The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-27
by the sufrerinrs which day after day they en-.
<as,r IN 90

POOR CREATURES HUDDLED TOGETHER
in their wretched pens, shiver1ng with cold and In
many instances drenched with the water, which
fell like ram from the leaky decks. Adjoining the
females but so horrible was the construction and
as a natural result so filthy was their condition
that will not attempt description. Suffice it to
say that they were q disgrace TO civilization and
humanity. The stencil from those "closets' was
sufficient to breed fever While on this subject II
NAV be well Tor me TO state that all the passengers
on the main deck were foreigners, not more than
two or three OF whom knew anything of the Eng
lish language. The result was that the ''coset"
set aside for the use OF steerage females was fre
quented by those foreigners WHO did not understand
the inscription on the door. The evil effects OF such
state OF things to female passengers must be OBJ
vious, and | therefore say that the inscription
should be printed In several languages. Moreover
say that, apart rom the regulations, which were
clearly broken, II was shameful to place the female
closet In close proximity to the berths OF hundreds
of men.
Slight idea OF the condition in which the passengers
on the main deck were, between sea water stencn
and cold, not TO sleak OF the hideous rookerles IN
which they were cabined. But they mad other
grievances. They were not unirequently termed
"dirty,h because they seldom washed. and lazy"
because they remained in their 'bunks" the greater
part OF the day and smoked and ate there. For
my part | don't see what other alternative they
had. There was no washing place, aud If there
was they would have found it difficult to wash, in
consequence OF the rolling OF the vessel; ana so ar
as the charge OF lazlness is concetncd, tnihk IL
was even more groundess, as the passengers on
the nam deck had neither seats to sit upon nor
tables 10 sit at, and were therefore compelled to
Guiding this portion OF my subject, may men
ton as another proof or
THE EVIL EFFECTs OF ovER-CRowDrG
q vessel or placing bunKs luggage on the main
deck that in the very bad weather, during the
"cieaningupn hours over eight hundred people
were crowded toge Their in a space between the
cabin and galley at the alt) not capable OF giving
convenient standing room to half that number, and
not a lew of them delicate women and children,
who, through downright weakness, were forced TO
sit upon the wet decks.
You may remark sir, that up to this have made
THE PASSENGERS on THE THIRD DECK,
which has been because the grievances or the
not be thought that the third deck passengers
dwelt in paradise or that the regulations were
the contrary. When we left Havre there were
only three regular steerage stewards, and one or
them--the most obligIng and inteigent-was
shortly afterwards removed to the sailors quar-
tiers. II l have been correctly informed there
should be one steerage steward to every seventy
passengers and the last trip there should. there
lore. have been at least twelve. 1t Is true that
few OF the male passengers volunteered their SER
vices as assistants and were accepted as such, Tor
which they received somewhat better food and q
small sum OF money on their arrival at New York,
but they were not equal to the duties they under
took to perform and frequently got drunk and both
neglected and auarreled with the passengers. This
could not nave occurred ii there was any discipline
in the vessel and II the men so employed had signed
the ships articles The result at all events OF this
arrangement was that the food was served out
with TIE most indecent haste and that while the
strong succeeded In getting more than their allow
ance, the weak got none at all
QUALITY or TIE FOOD.
must now refer to the food, which am forced to
describe as unfit Tor human use The potatoes
were black and soft wet soap, with not little OF
the taste. The meat was so hard and bad that
even the most iamshed looking refused TO take it,
The bread was lair and the Discui: were not bad !;
but the tea and coffee and soup were so disgust
ever tasted workhouse fare would refuse to par
take OF them. Moreover. many articles, including
molasses, vinegar, &c, which were mentioned in
the contract between the company and the passen-
gers were not supplied at all, and If at all, only
once or twice. On several occasions have known
passengers to ask politely for these articles and to
formed that water, vinegar and other articles were
again and again sold to the foreign passengers
quarts OF water daiy, one quart OF when
was deducted for tea aud coffee, but
instead of receiving two quarts the passengers
found it difficult to get even one pint. In cOnsc
quence OF this kind OF treatment many OF the pas
sengers, especially the females, ate absolutely moth
ing dul ing the voyage, and were consequently In q
very delicate state when they arrived in New York.
Every one who has spent any time or water must
know that the most wholesome food is essential
for the maintenance of health on sea- and that it
was downright murder to offer such food as have
described to delicate persons. The principle car
ried out was plainly, TAKE what Is offered TO you
or 60 without"
cannot say one word in favor of the cleanliness
which was observed, as l have seen what was
termed soup and tea III buckets which knew to be
uucIean, and meat tossed over the deck and after
ward placed in the large cans for Distribution But
suppose 1t was considered too good for the pau
Iers" who travelled as steerage passengers. Dur
ing the serving of the food the foreign passengers
sHAMErULLY TREATED BY THE STEWARDS
Sometimes they were struck in the face with the
hand and again with potatoes and meat, while the
language that was applied to them and which was
used III the presence of English-speaking persons,
would shock the ears of the most abandoned
wretch. One or two Of the passengers were seri.
ously hurt, ana had to receive medical treatment
in consequence of the blows they received from the
steerage stewards, who, to do them ample justice,
were nearly always drunk. have often wondered
at the genteness of the foreigners under such prov
ocatl0n, and could only attribute 1t to an Ignorant
belief OF theirs that the captain and crew could
crush them If they revolted. must here state that
it the captains duty to visit both fore and ait
seerage twice every day for the purpose OF inspec-
ton, &c, and that to my knowledge he never did
| so more than three times during the twenty-eight
days voyage. The drunkenness OF stewards and
! the i-treatment OF passengers Is not to be won
| dered at under such circumstances.
During our voyage six persons, the majority OF
| them quite young, died-0ne from fever, another
from dropsy, &C.. as was stated, but in my opinion
| INSUFFICIENT MEDICAL ATTENTION.
| For upwards of one thousand persons, including
! the ere W. we had only two doctors and Tor all the
steeragc females and children only one stewardess.
very much fear that the system which exists in
prisons and warehouses; Of dlsposng OF all cases
| quickly possible by dose OF castor oil or pills
| prevails to no small extent on the ocean steam
ships-at all events on the Erin. The TACT Is, the
doctors have so many persons to attend to that
they are forced to dispose OF all cases Ia summary
| manner One OF the young men who died received
no medical treatment until the day OF MS death.
| and not one OF those who did die had been In the
"hosptal.r feel bound TO allude here to the case
| of newly-born child, which was left In the stew
ards care-nOt with the stewardess or motler-for
twelve hours after ITS birth. Immediately alter its
birth it was slightly rinsed by the doctor and then
handed over to the steward, who fed 1t three or
| Jour times during the night with spoon as large
as adle. In the morning one OF the married
women in the steerage washed the infant In
warm water, but was not supplied with
those nccessares which midwifery prescribes
as necessary for the preservation OF the Infants
| life. Shortly afterwards the child was re-
| turned to ITS mother ana expired. In this and
other cases emphaticaly deny That proper medi-
cal treatment was shown, and therefore hold that
in all cases OF death an investigation should take
place INTO the medical treatment. propose, and
have already communicated my proposition to
members OF the American Congress and the British
Parliament, that an international law be passed
compelling the captain Of every vessel under heavy
| penalty to empannel jury OF twelve independent
| nncQ 1aath sha IN N