The Irish standard., 1903-10-17
IRISH IMMIGRANT GIRLS.
Work of New York Mission During
the Past Twenty Years.

Tue PdSl WeHty Years.
The Mission of Our Lady of the
Rosary, better known as the Irish
Immigrant Girls Home, at No. Z
State street. New York, last week cele-
DRAFTED its twentieth anniversary. 1t
was established Oct /, 1888. by Rev.
| Father Riordan, who up to the day of
his death labored for the care and pro-
| lection of the Irish immigrant girls
at that time coming to this country
in great numbers. At the time of it's
inception the need for such Il mission
was more apparent than now, because
of the heavier immigration from Ire
land, and because there were greater
temptations and dangers for new ar
rivals. In later days the law and the
government control of immigra ton at
this port have thrown additional safe
guards around the immigrant and
eliminated the many opportunities
presented to the Sharks which used
to hang around the Battery in the
days of old Castle Garden, for the
purpose of robbing strangers OF lead
ing them astray. simultaneously with
the celebration, Rev. NJ. J. Henry, the
present director, has issued report
for the work of the year. which con-
tains some interesting statistics cover
ing the twenty years of the missions
| existence. Among other things it
shows that from July /. 1888. to July
1, 1908, S,96S04G immigrants arrived
ut various ports of the United States.
Of these G,946,3S3 landed in New
York. OF this total 5G5, O49 were Irish.
2G6,717 males and 296,332 females
Speaking of the usual increase in irish
immigration this year, Father Henry.
in his report says: 1T was generally
expected that with the Introduction of
the Land Purchase bill material re-
duction in the number of immigrants
would naturally result: the contrary.
following figures show: During the
fiscal year ending June 30. 1908. d.
35G Irish people arrived at this port,
as against 1891 for the year 1902
giving an increase of 5000" Continu-
ing, Father Henry tells of the work of
the mission: "We have taken to the
home, at No. State street, and kept
free of charge grand total of $4,000
Irish girls. There they remained I'M
til called for by their friends, sent to
their respective destinations, or placed
at service. The work of the mission
has not been confined to assisting i'm
migrants landing at the port of New
York. Its arm has been long enough
to reach across the Atlantic to correct
abuses that had crept in. and in this
connection we wish to say that the
agents of the various steamship lines
were only too willing to cooperate
with us in the proper protection of our
young girls while in transit" Twenty
years ago when thousands of young
men and women left comfortable
homes and good positions. in the old
country to come to America. the need
of such a mission was more apparent
than it is ut present. These persons
from the old country would say they
simply came because others had come.
Some of them had relatives or friends
in this city, while others had nobody
to depend upon. The Rev. Father
Riordan, native of Dublin, Ireland,
twenty-three years ago. while down at
: Ellis Island with some other clergy
men. saw the many immigrants as
they left the steamer and wandered
into a new world all alone and I'M
protected. 1t was then that Father
Riordan suggested that mission for
immigrants should he built. and the
following evening meeting was held
| down on Beaver street. which was at
tended by many prominent church.
men. After the meeting was over
every man present made donation.
Collectors We're appointed. and these
men tramped around the city and in
the suburban towns every day. visit
ing rich and poor persons and asking
for aid Inside of two years more
than $4,000 was secured. and n year
after piece Of property at I State
street was bought. Immigrants were
put to work and in eight months Il
four-story brown-stone building was