Year: 1869

able he1Il ana contributes freely ana WIN laNsn
hand toward the maintenance OF institutions whose
primary object 1t IS TO succor the afflicted ana 10
render assistance to the thousands who are counted
among Goods poorn in the metropolis It's numer-
ons charues and charitable institutions private
and pubic. which will compare fayorablg with those
Of any other city In the world attest the ruth OF
tins assertion; but notwithstanding all TINS, a INK
Is yet wanting 10 make the golden chain complete,
ana that is a founding hospital under state protec
tion and support. Years ago public sentiment in
this country appeared TO be decidedly ayerse to such
an establishment but that same public sentiment
has undergone Il wonderful change OF late until now
there seems to be but one opinion on the sub
ject The opponents of founding hospitals were
wont to contend that they were simply an encourage
ment for unnatural parents to discard their chill
dren; that they were temptations to centiousness
and that as SUCH they eXerted an unfavorabe inAu-
ence on morality; while. on the other hand, the ad-
vocaes OF the institutions assert that their absence
IN great city like ours tends to an increase OF
inlanticde and abortion, ana that their existence IS
a powerful prevention Of these two terrible crimes,
and, what is better than mere assertion, bring for
ward facts TO prove that they right Indeed, the
latter only point to the statistics of nfantcde
In this city FOR the past few years, which has
increased with most appalling rapldty from year TO
year, ana then 10 n country like Russia where the
property devoted TO the support, maintenance
and education Of foundiings Is said to amount
TO s50eo00,e0o, and where mfanuede and abortion
are almost unknown" Almost every large city in
Europe has one or more hospitals OF the kind ana
wherever they exist infanTiede prevails IN far less
degree than where they are not tolerated. Esab-
lshments for foundlings existed as distinct lnsutu-
early the sixth century, ana the first one
founded in Milan was IN 7S7, by priest. '.n order
10 prevent inlantieide.n Now Milan has her HospI-
tpft tha Ty0i ha.F FIora rat
her Santo Spinto, London her Guardian and
Moscow and ST. Petersburg their yosptaieludi Dom,
and yet New York Is the only city OF importance In
The word which has seen fit, upto The present time,
10 shut its eyes to the advantages to be derived
from institutions OF a similar character IN her
midst. The poor little children who have
been destroyed in scores in this city by their
inhuman parents during past years had no
St Vincent de Paul to appeal for them
and they fell q sacrifice TO the inhumanity OF The
state, winch ever turned deaf ear to their cries for
sueeor. True, the public press compelled TO II by
tue frghtnl increase OF the of nlantlde in the
city, has raised ITS powerful voice more than once,
begging substantial pity for the little ones: the
feeling aroused IN the fervor Of the moment was
allowed TO grow cold aud finally almost to die out
altogether until occasionally excited greater in
tenSlty when the police reports showed a steady
increase in the number of babes found dead m the
streets and cutters and outoi-tne-way places.


ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HOSPITAL


Among those who saw that tile only remedy for





The Sisters OF Charity. who, as every one
knows, are always first in every movement
that tends 10 ameliorate the condition OF the
wretched and the fallen. one of them, Sister
Iene, determined to do all thar lay III her power to
influence the establishment OF an asylum for the
tte ones ~ the city, but now the thing was to be
done was the question. She knew quite well II
would require considerable money to begin with,
ana an abundant excnequer TO continue the instttu-
ton once II had begun. However, believing that
work that cannot but be pleasing IN the signt OF
God would not be aowed 10 iaii by Him who so loved
little children she laid out our plans aud resolved
TO open founding hospital on a small scale at
first hoping that the charity Of all good people
would prove so abundant as 20 justify aa enlarge.
meDt OF the institution in due time. She selected
three other Sisters 10 join her IN the undertaking
and with their hearts full OF confidence In God, and
but with not dollar 10 commence operations, they
cast about them for suitable house. They dnally
obalned one No. II East twelfth street and on the
1lth OF last october installed themselves therein.
Intelligence OF the Good Sisters intentions soon
reached the ears OF their many lrends-whose
names are legIon-and IN short time they were
presented with furniture for their and contr
buttons began TO dow IN upon them from all sides
Ine second ngnt after they mad taken possession OF
the house and put their plate on the door with this
inscription, 'toundiing Hospital, by the Sisters OF
Charity ana before they were able TO make the
slightest preparation Tor the reception Of the chill
dren, the bell rang loudly and one tue sisters gong
out found a babe about week old on the steps.
The little thing was taken in and cared for and had
TO be kept IN the warm kitchen if default Of more
suitable quarters. By the aid OF kind friends,
and many OF tnem however. the sisters in
u few days were pretty well supplied with all that
was necessary to make the children welcome and
the HERALD's frequent notices OF the establishment
caused contributions 10 flow in rapidly. one gen
tleman promised TO furnish the house with all the
milk needed for year to come; another sent q
chest filled with all sorts OF medicines for the little
ones; another presented few iron CRIBS and others
again bed clothing and many other various articles
of which the Sisters stood sorely IN need. Heaven
evidently smiled on the institution from the start
AFTER two weeks mad passed by from the time the
house opened eighteen children had been left
III the crib that Is nightly placed in tue vestibule
OF the house for the reception OF strangers" and
saturday there were twentynine in the house.


ITS OBJECTS.


II should be well understood that the institution
was not founded ior the reception OF ali sorts OF
children. It's primary OBJECT Is to save the lives or
the lttle Innocent things who In nine out OF
ten. would ne destroyed by their inhaman parents
at birth were there no place In the city where tney
could be left without exposing the atter5 shame
The Sisters have been called upon by poor women
VINO have babes from two To three months old, and
who were under the impression that they could
leave their children at the mousse 10 be cared Tor Men
iniauts have offered the Sisters regular income
take care OF their babes, but OF course,
their offers were refused. The fact Is, the
Sisters are not working Tor money, nor Is
their house TO be considered an asylum where
every mother who Is either too poor or unwilling TO
support her babe already months DID, be relieved
IRON the burden. Had the Sisters building OF SUI
neent Dimensions and ample funds TO support II,
they would gladly receive all infants brought 10
their doors; but under their present very limited
circumstances they would be doing an Injustice 10
The infants who are discarded by their parents az
birIb Oh within a week afterwards, TO receive
children OF any other class. Az matters now stand
their intention only 10 accent pabes under three
weeks old or thereabonts. In deciding upon this
course they are palued TO thiuk that they are com
PEELED by circumstances to refuse any child admis-
sion, but the time Is not yet although II undoubt
edy Will be- when by State or city AID they VIII have
building Of sufficient extent 70 accommodate an
corners.


THE PRESENT CONDITION.


The house now occupied by the Sisters is not large
enough 10 meet even the present demands upon the
institution. In few weeks there VIII undoubtedly
be abouc fifty children IN the house. and how accom-
modatlons can be furnished for greater numper IN
Ihe place IA question which is just sorely puz
Eling the cbarIaDie managers Already the sisters
IN charge have been compelled to crowd themselves
In very narrow quarters TO make room Tor the
infants who have already arrived. The house IS
altogether TOO small Tor the purpose Tor which IT
was hired, and II, IN biding their time until large
building can be butt for them, either at public eS
pense or By private contributions, a double house
could be obtained for the sisters, would indeed
be godsend. They now pay at tue rate
OF $3,OOO pei annNm Tor lne house they