The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-19
HORRORS OF THE sTEERAGE.
inspecting tho Emigrant Ouasters OF an
Ocean Steamer.

inspecting tho Emigrant 0uasters OF nm
Ocean Steamer.
Miss Charlotte G. O'Brien, daughter OF
Smith O'Brep, of young Ireland
fame, sends to the Pail DfdN Gazette q
letter entitled Horrors on au Emigrant
Ship" which creates o profound sensa-
ton and will be the subject Of question
in the House of Commons on Monday
by O'Donpell. Miss O'Bren visited
Queenstown in order to examine the
mode Of life of emigrants, on steamer,
which vessel, however, she does not
name. The following are the main
points:
CONTRASTS.
at is unnecessary to say that wherever
the sacred foot Of wealth tr0d on this
ship all was gold and silver, shining
brass, cleanliness, comfort and decency.
We had come on board, however, 10 zee
the emigrants, and we we're determined
20 see their quarters first. When we eaw
the quarters of the single men descrip-
tions of slave ships flashed across me.
Below this place our guide showed US O
deep hole, saying, j could not take you
down there it is much worse than what
you see.' But my business was with the
wOmen's quarters and we went there.
Between two decks better lighted than
the mems quarters was larger space
open from one side Of the ship TO the
other.
THE woMES's QUARTERS.
From either side of a long central
wa!k 10 the outer walks OF the ship were
rlung Two cnornoua hammocks-one sus-
pended about three feet from the floor.
Whit WAS going on in two other ham,
mocks above these could not see, but
presume they were the same as those
below. / suppose each of those ham
mocks carry about Que hundred perso n,
They were made Of shilcolb, and being
suspended all around from hooks were
perfectly fiat. Narrow strips ofsailcloth
divide this great bed into bcrths. These
strips Of cloth, when the mattresses were
out, formed divisions about eight inches
high. When the mattresses are in il
must be almost OH level.
HERDED LIKE BEASTS.
"Now. in these beds lie hundreds Of
men and women. Any man who comes
with n woman who IA or calls herself his
wife sIeeps, rs q matter Of right, in the
mid.t Of hundreds of young women who
are compelled.tO lire in his presence day
and night. If they remove their clothes
they must do 80 under his eyes. IL they
lie down 10 rest it must be beside him.
II is shame even to speak Of
these things, but To destroy such an evil IL
is necessary TO lonk at these abodes of
misery. In daylight, and when open for
inspection, they are empty, swept and
garnished.
SCENE AT NIGHT,
"But think of the scene in the dark.
ness Of the night, the ship pitching in
mid-oceun, when q giimmering lamp or
two makes visible to you the mass Of
moaning humanity. Look At that young
mother with two or three helpless babies
in the agnuies Of nea.sickness, unable to
move but over the PROSTATE bodies OF
her fellow sufferers. Look at this iuno.
cent girl child lying among dissolute
men and abandoned women. half suffo-
cation and seasick kness, amid curses and
groans Of hundreds. Ii she arises and
hees tn save her soul, whittier shall she
go? Again she must tread on the writh-
ing bodies Of men and women.
A LIVING HORROR
"But the picture il too horrible 10 be
looked at, the sounds too dreadful to
listen TO. This is no brutal or impure
dream, it Is truth. 1t il living horro-.
menacing the lives, honor and souls :.
hundreds and thousands of our fellc.J
country women. the ship on which saw
these things being supposed to carry in
this manner l,GOO steernge passengers.
She carried last year OIL ono voynge
1875 emigrants. was grieved to see the
American flag floating over whited
sepulchre like that beautiful boat.
haunted by the memories of s;", full of
ravening wickeduess and all manner of
uncleanness."