New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-06
SOUTHERN .DELICACIES.

HOW AN OLD DOMINION STEAMSHIP 10 -
| AND VIRGINIA PRODUCE BRoou"i ~
M ola Domnion line of steamships are
nv Wv ,,o nroaucts of the gardens of Virginia
Nv. - Corona the distribution OF which at THIS
-, nrres the labor of large number OF men at an
aarlv bour of the day. TRIBUNE rePor'ei 'e''eu ~
| No a. North River, late one hlghV' an ~ :.
| long after daylight The steamship Wanna 'i' "
her pier at about 10l p M, ana SOON GU =.
| On the south side, where she ianueu "ei p's'o" a.
on 'no - ,o.vuv laden with market produce. the
,ood,rg did NOT take place as early as usual ino
drontb in the Southern States has greatly aneou no
production OF many articles which usuy io'o" Wv
Work. market by this line in August Duii"s Jun
tho early part OF July the average receipt' VI pio
were 80 900 packages per week. the arii'a'' :" 49,,
eng 157 424 packages, consisting OF craes ooAeS' '
,a Go Allied with fruits and vegetables. The Wyanoke
hodip addition 10 o large general cargo, consisting OF
in hogsheads and boxes, cotton eggs eathets'
noultry oats peanuts, &c.-lSOO barrels OF clrohs,
muskmelons sQuasbes, cucumbers appes &C oVo poAes
of tomatoes several boxes OF Bartlett pears Few crates
NJ cranes and about 6000 waterInelons some Oh Tue
being Of unusual Size Each OF the par
reIs crates and boxes marked with number, ind
eating the consgnee for whom 1t was intended the Oh
iect OF the numerical system being to time in delv-
cry "a numbers are more easily distinguished than
names
Tue time for unloading the Wyanoke having been
fixed at 2 a. m, the steamship laid lengthwise
along south side Of the covered pier UP to quar-
Of hour Of the time set down for the beginning
of the work. any beated traveller walking along West
ST would have been unable to detect the slightest sign OF
business the pier being dimy lighted, tho nre-hose
spread along the whole length with the nozzle pointed
toward the steamships on board OF whch there was hoI
a single sign OF activity to be seen tine umekeeper
had been wide awake for some ume' however pre-
pairing for the work before him. aud soon he ap-
peared on the wharf The delivery clerks foreman,
&C., had also been busy since before midnight making
comics OF the manifest for the OF the gangway men,
sorters &C. so that they might be enabled to expedite
the unloading Of the vessel when that WORK Degah
Precisely at O'Clock the pier bell was rung by the time
keeper in peculiar manner aud long before the rever-
berations had died away about 100 men were on the
pier answering to their The suddenness of their
appearance surprising no sign or them mad Deen
visible a We minutes previous to the ringing OF the bell
The steamships OF this line fitted up with side port
holes fore and aft consisting Of double doors aud COM
| muncang with the main cargo deck. Inesc door5
were almost as suddenly thrown open, and heavy gang
blanks on wheels next run III from the pier on the
north side, and from the lighter on the south These
gangplanks having been regulated by means OF hinge
bridges to suit the and fail OF the tide during the
| process of unloading, no delay can be occasioned
| Though the required aftershifting OF gangpanks
Shutes and other gangpanks were also run up 10 the
level OF the sateroOms and upper decks Tor inc fe-
mova Of such cargo had been packed thereon either
for purpose Of keeping the articles cool or 10 re-
| leve the hold As each OF the men knew his duty,
and promptly set about it, only five minutes were occu
pied after the bell had been rung before the loud rattle
of truck wheels heard the truckmen wheeled out
the first portion the market produce from the cargo
| deck. Along the pier and in the shed were placed
against the wooden walls number of figures, ranging
from to &c. each number representing consignee; as
for instance. No stood for John Nix IL Co.; No O.
Woodruff, Merkee & Co.; No. 8, Wilkinson & San; No.
