Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-24
Present Home of the ssamen'a Church
 Institute.

Present Home of the ssamen'a Church
 Institute.
 the steamboat, lived for many years, and where he died. It was kept as no memorial to him. however. and was. all in all. as forlorn rookery as could be found in the lower city. In the basement was a saloon where men of the sea were freely robbed. It was situated there because it was only next door to the shipping office of the British consulate, where the crews of vessels were paid off, and 1t was only . flight of steps down into oblivion. The reading-room and headquarters established on what had once been the parlor floor did not find the saloon . congenial neighbor. The result was that the chaplain won. The beer pumps were taken out and the bottles were packed up and the institute took possession.
 One of the strongest allies it found was the British consulate. The Brit fish shipping ofice. at No. State street, was surrounded on pay day by crimps and others of that ilk who were winning riches by preying upon the sailors. In the old days there were cases reported where the sailor was separated from his money before he had descended the street. The chaplain proposed that the consulate give room in one corner of the ship ping ofiice for bank. He opened . booth there where a clerk received such portions of the wages of sailors as they were willing to leave.
 It was intimated that a relatively small part of the six or eight months earnings which some of them had ac- cumulated was sufficient for taking a day view of the city of New York. The sailors agreed with the idea and formed the habit of leaving their money, all but few dollars. with the new banker. They returned in day or 50 just as well satisfied.
 The Battery station its quarters. It expanded both downward and upward. The seamen realized that the chap. lain was their friend. He had come to the institute from a theological seminary, and having a natural bent toward executive work he began his labors at the institute with enthusi. asm. The sailors wanted Q place to leave their baggage, to call for their mall, and to write their letters. All these facilities were provided as rap idly as the demand arose. In the place of the saloon was established q coffee bar where hot drinks and sand wiches and light luncheon were served. The space which once con tained whiskey barrels and beer kegs was converted into a baggage repos itory. The back room of the saloon became post ofhce. s Other floors of the four story and basement building were taken one by one, and then the conquest of No. State street began. Archways were cut through and the two houses merged into practically one building Some idea of the increase of tho work of the institute may be gath cred from the fact that its deposits of sailors savings have increased from s4.5oo the first year to SIS. 77264, according to the last annua ! report. The shipping bureau ha, placed 2,117 men on 33 calling vessel and s1 steamships. Some of tn, i leading steamship lines in the work , depend on the organization for thei crews. Among them are the UnioI Castle, Hogan. Tyser. Clan. Bristo City. Booth. Hindustanee and Sain | lines.
 It was the work done by the ChurcI l Institute which aroused the interes of men of wealth in the possibility o maSing life tolerable for the sailor of ,his port. When the subject O building a large hotel for them whicl ' should carry the work begun in th Rebeft Fulton house to the highes degree of eniciency possible the appes for funds met . ready response
 Its new building 10 to be erected a the corner of South street and Coer ties slip. It will occupy a space 9 by 90 feet and win tower ten storie above the street level All the expel iments which have been % success fully tried In the State street house
 will be utilized on . larger scale |
 the new structure.