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

Inspecting the Emigrant Quarters Of an
Ocean Steamer.
Miss Charlotte e. O. Brien, daughter of
Smith O'Brien, of young Ireland"
fame. sends to the Pail Mall Gazette q
letter entitled Horrors on an Emigrant
Ship" which creates Q profound sensa-
ton and will be the subjec. of a question
in the House of Commons on Monday
by O'Donuell. Miss O'Brien 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 trod on this
ship all was gold and silver, shining
brass, cleanliness, comfort and decency.
We had come on board, however, to nee
the emigrants, and We were determined
to see their quarters first. When we saw
the quarters of the single men descrip-
tions of slave ships flashed across me.
Below this place our guide showed US .
deep hole, saying,-I 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.
TIE woMEN's QUARTERS.
"From either side of 8 long central;
walk to the outer walks ofthe ship were
slnng two enormous hammecks-one slls-
pended about three feet from the floor.
What was going on in two other ham
mocks above these could not see, but l
presume they were the same as those
below. suppose each of those ham.
mocEs carry about one hundred persons.
They we're made of sailcloth, and being
suspended all around from hooks were
perfectly fat. Narrow strips ofsailcloth
divide this great bed into berths. These
strips of cloth, when the mattresses were
out. formed divisions about eight inches
high. When the mattresses are IN It
must be almost on level.
HERDED LIKE BEASTS. !.
aNow, in these beds. lie hundreds of
men and women. Any man who comes
WITH a wuman who IS or calls herself his
wife sleeps, as:amatter tofs right, in The
mid.t of; hundreds of yonng women who
are compelled.tosliye in his presence day
and night. Ifthey remove their clothes
they must do 80 under his eyes. IF they
lie down to rest it must be beside him:
It is shame even to speak of
these things, but to destroy such;a eYilit
is necessary to look 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-ocean, when a giimmeri!- amp Or
two makes visible to you the, mass Of
moaning humanity. Look a. that young
mother with two or three helpless babies
in the agonies Of sea-sickness, unable to
move but over the prostrate bodies OF
her fellow sufferers. Look at this limo:
cent girl child lying among: dissoiute
men and abandoned women, half sutfo..
cation and sea.sickness, amid curses and
groans Of hundreds. .-E-she-arises and
fees to save her soul, whittier shall she
go7 Again she must tread on the with.
ing bodies Of men and women.
AL1v1Na HORROR. . :
HBut the picture is too horrible to be
looked at, the sounds too dreadful TO
listen to. This is no brutal or impure
dream, it is truth. 1t is a living horror,
menacing the lives, honor and souls Of
hundreds and thousands of our fellow
country women. the. ship on which ] saw
these things being supposed to carry in
this manner 1000 steerage passengers.
She carried last year OIL one voyage
l775 emigrants. 1 was grieved to see the
American flag floating over whitea
sepulchre like that beautiful boat,
haunted by the memories of sin, full Of
ravening wickedness and all manner OF
uncleanness."