The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-31
PLAGUE SPOT IS BREMERTON.
roo BAD FOR OUR SAILORS, AND
SHIPS WILL KEEP AWAY.



WASHINGTON, Dec. Charles II. OAR
ling, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy,
started In to-day to DO a municipal re-
former Mr.. Darling's duties have to
do with ships and other things naval and
his entrance into the reform field was merely
incidental
He is practical man from Vermont who
believes in doing things in practical way
and that Is why he has undertaken to i'm
prove the moral tone Of the little town Of
Bremerton. Wash. by ordering that
no more naval vessels be sent to the Puget
Sound Navy Yard, upon which the towns
existence depends. until there has been
cleaning out of the saloons, gambling
dens and disreputable houses that Bremen
ton harbors.
Mr.. Darling's action was based on reports
from officers at the Puget Sound Navy Y ard,
which showed that Bremerton was "a p dcfc
Coast Sodom and Gommorrah. The Navy
Department heard last month that sailors
from the ships which had been sent to the
yard for repairs we're mulcted OF their
wages by saloonkeepers, denkeepers. gam
blers and disreputahle women in Bren ton,
and on Nov. o Assistant Secretary Darling.
To whom the matter was referred for in
vestigation by Secretary Moody, wrote
20 Rear Admiral Yates stirling, the COM
mandant Of the yard for a report as to
the truth Of these stories.
The responsive of Admiral Stirling.
dated Dec. 10. and the accompanying state
ments OF subordinate officers bore out the
reports that had come to- the ears of the
naval authorities here, and Mr.. Darling after
carefully considering the subject made
this Enforcement to-day on the papers in
the case:
The Department deems II inadvisable to
subject American sailors to the immoral
influences described within, and until the
conditions surrounding the Bremerton yard
are corrected by the evil authorities no
further ships will be ordered to that yard
The action Of the Assistant Secretary has
wider effect than is indie at,d by the
indors@ ment quoted. Bremerton is a town,
or rather city. for 1t was recently incor-
porated, Of about l,GOO inhabitants. II
came into xistence with the establishment
Of the navy yard there through the efforts
Of Seattle people.
Many big war vessels, such as the battle
ships Oregon, Wisconsin and Iowa, have
been sent there for extensive repairs, and
the large amount of MONEY Exp, ndt d in
this work has helped 81 attic mate rialy.
To stop repair work at the yard will hurt
Seattle as well as Bremerton, and IL Is ,x-
pected that the people of the frst-named
city will take a hand in bringing about the
moral rege neration of it's little ntighbor
The immoral practices into which Ameri-
can bluejackets have been enticed at
Bremerton are attributed in measure
by Admiral Stirling to the abolition Of the
canteen In the naval reservation. The
canteen. in which light wines and beers
were sold to enlisted men and where they
had a chance to amrse themselves with
games and literature, went out OF existence
through the act OF Congress prohibiting
the sale Of any intoxicating beverages on
property used by the United States Govern
ment for military and naval purposes
This act was the outcome Of the agitation
by temperance organizations.
Lieut., B. p. Hull Of the Marine Corps.
who commands the marine TRACKS at the
Puget Sound yard, concludes his report
about the moral condition Of Bremerto on
with this tatement; I'm my opinion not hing
will do 80 much toward the improvement
OF this state of affairs ss a r. q Establishment
OF the post canteen and In connect ion with
1t an amusement hall and gymnasium"