New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
SOCIETY HELPS SAILORS
West Street Headquarters At
tracts Men OF All Races.
OFFICERS APPEAL FOR AID
Holiday Season Makes the Heav
lest Drain on Resources of
Organization.

The New. Yorker who boasts that his
town Is the most cosmopolitan in the coun-
try points 20 its Little italy," its Little
Hungary" Chinatown" San Juan Hhl'
and the dozen other localities where peo-
ole OF various nationalities and races i've
His argument is that the town contains
IN great numbers people from every quar-
ter OF the globe and from every country IN
the world.
In none Of the foreign settlements N
New York, however, largely typihed by GER
tsin. streets, is there one thoroughlale
so truly cosmopolitan as West street
There men Of every race under the sun
mix daily. They bring their languages
manners and their cusoms here, and as a
rule 20 away before acquiring the least oit
of Amoricanism.
Every time one Of the great liners us
decks svarming with homecomers ano Vls-
tors from foreign shores, moves slowly up
the harbor escorted by screaming ana ous-
Ting tugs. West street prepares for ne"
influx of population. Each one OF these
liners carries anywhere from 800 70 l'oV
men. Several Of the newer ones nave
crews numbering more than l,5oo Ihese
men are In port al least every mon ana
,he moment their great crafts touei- Ae'
piers they make a dash for shore.
Once on shore the crews. which divios
up into squads aud cliques Of friends, scat
Ter up and down the waterfront Some OF
the men have been coming into New York
for wears and have special 'fhang-outs,
which they make for as soon as their feet
tcuch land Others are new men, who do
not know the city. and either wander about
oY follow the lead OF chance acquaintances
on the trip who are ready 10 show them
the town Sailors of French, German and
italian steamships who do not speak Eng
lish must depend always upon some one 70
steer them around
These hundreds Of men, mixed as they
are, could be accounted for with ease II
they alone made up West streets wandering
population. Once ashore 'however, they
are lost among the other thousands Of
sailors from every kind Of craft that navi-
yates the Atlantic. Barge men, real sailors
from the deep water, helpers on coastwise
vessels. naval recruits, marines-all are
mixed up in one drifting mob Of pleasure
seekers A good time is the one ambition
of sailors who come into port and must
remain here until their vessel starts once
more on cruise.
When the average voyager walks down
The pier and out Of the gates into West
street he has a destination in view. He
meets friends, and if he does not he knows
where he can go and find them. He can
generally adapt himself 10 the situation.
The sailor. On the other hand, is a stranger
- in a strange land, and his friends are per
hapg thousan Of miles distant. The stu
alton is certain 70 make him feel lonesome
and homeslck II ne Is capable Of such a
feeling To fight against the sensation he
seeks excitement. The result is bound 10 he
trouble for himself and many other people
before he entirely dispels his melancholia,
and were il not for an institution in West
street Of which New Workers seldom hear
anything the situation would be serious.
This institution is the American Sea
mems Friend Society, which for years has
been taking care of a large part Of the
5000 seamen who come into the port Of
New York every year. Al its headquar-
ters at No. j07 West street 1t has reading
rooms, a restaurant a supply department
a swimming pool, rooms and baths and
gives concerts and lectures regularly for
the sailors The difficulty this organization
Is facing has been brought about by its
own popularity. The seamen have enjoyed
themselves there so we'll and have hocked
10 the place in such numbers that the
funds Of the society are unequal TO the
work before them.
Ohicers OF the society are: President,
rev. Dr. John B. Calvert. vice-p president,
Anton A Raven, secretary. Rev. q.
Mcpherson Hunter. treasurer, Clarence c.
Pinneo No. IS Wall street; trustees, Dan
iel Barnes A. clifford Agnew Alexander
Torrance Augustus T. Post, Edward NJ
Cutler. Arthur H. Allen, Frederick Z.
Tasker. Captain Howard s Randall Anton
A Raven. Rev. Dr. Nehemiah Boynton.
frederick Dalzell, Captain Charles 3.
Parsons, Fritz Y. Briesen. Theodore /.
Peters, Walter p. Despard, Morton c..
CoggeshsN and Rev DR.. John B. Calvert.
Christmas and the holidays are not far
orf the time at which the society does
SIS greatest work, and to keep up its repu-
,stion this year its officers realize that they
must have help They made f9mal an
ucuncement os the state Of AFFAIRS yes
terdsv