Evening star., 1934-06-24
FALLS
UNDER NEW DEAL
Relief Measures Open New
Era in Care of New York's
Aged and Infirm.
Continued From First Page.)

persons, the great majority Of whom
are men able to do outdoor work. The
grand total of these dependents is
only about $500. In 1876, when
James Gallagher, the oldest resident
of the City Home, was admitted, the
population of New York was only
100000 The present estimated
number of New Yorkers is $4,000
The population has in this period in
creased five times. If the ratio of SO
or so years ago held this city would
have from 10000 to $4,000 annual
admissions to its institutions for the
poor.
General economic conditions alone
do not account for the presence of
inmates, as many are disabled and
have been so since early life.
Mrs. Martha Nuniz, 101 on her last
birthday, was able to earn her own
living up to 1925, when she became
blind. She is sorry that she cannot
see Welfare Island, for she says as a
child she lived there in little cabin
with her aunt, who had been brought
from Africa as a slave. Her relative,
she declares, had been in the service
Of the Blackwell family, who once
owned the island, which until recent
years bore their name. Their resi-
dence still stands there. When slavery
was abolished in this State in the
'20s of the last century, the aunt
continued to work as a servant for
the Blackwells and. according to Mrs
Nuniz, was permitted to live in her
hut even after the city took over the
area. Her return to the scene of her
childhood, as she puts it, to pass the
rest Of her life, is a strange instance
of chances and changes
immigration Curb a Factor.
One cogent reason for men and
women becoming destitute in former
years was that they were immigrants
who could not accommodate them
selves to conditions in this country.
Some never learned English, either
because they did not care to or lacked
the ability. At the City Home, for
example, is Miss Celine D'Moulin,
88. She was born in Belgium in 1846
of French parents Although she
came here so years ago she has never
learned English and speaks only
French. Although well educated
otherwise, she was handicapped in
getting good positions. The number
of employers who will have nom
English speaking employees is small.
She worked at artificial flower max
ing; served as a cook and house.
keeper, and finally in 1928 was obliged
to take refuge at the City Home. be-
cause of her infirmities.
The restriction of immigration has
greatly reduced the foreign-born in
mates. James Gallagher. who has
made his home with the city on and
off since 1876, is a native of this
country, and is now IS. AS he is
cripple, he has been a public charge
most of the time since he was 10.
The oldest permanent resident OF
the island is Thomas Bauer, also a
cripple, admitted in 1881 at the age
of 18. As he is now II, he has been
in the home continuously for more
than half century. In 1881, the fif-
tieth anniversary of his coming, OH
cials and friends took him for sight
seeing tour of the city.
Under the present regime, the in
mates are not permitted to lead lives
of recluses. Those able to stand the
trip and who are not blind are taken
on bus exclusions to the city. When
the naval feet was in several hun
dred were taken on an excursion
around it at its anchorages in the
Hudson River. The guests of the City
Home are encouraged to visit their
relatives and friends and even to seek
temporary employment. especially in
the Summer, when part jobs are
available.
Compensation Laws Help.
Some of the colony at the City
Home date back to days when little
attention was paid to the welfare OF
workers injured in the industries.
Among these is Frank Duval, now "a,
who was admitted in 1898. He was
then a young painter who had come
from Ohio. His education was lin
tied, but he was a good workman. His
career was cut short in 1885 by a fall
from a scaffold. The firm for which
he worked went out of business soon
afterward. There was no workmans s
compensation law in this State really
effective until 1914 and accident in
surance was in its infancy. Under
present conditions workers who are
incapacitated are taken care of, in a
measure at least, by various forms OF
labor legislation.
Since many of the "oldsters" now
in the City Home entered great
progress has been made in the care
of the physically handicapped. There
are cripples there who would, under
present conditions, be trained for vo-
cations which they could follow de-
spite their handicaps.
Gas every case of the hundreds at
the City Home is studied" said DR..
Goldwater last week, some new light
Is thrown upon our present problems.
There are men and women there who
apparently never had a chance to
make good on account of heredity.
They came into this world defective
in body and mind or were brought up
in ignorance. Others the literal VIC
Tins of misfortune or combination
of circumstances. The survey being
conducted by Mr.. Lewis and the social
service workers should develop a
wealth of material useful in the shap-
ing of the policies of all institutions
of the class of the City Home"
The comparatively few INDECENT
aged or helpless Of all classes under
the care of the charity of the city is
the result of social advances in sew
eral fields. Pensions to superanuated
employees were not given on any ex-