New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-02

they are class that il poorly treated, and
is made to suffer much, is shown by the
subjoined extract from the report of DR.
erasmus Smith, United States marine hos
pital surgeon in this city, contributed to the
last marine hospital report:
The report is based upon an investigation
made in accordance with the request of the
supervising surgeon into the mode of lite,
food, shelter, and other conditions affecting
the health of seamen on river boats. OF
such conditions the most important in it's
direct bearing upon the nature and amount
of sickness among these men is, probably.
the construction OF the average steamboat
used for navigating the Red, Ouachita,
Yazoo, Arkansas and White rivers, as also
the many lakes and bayOus emptying into
these and into the Mississippi river. These
boats are used expressly for the purpose of
carrying supplies of all kinds into the in
terror, and tor bringing as return freight
cotton and sugar to New Orleans.
They are usually of the variety known
as "stern-w Wheel" with a hull from lao to
lis feet long, from 30 to IS feet beam
and from 3a4 to 5la feet depth of hold.
The prOpelling engines, two in number,
together with the heater and auxiliary or
doctor" engine are placed quite near the
stern say within twenty feet OF 1T, and ex-
tend forward about forty feet. Forward OF
the engine, on the main or lower deck, is
an entirely vacant space of about eighty
feet, and next forward of this the boilers
from two to tOur) are placed, fore and aft.
The boilers are usually twenty four feet
long; Immediately in front of them is a
space of about ten feet for the storage of
wood or coal. Forward Of this coal room
are the main stairs, leading up to the
''bOiler deck" On this deck is the cabin,
which usually is quite comfortable, having
a row of state-rOOms on each side, with
dining room or saloon between. On the
largest of these boats there is over this
cabin a shorter and narrower cabin, known
as 1.-The texas" which contains rooms for
the captain and officers, and also berths for
the cabin servants. This 'texas," cabin
and the upper decks are all supported from
the main or lower deck by rows of oak and
pine stanchiOns; and the boat presents the
appearance of a frame house with the first
story not inclOsed or weather-bOarded. The
usual space between the main and cabin
decks is from twelve to fifteen feet, and the
object iu leaving it entirely open is the
better facility of slowing large number OF
bales of cotton on the lower deck. There is
also some width of guard all around the
lower deck; say about two feet, which,
added to the beam of the hull and the mar.
rowness of ehe upper cabin. permits OF
cotton bales being piled from seven to ten
tiers high On the sides OF the boat, thus
carrying them up alongside the cabin on
| both sides. boat loaded in this manner
appears huge pile Of bales, very little Of
| her being visible except her chimneys, pilot
house and Wheel These boats are always
classed as to their capacity for carrying
cotton, and they rate from 1900 to 2eOt
| bales each. As an ordinary bale of cotton
| 80 tod 70 mas
feet, it can easily be seen that the stOwage
| of the craft is admirably economical, to the
| detriment Of the larger portion OF bel
| crew.
| boats have almost entirely superseded the
| use Of side wheelers in the tributaries,
| being found more economical and better
suited to those crooked, narrow streams
In regard to the provision made for the
warmth and comfort of the lower deck
crew of one of this class of boats, i,
| amounts to nothing, as, from the failure o.
| the boats build and business, she has nc
room or space which could be set apart fol
| rooms or hunks for the men. Her lower
| deck is entirely taken up by her machinery
! boilers and the space used for cotton, anC
this space is simply every spot into which q
bale can be squeezed or wedged. There il
| no deck stove used, as it would be unsafe
| to have a fire under the control of such
| careless beings as compose the deck ere "
| The greatest watchtulness is required on the
| part OF all hands to keep such vessels from
| burning.
In regard to the class of men who do the
| heavy work on the cotton boats the follow
ing may be said:
| THE ROUsTABOUT.
| The average .'roustabout," or, as he il
| termed in slang, "rooster," is a strong blacl
fellow. who has probably been a slave an6
| leaves the plantation for that supposed free
dom aud rOllicking life which this class
| take enjoyment in while their trips wage
last He soon becomes corrupted by hi
associates, and after ma king trip scarcel,
| ever makes another effort at labor unit
| necessity cOmpels him to procure food. Th'
| low dens to which he resorts and where h
| squanders his hard earned money need n
description here, as they are to be foun'
| too often in all large cities. The prOpert.
of the average rOustabout consists gener
| aliy in what he stands and sleeps
| in, comprising an old flannel shirt,
| pair OF coarse pantaloOns, pair o
battered brogans, run down at heel, and al
old ragged hat. He may also have a cot
ton hook stuck in the waistband OF hi
breeches, but more probably he has trade
| it OFF for drink before seeking berth TO
| b new voyage. no wears uoiIuoI ooohe
| drawers nor undershirt, and has no bed
ding or blanket to protect him from TIL
cold when asleep. The usual way thei
tasks are performed is to have "all hands
| at work at once, consequently their rest i
very broken and irregular; frequently the.
are obliged to work thirtyslx hours o
longer without rest except for meals
These men are comparatively well paid
their wages being from $45 to 500 pc
month in the winter or busy season. blu
owing to their thriftless habits the none.
earned does them but little good.
They are very well fed, both as to qualt
and quantity of food furnished them. 1t i
we'll cooked, and consists of good soup
boiled beans. corned beet. dried apples
| etc., with the addition of thick fruit pie
or sdutt," for dinner This food is portione'
out in large tin pans and placed on tn
lower deck or guard Of the boat, frol
which each helps himself to all that he ca
eat. Twice day they are plentifuIly SUI
piled with strong boiled coffee, and, whe
working at night, are always furnshe
| with a heavy lunch of cold meat, bread an
hot coffee.
The worst feature of their feeding is tn
comfortless way in which they take thei
| meals This however. is not the case o
the large Mississippi river bOats, on whlc
they are furnished with mess rooms. wher
white and black are separately and well a
tended to.
Many unfortunate and disastrous trii
occur "a these tributaries, as | have e.
perienced to my discomfort. Where boa
happens to be overloaded and overtake
with extreme low water, and bad sire;
of cold weather, with frost, these .'rous
abouts" suffer exceedingly; and the re
suit is great and sudden increase in tn
| sicIy lic+ Dna ipstaDno which came uuHt
nv notice during the past winter, is deser'
ing of mention IN illustration of this poin
TIE steamer Flavilla, Captain Till. bein
! NJ, a vovage from Shreyenort to Jefferson