Is, Hines a Mansfield; No 81 Maduy 70, &C as
the packages brought from the steamship the sort
and gang plank men directed the rdckmen where 70
place them; the stenciled numbers the barrels.
crates &c. having TO agree with the figures ON the wall
4u1us me OF APP band sd d OF The broad panS
while another line OF men returned into the ship with
the empty trucks for new loads. In TINS manner the
cargo deck was uuoaded from both sides OF the
vessel fore and aft the goods destined for the Occ
pants Of the shed leaving by way OF the lighter, Whlle
boes ON the opposite side Meanwhile crates, boxes
barrels &c.. were to be ying down the shutes
from upper decks, man being stationed NJ the fOot
of plank to catch the flying packages ana help To
load them the trucks. Iney were then wheeled on
TO the proper places assigned TO them 40 stranger
would appear that the men on the pier stood constantly
In danger, but accidents rarely occur.
Tue main cargo deck, In which had been slowed bar
rels boxes, crates piles OF watermel0ns, &c, having
been partially cleared the steam elevator was next EN-
ploye the purpose OF raising the cargo In the lower
hold the deck the level with the pier aftcr which
in the manner previously described. Meanwhile tue
donkeyengine on the upper deck was also empoyed TO
barrels were be living down the shuc To the
pier, where they were disposed OF according to their
numbers.
| For abou, an hour the handtruckmen had the pier
almost TO themselves although CLERKS and sometimes
cousguees were present 10 look after the freight.
| Among these consgnees might be mentioned Mr..
Merklee OF the irn Of woodruff Merklec & Co., who,
although Gs years OF age, was the first the pier
somewhat putting 10 shame the beated clerks
firms whO although half century younger, nearly
an hour behind him in attending TO their duty. At 8
o'clock however the long market wagons or trucks OF
these consgnees, each drawn by two horses began 10
arrive the pier aud when several were there at
! time, the hand truckmen had not quite much
TO move in; although such 10 the systematic plan OF
operations that even with these membranes the
of unloading did not stop for even a minute. Tucsc
marke trucKs began 10 load up and as each wa,
filed 1t moved rapidly off IRON the pier by the right
] hand arch%s; :! IL entrance: the delivery clerk,
checking on the packages before permitting trucks
The rapidly OF the movements of the various vehicles
both small ana large. aud the quick handling OF tho
frcgn would it might lie supposed, confusion
and cause ustakes nat the former prevented by the
forOdding Of any unnecessarily loud orders, the use
OF abusive language Willie tae system OF numbering Is
so distinct that each cartnan knows, or should know
the goods he required 10 carry and takes none other
During the very busy season the shed the south side
OF the pier assigned to the special use OF about half
dozen Of the largest cOnsignces; consequently their
numerous twOhorse trucks al these times do not incDn
mOde me operations on tue pnr prOpera the goods
loaded up In me shed aud removed bv one OF the
Goorways on WesSt the trucks passing in regularly hy
one doorway and leaving by another, without touching
the pier AT all.
When about one-haf OF the market truck had heen
nnloade1 from the vessel coll gaug was set 10
"c0aling up for the next voyage, dOnkeyenglne ca
paplt OI AT time from barge
inOored ngside, being employed for the purpose, I'm
this way portion of the work preparing Tor Sc,
| was being performed while the vessel unloading
and this left the men free 10 load the outward bDgn
at the earliest possible moment. Daring the busy
season vessel las Often been her out to sen
| with an outward cargo within hours of her arrival
with the Southern products. AT the time of the re-
pOrters Visit, so rapidly was the work done that tbe
greater portion Of the freight not ouy ONT of Tho
Ship but OF the pier before the FIRST West co u ~, or
| Battery had passed on IT'S first downward trip.
The handing OF waternelons is matter tlat requires
great care. FOR should any fall the ground the rut
would he greatly damaged. II broken 10 pieces and
thus rendered useless for the market. The Cnmn,n,
therefore, under the direction of Capt Bourne he ,,
eral Superintendent, and Capt. Hodges the DOCK s-
perlnlendent, nave had made peculiar kind OF hand