Morning journal and courier., 1894-01-16

Yt1,, THE sEAMEN's FRIEND.
 Interesting Report at the Thirty
 Third Annual Meeting Of the La-
 dies, seamen,s Friend Society Held
 at Center Church Chapel Yesterday
 Afternoon-Need of Money for Lie
 braries-The Work That Is Being
 Accomplished.
 The thirty-third annual meeting of the Ladies' seamen's Friend society was held at the chapel of Center church yesterday af- ternoon at 8 o'clock. The meeting was opened with prayer by Rev. Frank R. Luckey. pastor of the Humphrey street Congregational church. The president of the society, Mrs. F. Wayland Fsllowes, pre- aided.
 4 report was read from Mrs. Martha A. Stilleon, the librarian, in which she said that they he'd little contributions for read ing matter and were very much crippled on that account. Made up of readable books fiction and travel-the libraries are eagerly sought by every vessel that touches the wharves. There are "A libraries, 72 of which have been exchanged until they are all old to the sailors. They have made AZ exchanges during the year, with libra ries lost, Nos. 70, 76, 77 and 22. on the schooners Richard B. Chute, Robert Nor gan and Rebecca Tanlane, respectively, No % having been away since 1888 and just heard from. Two new ones have bsen added, composed entirely of paper covered books which will hardly survive voyage. One thousand two hundred and fifty bundles of reading matter have been dis tributed. containing 3, ,750 magazines, 800 papers, 39 Bibles, 13 new testaments and ! 246 other books.
 There Is very urgent need of moremoney for libraries, and when the fact Is taken into consideration that $10 furnishes a library, it seems as though quite contri- button might be secured.
 The report of the president, Mrs. F. Wayland Fellowes, spoke of tbsir disap- pointment in not having been able to make any progress last spring toward the build ing of the new home. She recommended earnest, persistent effort by all the mem bers of the society, ever keeping in view that toward which they are laboring. Mary E. Law, the recording secretary, reported in behalf of the managers. In her report she said:
 Last December the hearts of the man. agers were eladdened by the sale of the Bethel property on Water street to MT. J. H. Stsrin, reserving the privilege of using the Bethel for the period of eighteen months. With the money obtained from this sale 1t was deemed feasible to erect building on the society's lot on Water stl sst, and plans were accordingly drawn. Then came the wave of financial distress that spread over the country and the voice of wiedom called us to wait while longer before carrying out our plans.
 At no time has 1t ever been possible to make both ends meet in the home that we now occupy, but we have always consid- ! cred that the deficit on our books was ! plished through it's means. The strain of l securing the necessary funds for its maintenance became 30 great during ! the summer that the managers re- ! luetantly decided to close 1t during the ! winter months. Rather than have this done MT. Bergh offered to go to the home l with his family and take the personal man. | agement of this branch of the work for q few months. In hard and trying places Mr. Bergh has ever shown a spirit of self ! sacrifice and devotion to the interests of the society, for which the managers feel ! that they can not be too grateful.
 l The report of the superintendent, J. O.. Bergh, on the various departments of the work was especially interesting. In it he said:
 THE READING ROOM.
 The reading room was one of tho first ! agencies established, and for the purpose of furnishing place where sailors might feel free to come. Coming, ss he does, a comparative stranger to this or any other
 port, there being no friends or home to
 which to go, he has no alternative but to
 go to such places that are purposely es-
 tablished for his ruin. The advantages of
 a pleasant reading room can hardly be es-
 timated. Our reading room Is very peas
 ant, furnished with all kinds of instruct
 i've and amusing reading; here also every
 facility Is provided for writing letters, and
 the men have certainly appreciated and
 availed themselves of this privilege, as,the
 large number of 1 ,07l letters have been
 written by the men, and ], ,103 letters have
 been received for them at the reading
 room. I have eeen an entire vessels crew
 evening after evening, come into ths
 room, reading tho whole evening. Me-
 who have been discharged from vessels
 while waiting for the leaving of the New
 York boat, have spent the whole day and \ evening at the room. have seen mer
 take picture book and look a
 1t the whole evening, and others taking {
 book to read and not being able to fnist
 reading 1t, have come back the next night | No other arguments than the mention o
 these facts are needed to show that tho
 reading room is sn essential factor in oul
 work. But for this place, these many men
 who have spent evening after evening i'm proving their minds and resting them
 selves. might be out on the street, subjec
 actually plunRing into all kinds of vice. THE SHIPPING OFFICE
 connected with the home has served it'
 purpose well. It has always been hslK
 to the home financially, besides well nigt
 indispensable as a means of securing em
 ployment for the sailors. Eight hundred
 end twenty msn have been shipped, larg
 CT number than that of any preceding
 year. It requires 8 great deal of work anc
 entails Q great deal of anxiety and aggrava tion, yet have not seen my way clear tt
 give 1t up. It has encroached upon othe1 duties it Is true, but as long as 1t serves ts
 keep men coming to us, and ss long as i
 furnishes an opportunity to put afoat |
 stranded sailor, 1t must be maintained. THE TREASURY.
 Mrs. Helen L. Cowles, the treasurer read the financial report.
 O&cers were elected for the year 1894 9l
 as follows: President, Mrs. F. Wsylanc Fellowes; first vice president, Miss Ssrst
 M. Mix; second vice president, Mrs. Johr
 Fl. Booth ,recording secretary, Miss Mary E.
 Law; corresponding secretary, Mrs. O. 8
 Winehell; treasurer, Mrs. Helen L. Cowlss
 missionary superintendent, Rev. John O
 Bsrgh; auditor, MT. A. H. Morse; advisory board, MT. G. O. Cruttenden, 144s
 Chapel street; General E. s. Greedy, 1:
 Trumbull street; Hon. Henry B. Harrison
 286 Grown street; Judge John 0. Hollister
 52 Olive street; Mr. Frank W. Pardee, Il Wooster place; Dr. Leonard J. Sanford
 216 Grown street; MT. Joel A. Sperry, 30s
 Whalley avenue. The executive committee
 is the same as last year. Mrs. Clarence H
 Stilson was elected in place of Mrs. J. O
 Oruttsndsn on the home committee. Mrs
 Arthur Bradley was elected chairman ot the committee of associate members fol , volunteer service in place of Mrs. Simeor
 J. Fox. Two honorary members, Mrs
 Henry N. Day and Miss Margaret Town
 send, were removed during the year. There are the following changes in tn, ] ! managers:
 Calvary Baptist church Mrs. R. A. Browr
 elected in place of Mrs. R.W. Mills; Mrs. F
 S. Bradley was added to the Center churcl
 managers; Mrs. o. A. Dorman to the Da
 venport church managers; Mrs. Thomas L ! Bostvick was elected in place of Mrs