A New Sanctuary for Seattle's Waterfront
Civic leaders mobilize to establish a dedicated Seamen's Home and library, seeking to instill 'frugal, industrious, and temperate' habits among the men of the sea.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Last evening at the conclusion of the services in the Presbyterian church, the Seattle Seaman’s Friend Society was organized with Dr. G. A. Weed as president. Other officers include vice-presidents Edward Hanford, S. Kenney, Rev. D. Bagley, Dr. N. W. Lane, H. Burnett, and secretary-treasurer J. H. Sanderson. The objects of the society are to provide undenominational religious instruction to seamen, longshoremen, and others, and in all suitable ways to aid such persons in establishing and maintaining frugal, industrious, temperate, and virtuous habits of life. The society further aims to provide a library and suitable reading matter to be carried on board vessels and to establish a Seaman’s Home in Seattle.
“The objects of the society are to provide and furnish undenominational religious instruction to seamen, longshoremen and others, and in all suitable ways to aid such persons in establishing and maintaining frugal, industrious, temperate, and virtuous habits of life.”
This 1878 effort to create a 'Seaman’s Home' echoes modern Seattle’s ongoing struggles to provide maritime and waterfront social services. While the 19th-century focus was on temperance and religious instruction, the fundamental need for infrastructure—a 'home' or safe harbor for transient labor—remains a core tension in our rapidly developing harbor district.
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