Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-14


ships is more interesting than IN the case
of the steamer and the surroundings are
more picturesque The reader who would
witness the performance for himself can
be gratified by a visit to Congress street
wharf. where two magnificent American
ships are now loading-the S. p. Hitch
cock. 2.178 tons, and the W. r.. Grace.
1868 tons. petroleum broker gets
word from a firm in Valparaiso, Chilli,
that it wants 5000 gallons of best refined
petroleum, but can pay only % cents a
gallon, delivered He goes on change
and finds that the best he can do is to get
his oil from New York company at Is
cents. After talking with this ship agent
and that he chooses the most advanta-
geous terms he can find, which are cents
gallon for freightage. Next he cOnsultS
al insurance broker and effects an insur-
ance upon his petroleum at a rate which
amounts to half cent per gallon.
This leaves him a profit of IL cents a
gallon, or S75 for his morning work.
Meanwhile the order is being carried
out. The oil is in the company's works
at Hinier's Point, making that deIectable
locality odiously odorous. A lighter is
sent for it and 5000 gallons put on board
The oil may be packed in two different
ways-in ordinary barrels or in tin cans
holding five gallons each, two of which
are boxed in a case of thin wood. This
latter method of packing is employed
mainly for fancy brands. word about
the lighters: They are broad, blunt
nosed, sloop-rigged boats, all deck except
a little hole of cabin, and used about
the harbor for the transportation of
merchandise to and from vessels at an
Choir, or from wharf to wharf. They
are thoroughly i'll looking, always in the
way, and only to be excused for existing
on the score of their great usefulness.
The lighters are on the rivers what the
carts are on the streets.
The oil safely aboard, the jolly captain
and his jolly crew of one, set their sail
and bowl along at a snail's pace down the
east river until they heave alongside the
Valparaiso ship. Then the jolly captain
sticks his pipe in his hatband and the
loading of the oil begins. A huge double
pulley, technically known as a block, is
suspended between the mastheads inst
over the hatchwBy, and through it is
reeyed a rope long enough to reach to
the deck of the lighter on one side, and
through a second block attached to the
planking, to a stationary on the wharf on
the other side. On board the vessel
itself a staging is arranged, level with the
top of the bulwarks and reaching to the
edge of the hatchway, and then the men
descend PerilOuS and shaking ladders and
disappear in the echoing blackness be-
meath the lowest deck. The oil is now
In charge of the stevedOre-a
man who makes a business of loading
and unloading vessels, hiring such
labOrer5 as he need from the crowds of
men hanging about the wharves waiting
for such chance to earn a dollar, and who
are called lOng-shOreman. All being
ready the men on the lighter pile up eight
OF ten boxes in a double tier, pass around
them fold of rope called a sling, and at
tach the iron hook at the end of the
tackle; the man on the dock whistles a
shrill eco ahead" to the engineer, whose
drum rapidly winds up the rope until the
sI1ngTuI or boxes swings >1e~l-
when it is seized by brawny arms and
guided over the hatchway, when, obedient
to the signal, Let gor' the engineer per
mits his drum to fly back, and the burden
drops like shot to the tune of "Stand
from under!" There the tackle is
quickly unlocked, an empty sling sent
up, and then the boxes are rapidly stow
ed away, their number having been re
corded by the shipping clerk in his mem
orandUm book. The object to be attain
ed-the absolute necessity-in slowing is
to prevent all jOstling between ar
ticles of the cargo, and the boxes of oil
are crowded in sidewise, any way to hold
them tightly together, every crevice being
filled with wooden wedges, so that there
shall not be the least movement. By this
time the men above have filled another
sling, the whistle sounds again, the tackle
creakS, the "yO-he-e-eve, Oh-Stand from
un-n-nder!' is heard, and down comes an.
other dozen cases to help fill the belly OF
the insatiate monster. When all the
boxes are in the hold, the officer in charge
of the ship fills out the form of a receipt
called bill of lading." This is sent tC
the office of the owners of the oil, and, il
found correct, several copies are signed
by the captain-One for himself kept by
the ships owners, another for the shipper
and third, at least, to be sent to the con
signees in Valparaiso as a guide to theil
part of the transaction, for the freightage
Is paid ordinarily upon the delivery of
the consignment, rather than in advance
The process above described is sub.
stantially that used in loading whatever
be the merchandise shipped. The main
misunderstanding across the decks, broad
gang planks hung over the ships side to
prevent marring her paint, compIicate d
block-tackle and steam engine to wind
It or horse power to walk away with il
men to manage the great weight swung
about so easily by the tackle-these are
always present and only the details vary
If barrels of the cylindrical iron cases
in which caustic soda and other chemi-
Gals are packed are to be lifted there are
attached to the end of the hosting rope
two iron arms with curved ends like half,
closed fingers, which clutch the chains
but often three or four barrels or
heavy hogshead of tobacco or sugar are
put in a sling. Bales of cotton, rags
jute, mating, ETC., are clutched on OPP
posite sides by grabbing hooks similar
to those used in handling
ice, which dig into their sof
sides; but this will not do for bales OF
cloth, upon which you see printed the
warning: use no hooks" Iron Trails
are caught with clamps just in the mid
die, and, being thus balanced, are easily
guided by one man, end formost, through
little door in the size of the vessel, anG
landed on truck, whence they are
10 L.