Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-02-06
lrrrsRs FROM TINE psoplr.
The Commercial Line OF Havre-Ex-
perience OF a Passenger by the
Steamer Bordeaux.

Tne Z COMMERCIAL Line OF A6Vfe-hx-
perience OF a Passenger by the
| Steamer Bordeaux.
EDIroR Misunderstanding read the
clipping inserted in your issue Of January
2sth and your remarks thereon. and hav-
ing recently come from England in the
steamship Bordeaux, one Of the CONNER
cial Line of Havre, may 1 ask you to in
sert in your earliest issue my experience
of that particular Company and de-
scription Of their London agents. In
reply to an inquiry the latter described
the accommodations on board the steam
ship bordeaux as very superior, stating
her to be fitted up in most complete
manner. Believing him, l purchased
intermediate passages, he in reply writ
ing me that he had secured q six-berth
cabin. You may guess my surprise and
disgust then when we went aboard at
Antwerp to End the ship in most filthy
condition and without a single cabin, ex-
cept four for first. passengers. When
the agent came oil board the passengers
began to complain Of the dirty state of
the ship and Of the deception practiced
upon them. With the remark, '1t will
be better soon; will see you again." he
skulked of and never presented himself
for a second interview.
The accommodation provided for in
termediate passengers was exactly the
same as for steerage, except that the lat
ter were forward and the former aft
The chunks" were made ana furnished in
the rou6hest possible manner and were
in the most filthy condition, clotted dirt,
wool and cotton sticking to the rough
boards. The stencil from the closets
and bilge-water was intolerable during
the whole of the months passage. There
was not the least possible privacy for
Indies, who were compelled to put up
shawls, etc., to make it decent. After
repeated complaints the Captain had o
portion canvassed of. The agent and
circular stated that the cooking would
be first-class and English style; that the
intermediate passengers dined with the
officers, had dinner napkins. etc., every
word of which proved untrue. For the
first four or FIVE days we had all our
meals on tie dirty hatchway, without
cloth, chair or stool. The food was fire.
quently abominable and sent away un-
touched. After time, two rough,
small tables were rigged up by the car
penter ON which, for table cloths, were
put, and used the whole month. two
brown blankets like those we. used on
our beds, and they were not put on the
tables for breakfast but it was laid out
on the bare. dirty boards. The food
supplied each day was essentially the
same to both classes. except that we had
cheese at lunch and supper and sone-
times an omelette and it being brought
in some kind Of a dish, while the steer
age passengers had to go to the galley
for theirs, which was thrown ut them
like pigs. frequently only to be pitched
over board. For breakfast we had burnt
coffee served in glass tumblers. and table
spoons for teaspoons. The bread was
invariably sour and often heavy; the
butter put on the table at the first meal
! xroa ,,ro1,,ooJ <spoa ,ft.- k:.ro h,t -.
SO bad that no one could eat it, and ulti-
mately it was used to grease boots. In
lieu of butter some put sugar on their
bread, Others saved bit of cheese from
supper. The agent. and circular issued
iy tie Company, stated that all the Off
Ger. could speak English bnt not one of
them could do so. or if they could they
would not There was neither steward
nor stewardess on the ship. The only
officer who could speak English was one
called the Interpreter" who also had
charge of the others. The doctor, in
the opinion Of all, was perfect nom
entity. If sessick, he ordered you salts;
If constipated, it was salts; IL the oppo-
site. salts; If i'll and unable to eat, it was
salts again; and il passenger was i'll
and ought to be seen by him, he would
not visit them after P. NJ.
A few days before reaching New Or
leans written paper was produced and
passed around, with the request that
each passenger would sign it, acknewl-
edging their satisfaction with the treat
ment while on board, but not a single
person could be induced to append their
signature. In q few days another was
brought to US for our signature. being
told at the same time that we could not
60 ashore at New Orleans unless signed
by rs, but that threat even had no effect,
a. all refused.
A paper was made out embodying the
foregoing complaints and sent to the Cap
tain and copy. also signed by many
passengers. sent to the Directors of the
said Commercial Company of Havre.
Woutu soy tuht tuc O8Ptaiu IL $eI'
tleman and behaved in most courteous
manner. We believed he had, as he
said, been placed in false position by
the agent having made number of un-
warrantable statements and by the issue
Of circular full Of untruths to induce
people to take passage by their COM
pany.
We started from London on September
9Th. 1883. and reached New Orleans ON
October 9. 1883. being whole month
on the way instead of doing the passage
ia eighteen or twenty days. as stated in
the circulars. etc.
am, sir, yours truly,
intermediate Passenger on the Steamship
Bordeaux, of the Commercial Com.
pany Of Havre.
Los Angeles, Feb. 2, 1884.
An Editor Takes Water.