The morning call., 1892-12-31
Temptations That Assail
Them i'm Port.
STEERERS FOR THE DIVES
Two PhiIanthropic Ladies Making an
Appeal for a Reading Room end
Institute.

hardest OF any on board ship.
To add TO their miseries, when they reach
port there are always some scoundrels who
prey upon them and get them TO spend
their money in debauchery.
As far es temptations are concerned San
Francisco is looked upon as about the worst
: Ga any port
= But the poor. .friendless boys who arrive
here nave, within: the past two or three
years. had some. one to take mothers
place and watch over their moral and ply
steal well-being.
-: About two and half years ago Miss
:Pond:and her sister Ida of 1913 Post street
had their attention attracted TO the eondi-
ton Of the ship apprentices while in port
by one CT them, who was the son of friend
In Scotland. ..-.
-; They al ouce conceived the noble idea Of
doing every hing they could to ameliorate
the condition Of these boys, and from that
:. time to the present the latch-strng at 1913
Post street has been out every Friday night
70 snip apprentices Of all nation alities and
ereeds. -: -
- Tile result has besn most beneficial, and
many sturdy.British boy has been saved
from the evils Of temptations OF tb dives
by these philanthropie ladies.
Miss Pond was seen by reporter of THr
GALL yesterday. and. spoke earnestly of the
evil Influences that these. boys are sub
jected. to. -
One would be surprised" she said. "at
the devices resorted 10 &c get the apprentices
fo:viSt the city dives.
Men: ARE. specially employed by dive.
Keepers TO 60 TO ship upon its arrival and
induce the boys togo to their places. giving
" out as bait that they viii be entertained
TO a free concert.
:. - THERE'S man, who used to be EMPLOYED
IN the -.Custom-house, who is. one OF the
worst class of people in this respect
he invites the boys to his lodgings and
wnen he gets them there lie brings in a
: demllohn OF whisky and box OF bad cigars.
and after getting the boys half-tipsy leads
them of to one of these dives.
There IS another old Trinity House boy
VINO makes point of looking out for anv
apprentices who have been at Trinity
House, and taking them direct to one of the
diyes.::.
II tell you tie Christian people OF this
: city would. be amazed If they knew the
number OF English and Scotch boys who
are now sweeping the floors in these dives
all through these two men.
his customs man tries to influence the
boys against coming to-our house by telling
=. them: that we are poor. and can only enter
tam them by getting them TO sing hymns.
= Dqt tnat ne mas money aud they can have
Jolly time with him.
4. WE do all we can to amuse the boys.
- We nave singing and games In whicn
several young ladies always assist US. and
then they get nice little supper of coffee.
~ sandwiches and cakes. We have sometimes
twenty i've boys mere, sometimes twenty,
and sometimes less. 1t all depends upon
the class of vessels in port.
we are very much encouraged by re-
:ceylng letters. of thanks from the parents
or guardians of the. boys after they return
home, and by other evidences of appreeia-
ton. from the boys themselves
= AS soon as a vessel arrives in port nv
sister goes on board, talks TO the boys and
INVITES them TO .our Friday evening recep-
lions, II they can be called such.
''She has got these men l have spoken of
70 intend against; but we are not a bit
discouraged, as we have always the officers
on our side.
II any:Otthe boys are sick we visit them
at tie Marine Hospital or wherever they
may be, and do all we can to cheer their
loneliness and help them IN other WAYS.
