The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-18
THE CREAM OF THE SPECIALS.
Packed like Pigs.
A Philadelphia special of May IL. to the Chi
cago Times. says:

Philadelphia special OF May IL. to the Chi.
cago Times. says:
Miss Charlotte O'Brien's letter to an English
journal, detailing the horrors of an emigrant
ship. and the subsequent acton taken I'm the
matter in the House of Commons by 1t. Hon.
Joseph Chamberlain. President Of the Board of
Trade, have created fiutter OF excitement
among the managers OF transatlantic steamers.
From the mention made in the communication
OF Miss O'Brien that the American flag hoated
over the vessel 10 which she had reference IL was
inferred by many that a steamer on the American
line was meant The representatives of that
Company say. however. that such an assumption
Is unwarranted; that the British Crown, an
English steamer chartered by the American Line
Company, arrived at this point from Liverpool
steerage. They were quartered between decks in
compartments that al the best were gloomy. To
accommodate the rush of travel, berths of un-
painted boards had recently been put mp. They
were divided into compartments accommodating
twenty-four persons each. There were two tiers
one above the other and contained space for
dozen sleepers. the berths being divided by a
narrow plank about six inches hign. Below
the first deck there were accommodations
for about 200 additional passengers In aqIarter of
the snip looking like a subcellar. 1t was so dark
that the reporter was constantly stumbling over
boxes and bags. and in constant dread of stepping
upon one OF the numerous babies lying upon the
floor. Around each double tier of berths was an
aley-way SO that passengers could get into OF out
OF them without disturbing each other. Some of
the passengers scarcely leave their berths during
crowded steerage when everyone is down with
sickness 1t is stated. is anything but pleasant TO
contemplate Some of the berths are made OF
canvas, stretched on wooden frames but the
swinging canvas berths of which Miss o. Brien
spoke in her letter. have never been in use on any
steamer of the American line. Running the
whole length of each of the three compartments
into which the steerage is divided is a rude
wooden form about three feet high and ten inches
wide, innocent OF any sort OF cover or adornment,
that serves as a common table. The compartment
further forward is that devoted to single men, the
next Is used by married couples and families, and
the third. which Is the best lighted but in all
other respect similar to the other two is occupied
oy single women. Speaking of the overcrowding
OF steamers, intimated by Miss 0'Brien an officer
OF the British Crown said IL was singular how
any steamer could be allowed to take on board
l,1I5 passengers, 10 laws enforced more
stringently In England than those against the
oyercrOwding OF ships. Fourteen cubic feet of
space are allowed 10 each passenger and the
punishment for the non-observance of this rule is
severe. The assertions made by Miss OB.ien, II
Is believed by representatives Of the American
line are exaggerations. and their effect would be
either to injure some particular Company or TO
have tendency to check emigration TO this
country.