall, was one of
the municipal figures of his time and man
| OF striking benev0lence and pure character.
| One of his warm friends was Alexander
Hamilton. and they shared the same honors
and responsibilities as members of 1.-The cele-
brated committee Of one hundred. Thomas
Randall was one of the founders of the Ma
rine Society (l769) for the support Of the
widows Of mariners. and he was its second
president, Leonard Lispenard being the first.
MIR. Randall was also member of the cham
Der of commerce and man of substance.
He had three children, Robert Richard,
Catharine and Paul. but this article has only
to do with Robert Richard, whose bepeyo
lence gave to the world one of the most per.
feet and admirable of charitable institutions
| the Sailors Snug Harbor.
Mr.. Randalps original idea was that his
| estate would furnish support for no more
than fifty seamen. 1t was the modest pur-
pose of philanthrplst who never dreamed
OF going down to posterity as benefactor Of
One Of the first trustees under the will was
| Mr.. Farquhar, president of the chamber of
commerce, who leased the Mimic farm after
Mr.. Randalps death, when al protracted con-
test over his will, precipitated by Nova
Scotia relatives, seemed to be inevitable. Mr.,
Randall died In 1901, and 1t was not until
about 1880. when the farm" haa become
wonderfully productive, that decision was
finally reached In the United States supreme
the Sailors Snug Har6or. In 1881 the
trustees bought tract of 160 acres of land in
the town of New Brighton. Staten Island.
lying along the placid Kill Won KulI. paying
$4,000 therefor, and erected the first build
ing VI the home The income OF the Randall
bequest had already risen from an insignii-
caut sum to many thousands and today it Is
Ganan of sns
following him came Captain Augustus De
| Peyster and Captain George Melville. A
| few score OF aged salts were the original in
mates; to-day there are $40. of twenty-six
| differ ept nationaiities.
The single building has become group of
imposing structures with Dorlc pillars built
around a hollow square, with frontage of
200 yards. From the crest of rising slope
they look out between rows of spreading
elms Oh one of the fairest of marine pros
| poets. TO the left of the main walk rises
granite monument to the memory of the
founder Underneath lie his bones. For
where Robert Richard Randall's remains had
been buried. When Eighth street was being
laid out the workmen came npon his grave
The Coffin was first removed to vault of st.
with impressive ceremony by water to the
grounds of the Sailors Snug Harbor. But
| what will strike the visitor as a more inter-
esting and picturesque memorial is the statue
power and finish only to the Farragut of this
sculptor Anything more lifelike has seldom
been perpetuated in bronze.
There is nothing exclusive about the Soil.
ors' SEug Harbor. Any reputable seaman
| who has sailed five ears under the Ameri-
can flag and Is decrepid or crippled eau OBJ
tain admittance by making application to the
| trustees. Some OF those taken in have only
the clothes they stand in, and frequently
they present a painfully destitute APPEARANCE
When the founders will was drawn, steam
was unknown, land strict construction of
the provisions, therefore, makes 1t impnssi-
bic for the ttrustees to extend an asylum to
| frenen, stokers and men who work below
! deck in the modern steamship
Before the applicant is admitted, he must
sign an agreement to abstain from intoxi-
Giants, to obey the rules of the institution
and to attend church once every Sunday
Having signed, his name is entered on the
books, he is given two suits Of winter cloth
ing and two OF summer and Is assigned a
place at mess. To the governor and his
staff the newcomer is known by his name,
but for other purposes he is number. His
clothes are marked with 1t, and, engraved on
blass plate. it designates his seat at table.
Where SO many souls are housed together
az exact discipline. is imperative. but the
reins OF authority lie very light on the an
Gent mariners at Sailors Snug Harbor.
| Compared with army or navy usage the regu-
latiOns amount to license. Each old fellow
must do trlfe OF work in taking care of his
side his door. This takes about fifteen min
utes OF his time before a M, when the
breakfast bell rings. The rest of the day he
is free to do as he pleases-1wors. play, read
or stroll about the town. III he works the
wages of his labor are solely his own. II he
wishes to read he has a library of several
thousand volumes to draw on, where the
; leading magazines and newspapers are also
| on file. Such games as d0minOeS, checkers
and chess are provided for his amusement
The food supplied is plain, but whole
some and ample. Dat meal, corned beef,
hash, sausage, stews and coffee form the
breakfast; at dinner there is soup and a
roast; and at supper, fruit, bread and butter
and tea. There Is no caste at table or else
where, but of course little tact is used In
placing the excaptains as much together as
possible
And so with the assignment of the inmates
to rooms. No one has room completely
to himself, for the very obvious reason that
man advanced in years needs friend or
sbipmate within call to nurse or bring him
| help In case of sudden illness. Ali the in
| mates wear the same dress: plain uniform
| of blue. such as retired sea captains invari-
| ably affect. 1t is Of the finest and most du-
rable material. Two new suits are furnished
yearly.
Then If he tires of the routine Of his asy.
| lum he may obtain leave of absence for any
time from one day to six months, but he
must not return before the expiration of his
leave. In order to. get permission to absent
himself for thirty days or less he need not 20
through the application to the Governor. but
simply goes to his place In the mess hall. up-
screws his number and takes it to the stew
ard, whom he notifies of the length of time he
, the numbered plate into frame adapted fer
, the purpose. survey of 1t tells him how
many vigorous appetites are Withdrawn
| from his total number of guests
While the management prohibits indul-
gence in spirits, the rule is enforced only on
the grounds of the institution. The old gen.
| tlemen can't do without gr0g, and they get it
, on their little cruises outside the gates. But
they must not be seen half seas over" about
town or In the grounds of the institution.
The penalty for this or any other infrsction
of discipline is confinement within the gates.
Attendance at church, too, is not obligatory.
although down In the rules. Some of the old
boys find even Chaplain JOnes's breezy SER
mons soporiic, and piety is not one of their
strong points.
In fact, it would be difficult to map out an
easier and more restful life than the ex sea-
men lead. It's regularity is certainly condu
Give to long life There is Aieck Freeman,
for instance, a venerable negro of 103, who
was admitted to the Sailors Snug Harbor in
1857, and there are score of others who are
creeping up to ward the century mark. Aleck
| by the way, is wonderfully bright and
CHEEKY old clap. and he can romance with
the best of bis shipma es Just now he is
laid up ON his beam ends in the hospital, but
l. good for a number of years yet. The
youngest inmate is John Simpson, who Is 30.
and who broke both his arms by falling into
q hold.
Once month supply of tobacco Is doled
| out. This can be smoked only in the 500
, foot basement hall, where the ex-saiIors work
at self-imposed tasks Of mat, net, basket and
hammock making, and spin warn by the
= hour. 1t Is rather tribute TO the instifutIOn