The evening world., 1888-09-20
LIFE In THE STOKE-HOLE.
IT QUICKLY BREAKS DOWN THE MOST RO-
BUST OF MEN.
An Ipauirins Reporter Visits the EnGiue.
Room and stokers' Quarters Of an A.
lauiic steamer-Thero Was Foul and
Tsrrid Air, Laden with Coal-Dust and
the Bad smell Of OIL.

Torrid Air, Laden with Conl-Dust and
the Bad smell Of OIL.
The death Of Charles johnson. the unfor-
tunate Ohioan, who slowed himself away In
the hold of the City Of Romo on her last trip
over and died while at work in the stoke
hole. suggested the idea Of exploring the
depths of an ocean steamer to q n EVENING
WORLD reporter.
There is q standing rule on many Of the
Atlantic liners to allow none but an employee
of the company in the engine or stoke rooms,
and it requires some little perseverance to get
below the main deck. No one can even step
into the engine-room of any of the Cunarders
in port unless in possession of a special pass
issued at the Office of the company, but there
are comparatively few persons who care to 60
through long, oily passages to crafty an idle
glimpse Of the bottom OF q steamship zee
nothing wonderful. but no man with a heart
in his bosom ever looked at those poor
wretches who pass their lives away in these
veritable dungeons without showing some
pity for them.
In the life Of q coal stoker there are few
pleasures. and the greatest one is 10 get q
breath of air not contaminated with nauseous
gases.
There is no greater hardship than to be
penned up in q dirty, poorly ventilated
cavern, lighted only by the glare from viii g.
hot furnaces. The life of a coal miner is
preferable to this, for he has the advantage
AT least of q moderate temperature.
The reporter started on his tour of explora-
ton not experimenting much difficulty. but
only one out Of an even half dozen attempts
to see a stoke-hole. was successful.
The second engineer Of the Furuessia, Of
the Anchor line, Mr.. Wilson, q very gentle
manly person consented to show the NAV IN
the furnaces.
Dozens of men were about the decks. paint
ing the woodwork, and in the engine-room
assistant engineers were " tidying" things up
odor of oil emanated from the place and
everything IN and about it seemed to have
been besmeared with the bad-smelling In ori-
cant.
visitor and guide stood in.the upper part of
the engine-room. Adjoining this was the
dry air refrigerating apparatus and there was
an air of upcleanliness about the whole place.
Passing down another long stairway brought
and lighting a steamer lamp. Mr.. Wilson led
the way through o small opening into the
stoke-hole. On all sides were banks Of. bi.
luminous coal. ready to be transferred into
the furnaces.
There were fifty-four fires to be attended
to, and nine men at q time were detailed to
take care of them. A more dismal place
could not be imagined. yet the unfortunate
fellows who worked there paid but little
heed to their surroundings, and contented
themselves when off duty with smoking and
drinking brandy. ..
while they are at work they nave q hard
time of it, " said Mr.. Wilson, 81 but after q
time they become accustomed to the work.
Yon see, they work four hours and stay of
eight hours. The men put in most of this
time sleeping.
" AS q rule. stokers are big. ,strapping fell
lows. who have lost all hope Of lettering theil
| condition. A strong. healthy man lives in
the stoke-hole only about two years before he
is completely incapacltated Tor any othel
work. Occasionally men work a few year
longer than that. but it's only q question Of
time with any of them. Living in a tempera.
ture of 100 to 1870 degrees all ths time mus
have some effect on any man, no matter how
robust he may be.
After ali. though, these Atlantic line,
| stokers have o comparatively easy time. On
a steamer in The southern seas the Iempera
ture is often ITO or $50 degrees"
The air was laden with coal dust and oil.
and when the men emerged from the hole
their clothes were completely covered with
mixture of oil and coal dust. Truly the
stoke-hole Is a terrible place.