The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-02-14
HOW NEW YORK CARED
FOR "REPUBLIC'S" MEN
THE SPLENDID EXAMPLE or
READY CHARITY IN THE
GREAT SEAPORT.

\ NEW YORK, Feb, i2.-That hus,
bands and fathers have Just been re
stored to 81 wives and lSc ehildren
at the homes Of seamen and stokers
Of the sunken steamship Republic
lin Liverpool was reported at the
headquarters OF the American Sea-
mems Friend Society in this city to-
day The census of the home folks
who so narrowly escaped becoming
widowed and fatherless was taken
when over a hundred OF these ship
wrecked seafarers floeked from the
Baltic to the new Seamen's lnSti'
tute here--sick, half naked, penniless
and barfoot Only by quick applica
ton OF an emergency fund II
hundred dollars were they able to
clothed and shod, the officers OF the
society declare,
No shipwreck in the present gem
Grafton has demanded such immedi-
ate and extensive measures for relief
as that of this big ocean liner, it is
asserted by expert workers OF this
seamen's organization which has for
eighty years succored stranded sur
vivors of ocean disasters in forty OF
the principal ports of the world as
we'll as in this city, While a thou
sand dollars was spent by them dur
ing the year 1908 to set on their feet
the victims OF the coast wrecks about
this port, they say, more than this
same sum was required in one night
to provide the men OF this one ships
stoke hole and io'castle with the
clothes to their backs Only by the
fortunate chance that it's $4,000
Seamen's Institute had just been
opened and by the instant contribu-
tions Of scores OF its friends here
was the society able to relieve the
crowds OF shivering seamen, who
came trooping TO its doors from this
shock of the seas that had left them
without money or employment in a
foreign harbor.
To fit Americas chief seaport with
ready refuge for such stranded out
casts OF the ocean, the officers OF the
American Seaman's Friends Institute
have to-day decided to appeal to the
people OF every section of the land
for fund to be devoted to just such
emergencies as the sinking OF the
Republic" In every town in the
country they believe the families and
friends Of seafaring sons will readily
lend hand toward providing means
to instantly succor the victims of fu-
ture great sea tragedies, Where es-
tablished Red Cross and relief or
ganizations make the shores OF other
countries thoroughly prepared to
care for large companies Of stranded
sailors, America is to-day sadly up
prepared, they believe the recent
wreck of the Republic" has shown.
"If the home folks of every moth
er's son who risks the seas will give
up their help for this purpose, | be.
lieve a splendid reserve fund can be
laid up against such emergencies on
American shores" said G. McPher-
son Hunter, at the headquarters of
the American Seamen's Friend So
ciety, 76 Wall Street, to-day. "The
instant contribution Of $1,000 by the
people of this city to meet the needs
Of the poor fellows of the Republic"
shows, | think, that the succor Of the
seafarer is close to the hearts Of our
countrymen. If the whole people
respond to our cali, l know we shall
soon be equipped to meet the most
disastrous shipwreck that can come
to the doors Of any Of our dozen sta
tions at American ports on both the
Atlantic and the Pacific coasts"
Half a million sailors come into
port and embark each year within
stones throw of the new Seamen's
Institute on the waterfront here.
With thousands more seafarers con-
stantly exposed to the coast dangers
of the country shipping experts in
this city declared to-day that every
provision should be made at once
for the results of such extensive
shipwrecks as that Of the ill-fated
Republic"