The sun., 1904-12-10
Christmas Presents.
Etchlngs, Engravings,
Water Color Drawings,
Oil Paintings.
Arthur Tooth & Sons,
299 Fifth Avenue,
Corner 3Ist Street.
SAILORMEN ARE DEAD BEATS.
HALF or EN- DON'T PAY MISSION
House BOARD BILLS

says Hughes. as He Quits the Job Of Plotting
the Seamen's Lodging House-They
Are AwfuIs kiekers. ZOO, but That's
Not Why He's Tired OF His Place.
Frank Hughes, who has been plotting
the Protestant Episcopal Society's home
for seamen at SO Market street for the last
year, wants to give up his job and has sent
in his resignation to take effect on JAN 1.
He says that he was prevailed upon to take
the place on the plea that it was a noble
work but that he has decided that he can
do better for himself by branching out into
some other business.
1t may be also that Mr.. Hughes is a httls
worn out by the care Of the thirty or more
boarders that he has on hand all the time.
The job OF running sailors boarding house,
even though it has charitable backing is
not an easy one, he explained yesterday.
It's pretty hard to make both ends meet,
chiefly because fifty per cent, Of the sailor
men dodgers are not above beating their
board bills.
And this is the way they do it" said Mr..
Hughes. A man will como in here and
pay IS for a weeks board in advance. At
the end Of the week l remind him that IS
more is due and he replies that he hasn't
got il, but is going to ship at the end OF the
week and will pay me out Of his advance
money. Now this place is more or less
OF charitable institution and we don't
like to throw a man out on the street, 40
we let him stav.'
THE end OF the week comes around,
and our sailorman tells me that he didn't
get the berth he thought he would and puts
me on another week Still he doesn't get
a job, and he asks me to get him one. /
cant do that without violating the law.
Neither can hold his clothing for what he
owes me. because the law forbids It, The
sailors know that, and they play it for all
it is worth, so all can do in the end, after
a man owes us SIS or $40, is to ask him to
get out or let him go when he proposes to
do so himself.
1t costs $500 month to run this house.
and we should take in $500 from our thirty
ceipts have amounted to just about $500
which shows pretty conclusively that
about so per cent. OF our sailor guests are
dead beats. I've found that you can't
trust a sailorman any further than you can
fling him, and that isn't very far.
The sailors are kickers. too. They COM
plain that the soup isn't thick enough;
that they don't have tea instead Of coffee
for breakfast. and that they cant play
cards on Sunday They come drifting in
at 3 o'clock in the morning, waking every
body up. and about once day a deep sea
rover with cargo OF liquid cheer has TO he
removed from the premises.
All these things have had their effect on
Mr. Hughes, and he has decided that he
can do better by seyering his connection
with the missionary society. He has been
with il for seven years as sexton Of the
floating chapel at the foot Of Pike street.
as custodian OF the Pike street library, as
head Of the free shipping bureau in State
street, which he founded and as pilot OF the
sailors lodging house. No further pro-
motion ia in sight for him unless he becomes
. missionary, and he doesn't want to do
that.