The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-19
FORTUNES srEp-cH1LDREN.
And the Way Some of Them Are
Christened.

which requires the undivided attention OF
father, mother, brothers. sisters. uncles,
aunts. and grandparents. to say nothing of
more distant relatives. And. after these
various members of the family cabinet
have worked on the problem for many,
many weeks. it is dollars to doughnuts that
the baby concerned still will have no name
II the newcomer happen not to be the
frstborn, distracted parents often take
refuge behind the old custom of calling
the latest brother" or "sister." Not so
Superintendent Blair, of the outdoor poor
of New York.
The New York HERALD says that he
goes right ahead and names the baby on
the spot. so as to be ready for the next
one. And the superintendent still has
babies names by the score in his mind.
although he has given names to no less
than 156 youngsters during the last year.
and to FIVE hundred since he assumed his
present position, which was only three
years ago.
The babies Superintendent Blair names
are the ones which are deserted by heart
less parents. They are the foundiings of
the metropolis. Former supsrintendeDts
were content to send the youngsters out
into the world as plain John Smith. or
Mary Jones, or Dick Roe, or Jennie Doe.
But Mr.. Blair decided that they should be
given more individuality, and he has acted
accordingly. He now names the babies
with reference to the circumstances in
which the little ones are found, and has
made himself easily the most ingenious
baby manner in the country.
Recent demonstrations of Mr.. Blair's
happy faculty In this respect were seen In
the naming of two unfortunate waits as
Frank Ferry and Herman Stone. Frank, IL
will be recalled, was picked up on a Green
point ferryboat, while Herman was left by
some cruel person on the rocks in the
Bronx The tot found near rosebush in
Central Park on Christopher Columbus
birthday quite naturally was named Chris
topher Rose. youngster found in Morn
ingside Drive was named Rudolph Driver.
OF course, and no great amount of guessing
would be necessary TO tell that Margaret
Noon was picked up by policeman about
u O'Clock In the day. Rebecca Wet was
found on rainy day, and Josephine Wall
was left on the Central Park wall in Fifth
Avenue
Three little foundlings turned over to
Superintendent Blair during the blizzard
OF March T. 1899, babe fair to give him
the busiest days work he had had since
becoming official baby manner. Attaches OF
the department stood back and sympa-
thized with their chief. To name one
youngster a day they regarded as no mean
task, but TO name three at a time they
thought would bother even an expert. Mr..
Elair however, had come to know no such
tning as failure He glanced through the
window at the blizzard that was roaring
outside and thought for moment.
These babies" he announced presently,
1--WE will call Jennie Snow George
Snowbank,' and Isidore Sleet.''
Not long afterward the weather cleared.
The sun came out bright and springs joys
pervaded the city. A beautiful young girl,
less than ten months old, was brought to
the superintendent to be named ard cared
for. She was so pretty that all wondered
how anyone could have deserted such
charming mite of humanity. Her hair was
light, her skin was almost perfect, and she
promptly was entered on the books as
Bessie Fair"
Before he had been in his present posi-
tion many months Mr.. Blair had named
babies John Monday - Jennie Tuesday,"
Margaret Wednesday" William Thurs
day." Frank Friday Harriet Satur-
day." and Annie Sunday So also he had
a Lucy March and Bertha June ard
Matthew August" When the calendar
had been exhausted he named a youlgster
who had been found on Friday Robert
Fish" A baby boy deserted on February
"a was named Robert Valentine" ard
another picked up in a workingman's
Shanty mas passed into history as LlSp en-
ard Booth" Julia Vest was wrapped in
a waistcoat when found, and Mary Coats
had only an old coat about her juvenile
form when she was given into the care of
Mr.. Blair. A tot found about midnight at
East Fifty-fifth Street and Lexington Ave-
nue. was too attractive baby to be cal ed
Might" so Mr.. Blair did the next best
thing and called her Jane Day
One dark night a woman tossed baby
into the Harlem River. policeman saw
the act and rescued the baby, although the
woman escaped. The baby soon afterward
was known as Virginia Rivers
The largest baby ever taken to Super
intendent Blair went on the books as
Alice Gross" and baby deserted in Co
lumbus Avenue was named Josephine CO.
lumbus." MARY Dewey was consigned
to the department on the day New York
and the. nation was welcoming the return
cd hero of Manila Bay, and Edward Ora
ham, was found in a factory where gra-
ham waters are made Lucy Flake was
a snowstorm waif, and John Astoria"
was deserted in an unfinished building
that was being erected up town by the
Astor estate Joseph Patrick" became a
founding on st. Patriek's Day and ia
cob Lot was left to his fate in a vacant
lot at East Eighty-sixth Street and Sec
ond Avenue.
Edward Harder has the record for be-
ing the most disturbing element ever re-
ceived in Superintendent Blair's office, and
the next noisest youngster on the list
was such good second that she was des-
iguated as Matilda Noise"