I'VE do not like the boys TO go TO the
Marine Hospital, as there is frighstul
known to DR.. Baihache. The patients are
allowed TO play cards, and although no
money is seen on the table, they have means
of gambling all the same
F.: ."Iteel sure. it, DIR. Bailhache knew CT ie
be would soon put stop TO it, The attend
ants, y ith. possibly one or two exceptions,
wink atit.:: was told by young man, the
third mate: Of a ship. that gambling is car
rled onto such an extent that there is no
chance of any one leaving with a single
dollar OF the money he took In with him. =
Boys by this means get taste for gam
bling which. Is all: the worse for them in
afterlife. =:
lone bf.s syht boy, w hose parentshad writer
US about him beIore:his arriYalin port, got
bone OF one of; his arms broken recently
aud wasisent:to the Marine Hospital. When
he:Was about :cOnvalescent we got note
from him that be was going:tQ "a card party
with one;0t the attendants - My sister at
once: wentto. the captain of the ship and
rOt-hm to take: the lad odt0f the hospital
:: 'No-w0nder. the parents Of these boys
tTem6le for: tllem when they hear of the.
temptations they are: subjected:tO while
away from home. :: :: -: -. :
''There is an entirely: wrong Impression
here:a bout tlrese ship apprentices. :PeoDle
as arule thing that they~are of" THE rag-tag :
ard bobtail variety of boys; but it is quite
the TeYefse+ As a rule the boys are: the
sOns :nf: gentlemen and have received the
best English education. Many; wealthy
parents IN the d:cOnntry think first of the
army fortlelr sons, then.the navy, and then
the merchant marine service. -.
hey are high-spiEted boys, and once
they becGlne diYeSted: of;a feeling of. shame
their d0wnfall:is. rapid. That is why many
Of them are: sweeping out the dives Of this !
city to-day. -: = -: - - -: - -.
I'VE are doing ALIVE can r:the boys.
and have t2eTcon sciousness of. f..simply d oing
what we believe to be our duty. !. :.
We are sendlng out .asclrcular to British
ship-o~ners and others, such asthe baroness I
Burdett= Coutts and: Mr.: Piimsol. the sea-
s,friend, ,*totEe following effect; -
May We ASK, your kindly interest aEd help in
establishing a reading-r o6m and Institute for
apprentices ON Bi1tslfs lips coming 10 this port {?
need not enlaEee 6n@the evils of city life, the
temptations WHICH meet. every :maIi when lie
starts out I'm the world=-tBese VIII come to him
everywhere. but: there arets0me dangers in. San
! Francisco which do mot come 10 a young man
elsewhere, .:ibe first place.. Americans nave
al. lnbGrn antipaluyto sailors, and LOOK upon
ship as safe @hOuse Of correction" for young
incOrTigibes whom The lf':. natural guardians
cannot pose OF in any other way, aS1t is only
= IN. such- clItgmsta tanees that. American lad
goes sea, and tie Te reno apprentices on The
American vessels as they do not require to pass
any examinaiion.to become second mate, and
i@erefore do not understand the position OF our
usual rough squad tO:be found in an American
foTecastle: Asa consequence OF this, they are
stunned and looked down upon by respectabie
people; and eYen.ln the churches Dy llttle kind
ness that is.shown 10 any of:Ihe ships apprentice
lads is elassed among the charities" OF
ported "a part OF their work. Many
OF these lads are ihe. sons of professional men
and Others high 10 social rank, and you can
readily understand how.ibe "pity, Which is akin
90 contempt rouses the iroud spiTit-of an fnde-
pendent English boy, and sooner than be thus
respectable people. he Will steer clear OF them
and ind his own entertainments: And wlen lie
comes ashore al 9 or z O'clock 20 pass the even
Ing, he finds welcome Only in three places-the
tneaIer. the saloon and the dive.
These dives are perfect "abominaion; OF in
iquiIy;s' where 'haf- dressed women are expected
todrink with all comers. When tell you that
these girls receive 80 cents for every bottle OF
VINE they can Induce a man to- consume win
them, and that the places are allowed 20 DO open
all night, enough has been said TO show the
quality of entei taInment to be found there; and
when a boy. passing along street, hears the
sound OF music and singing which emerges from
these brilliantly lighted dives, and sees the
ally attracted TO IT, What we want
is coy institute win reading, recreation.
have a right 10 be and where they can find
healthful recreation. We think that each lad