The Irish standard., 1906-02-17

with the shamrocks on his cap" who
was among the first to give them q
"cead mile failthe' OH their arrival.
Rev. Hugh Kelly, assistant pastor OF
st. Teresa's Church. was appointed his
successor. This well-known priest
willingly undertook the work laid down
by Father Riordan. His appointment
was full of promise. His health. how
ever was not equal to the task. After
a few months the strain began to tell.
and at the end of one year he resigned
his charge. He, too, has since passed
to his reward.
His Grace, Archbishop Corrigan, APP
pointed Rev. Michael Callaghan as the
next director of the Mission. When
he assumed charge the outlook was
dark enough. The enthusiasm which
every new and important charity calls
forth had been lessened by time. and
the voluntary contributions grew fewer
in proportion. Receipts had fallen off
while the expenditures remained the
same, To add to the difficulty the
holder of the mortgage threatened to
foreclose it unless one-third Of the
principal was Immediately paid. Father
Callaghan set to work to solve the
problem. He decided to hold a fair.
Archbishop Corrigan was the first In
the field with a generous donation. In
May. 1890, the fair was formally opened
by His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons OF
Baltimore 1t lasted three weeks and.
to the credit of New York City be 1t
said, realized $4,000 net. This splen-
did result at once relieved the financial
straits of the Mission. Two matters
connected with the fair are worthy Of
notice. One was the kindness and
condescension of Mrs. President Cleve-
land, who came from the White House
to preside one evening at q flower
booth. Needless to add that flowers
were at premium in New York that
night. Another noteworthy incident
was the victory secured by the Ancient
Order of Hibernians, which won the
beautiful silken Irish flag presented by
Archbishop Croke Of Cashel to the most
popular Irish organization in New York
City.
Toward the close Of the year 1890
Rev. John Brosnan was appointed as
sistant to Father Callaghan. From
that time up to the present he has
labored zcalously and indefatigably for
the best interest OF the Mission. BY
his kind and courteous manner and
charming personality. Father Brosnan
has won hosts of admirers and friends
to the cause. Sincere and straightfor-
ward, with q heart overlooking with
sympathy for his race, his native
Kerry" may we'll feel proud Of her son
and the Mission of its assistant priest.
For the past sixteen years the Mis-
sion has been carrying on u glorious
work for God. for country. and for
humanity. In the is years ending July
T l. 1899, there landed, at the port Of
this number 249995 were females
nearly all under 40 years Of age. AS
before remarked, the Irish. of more
recent years, have emigrated not in
families, but as individuals. 1t may
be taken for granted, then. that al
most all females landed from Ireland
in those 16 years were subjects for the
Missions solicitude. Landing, strang-
crs in strange city, many without
sufficient money, without the least idea
of the ways and conditions Of American
life they surely needed a guiding and
a protecting hand. Not infrequently
have these good, simple. unsophisticat-
ed young women ingenuously assured
me ut the Home that they were going
to America.
What the Mission has done for this
quarter OF q million Irish girls may be
summed up as follows: LIST. 1t has cx-
ercised Il moral influence over steam
ship lines to safeguard the immigrant
on board their vessels. I'd. 1t has
watched over, guided and assisted ut
the landing depot those who intended
to proceed by rail or steamboat to
destination. Sd. 1t has examined the
claims and fitness OF the relatives or
friends who called for the immigrant.
4th. II has provided Home at No.
Z State street, where were kept free
Of charge" 10000 girls whose friends
did not call on the day Of their arrival,
Or who had no friends at all, or who
journey. 5. 1t has tried to locate
relatives of those who brought indefinite
addresses. 9th. 1t has secured posi-
tions in good families for those ready
to so to work. eth. 1t has provided
Chapel before whose altar the immi-
grant has knelt to receive comfort, en-
couragement and strength for the bat
tie of life before her. Sth. 1t has sup
piled the good offices of the priest in
whom alone the Irish girl is ready to
confide. The Mission has SO con-
scientiously and faithfully done It's duty
that there was not one girl in sixteen
years WAC did not reach her destination
with safety or found her friends or
secured employment.