The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-25
TO GET RID
OF CR|MPS
Chamber Of Commerce
Will Act.
STRONG MEASURES URGED
Effort Will be Made to Have Matter
Investigated by Committee
Of Business Men.

iiOhpiulu viii NOT permit the motor
ious crimps who now infect the water
front to carry on their rufianly trade
without vigorous protest. The Cham
Der of Commerce is to take action in
the matter. The condition of things
will be laid before that body at its next
meeting next Wednesday and able
speakers will urge the appointment of
committee to investigate the me hods
OF the erimps and to devise ways for
putting stop to their thieving opera
tions.
George r. Carter has the matter in
hand and is deeply interested in 1t.
Other leading business and profess onal
men who have learned from personal
observation the detriment the crimps
are to this port are as concerned as
Carter and will unite to drive the rob
bers or seamen from the city. Consul
General Haywood who Is intimately
connected from his official position with
the shipping interests, will also lend his
aid.
The Consul General knows well the
criminal tricks of the crimps and has
already given orders that they be ar
rested If they continue to ply their dis
honest trade In and about the Con-
sulate.
The Consul General says that sailors
need not pay any money to shipping
masters to obtain jobs on ships but that
he has now and always has many appli-
cations for men from captains which he
Is unable to fill. Just what remedy is
best for the bad conditions now exist
ing has not been settled on. Captain
Bray who is now at the helm of the
Sailors Home proposes a remedy. He
has had an experience of nearly forty
years and has come In contact with
every class Of men who go down to
sea in ships" He has been connected
with religious work for many years.
having been in command of the well
known missionary packet Morning
Star" The directors have every con
fidence in Captain Bray's management
to create a new system in the home
which will put 1t on a successful career.
II would like to have fifty more
rooms In the building" said Captain
Bray. 1.-The present facilities are not
nearly enough for those who want to
come, but cannot turn them away and
when there Is no more room | give
a.
the floor.
"As soon as we have American ship
ping laws and am able to do shipping
I intend to open a regular shipping
office, and shall be ready to furnish
crews to all vessels. There will be nc
dirty work in connection with the bust
ness and no sailor will have to pay
anything for a job. Masters of vessels
will OF course be charged for crews.
That is the rule In every port in the
world and is only right. | shall also
open supply store in connection with
the home.
Sailors who live here will be charged
Sc per week for room and board, TWEEN
ty-five cents for single meals and a
dollar a week for a bed alone. Those
who have no money will be allowed TO
stop here II they want TO ship and
when they go to sea they may settle
out of their advance money. They wi
be put aboard at no cost to themselves
and the cost to the ships will be a good
deal less than half of what l am told
Is being paid in Honolulu now"
Seamen who are familiar with the
necessities of shipping say the en-
ployment of crimps is survival from
the days when sailors had to be forced
to go TO sea IL they went at all.
sailor who signs himself IAN Old Sea-
man" says:
"The average Jack of the presen
day is not q very sensible fellow, or ho
would not follow such a precarious
mode Of livelihood, but he Is, at the
same time, not so foolish as most PEG
pie give him credit for being. He only
wants to be treated like any ordinary
man to develop into a respectable
member of society.
1.-The letter of a captain, stating that
shipping runners are necessity.
shows clearly that he is one of the old
school. He says, also, that sailors can
not be trusted to come on board Oh
time, without being rounded up like
mob of sheep. Now, there Is good
opportunity OF proving or disprovine
this contention right here In Hono.u-
lu, and Captain Bray OF the Sailors
Home, who having had some expert
ence on shore, appears to me to know
how to handle the matter.
when vessel arrives here want
ing hands, il the captain would sim
ply notify Captain Bray, instead OF emo
ploying some longshore loafer, to get
him a crew, | have no doubt that Cap
tain Bray would be willing to put w
a notice board at the Home, stating
hands. where bound. wages and all
other particulars. a seaman on shore
here. who wanted to ship, would cal.
down TO the Home, examine TIT
board, and when he had picked
ship to suit, could either go on board
and see the captain personally, Oh
/ make arrangements through Captain
Bray. This would do away with the
/ mlddleman, whom Jack detests, ano
/ not without good reason.
/ Under the present system a ship
/ arrives mere and is boarded by the
/ longshore loafer aforesaid. lie see
the captain. and IL hands are wanted
/ ne of course expiates on the difficulty
OF procuring them, and tries to i'm
press the captain with the belief that
he of course expatiates on the difhculty
of doing so. The captain agrees and
troubles no more about the matter. IL
a seaman on shore wants to know OF
| n Qhfn ha has az DraqQpt to innutTe