New-York tribune., 1872-09-25
HORRORS OF THE sTEERAGE.

4
handing Stage at u O'Clock. where the tug was waiting
., take off the steerage passengers to the Republic
which Law in tho middle of the river. After much ours
fng tho baggage all fixed forward ana orowueu aV
ke shoep the passengers and we were soon aong
soe Of the Republic, and rushed the gaDgway' At
the ton stood the chief officer rue type OF sailor ahd'
"a aftcrward found a thorough gentleman) shouting
"sincle men forrad, married men ana women aiI
sForrad" we rushed down to the hrst deck' Dut
there was no for there 1t having been converted
into cabins for the saloon passengers Going down
lower we we're the single mems steerage' 10 De our
resting-place for ten days at the least.
THE APPOINTMENTS OF sTEERAGE.
Tn nv innocence had imagined the berths would De
fixed into the side Of the ship In tiers but only one ID
row. the same those in the boats between France ana
England but was sadly mistaken. On each side OF the
shin were 10 shelves IN tiers, of rough unpianed
uupsinted wood. A board placed across the center
with FIVE other boards nailed enghwise on each side OF
IT, form 10 berhs on each Of these stages The boards
were only few inches high, and lying on bed one is
necessarily shoulder TO shoulder with ones peighbors
there being very little room than in coffin In
the center the deck above there is an open hatehway
and more forward there few tables. With the open
ports and hatchvay the place close and pesferous
with the beahs OF $50 men, some OF them none OF
the cleanest In this hole were locked for time 10
Keep us out of the way. 1t afterward' when ad-
mted on deck. that found my bed bad been stolen
and several others made the complaint Luckily
had plenty rugs and coats TO temper the hardness ot
the planks.
"PAssING THE DOCTOR"
We are driven 20 the upper deck like sheep TO pass
the DOCTOR" which inspection is farce and consists In
walking past and handing coupon from your ticket 10
an emigration agent Some OF the emgrants OF course
being ignorant stupid and slow in understanding drec-
tons blundcred but that did not justify the interpreter
can Italian believed IN curng women pushing them
about, ana raising his arm to strike them. lie was
luckily stopped in act by Of the officers
named Kelly. else two young YOrkshiremen near me
would probably have carried threat 10 throw him
into the Mersey.
THE FEsT MEAL BOARD.
After passing the doctor went below to arrange
our possessions and the first meal board was supplied
us With great can oach the steward and his assistant
came onud and ladlcd out soup 10 all who called lor IT,
There h oatmeal pearl barley in it, which thcRens II
slightly otherwise II is better than the soup have
seen supplied French prisons Afterwards In another
great can the meat was brought down, cut up into
slices and lumps and served by the aid Of fork and
fingers. dirty hand full Of potatoes was thrust
towards me- They were more filthy than when dragged
out OF mother earth. did not wonder Wheh suOso-
auentiy saw the way in which they prepared. A
sack Of potatoes hauled from the stores, dragged
20 the galley emptied the copper, when cooked they
were enped back into the same sack and dragged down
TO the storage turned into the cans for serving out
It's believe. the duty Of the surgeon to stand at the
galley door and every meal for the steerage served
but this is seldom o done, either on the Mmte
Star or any other line have horses and hounds
in England served decently than the emigrants
ere what this worse is that in many cases
the food good and there was wasefu supply OF H.
but the cooking serving out made each meal repul
ve TO the most hardened stomach Tea was served out
IN the seerage shortly after o'clock The tea was sim
ply without taste, but with large amount OF grease
floating on the top Of the hot water which composedt IT,
The butter good but the bread very bad ana sour
and 40 continued all during the voyage for the very
good reason that the bakers always drunk and fire.
n Quenty fighting in the galley.
mi IN TIE BEETHs.
Twas late at night and we were wen down the chan
mel before summoned up courage TO so "forrad" ana
make my way down to the steeraSe At the Dotom o
she stairs gasped for breath Here was an encamp-
eD of Germans and Italians. the German element being
especially strong on board I made my way TO my
berth and, climbing in, laid down on my rugs III was
horrible, simply unendurable Touching me on each
side were two Of the of snoring, groaning per
spring humanity. 1 could not contemplate sleep;
Thought after moment that must be sufocating, ana
ew to deck where passed the night under the cover
OF the hurricane deck forward.
The next morning were well out at sea. L early
took my to the pump TO obtain my allotted three
quarts OF water washingplace was provided In the
Iqines but they were always crowded. good many
al 0esoo toilets were made deck AS before stated.
found my watercan worthless; but this did not mate
rally matter as there no difficulty in obtaining
water az any time from the pumps at which sailor was
always placed.
bread and butter. The morning was one Of horrors;
the demon of seasckness abroad and men, women,
and children lay on the deck ito which they were all
anshed for hour after breakfast that the sailors
might ventlae and sweep tine steeragesl Ike animals,
all sense of shame or decency lost in the agony they
endured
Al Queenstown we took in eighty passengers, all
bosterous and many drunk; but only short delay en-
sued for everything that seamanship steam and sail
can do were brought 10 bear on tins trip as many
heavy bets were pending Liverpool on the result OF IL
"a 10 speed Shortly after getting outside Queenstown
wa were driven aft and oupckes collected, search at
the same time being made for sowaways" three boys
and one being found and set to work their passage
The demon Of seasicEness soon abroad the next
dov vorse than ever. Few of the passengers
hardy enough 10 take dinner that day. One meal was
the same as another. The provisions, In many cases
good and wholesome, and in ample quantity but spoiled
by the want proper cookery served out as II to
pigs One Of officers Of the ship said TO me, after
ward Before could touch food served out like that
could lie down and die Of sarvatonS For two days
tried the experiment. hunger could not force me to eat
but after that thought had done enough to prove per-
eopally what / write about. The possession Of gold
everywhere inspires respect and am glad that was
not only able to live well myself but also that could
procure many comforts" for helpless women and chill
dreu
AMONG THE MARRIED PEOPLE.
was some days before ventured the aft steer
age devoted TO married couples and single Ac
eOrdng the contract expected TO find them In sepa
rooms. but such not the With the excep
ton that steerage the first deck 10 the
enlarged counterpart Of the forward On side
the married couples berths the other the single
womens; the slightest separation between them;
curtain at the little passages be-
the berths. which would have allowed the
single TO dress in semi privacy. Consequently,
all the decent women did not their dresses dur