The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-10-23
SHIPPING CATTLE.
CONVEYING LIVE STOCK FROM
NEW YORK TO ENGLAND.
Floating CorraIs and Nautical Cow.
boys-Interesting Facts and
Figures From the Ship
per's Contract.

While the killing of cattle in the West
and the shipment of frozen beef to the
East instead of the live animals has
PLAYED the mischief with the slaughter
house business in New York, the ship
ment of live cattle to Europe remains
one of the most profitable branches the
trade of cargo carrying steamships. Not
a week passes but from one to half
dozen steamers leave this port with a
deck load of cattle on board. The de-
tails of shipment of cattle are interest
ing.
The ship is prepared to receive them
by building a lot of substantial sheds all
over the deck, except where gangways or
alleys are left to enable the men who care
for the cattle-the nautical cowboys-to
get around and feed them. Of course,
too, matches must be left unobstructed.
The bulwarks of these ships are seldom
less than two feet high. The bulwark is
carried up by means of substantial wooden
stanchions and boards to height of six
feet. This forms the outer wall of the
sheds. A board roof is spread from this
inboard eight feet wide, that is sup
ported by a substantial framework. The
inboard side of the roof of the long shed
it extends from the poop to the fore
castle-is foot or more higher than at
the rail so as to give it a proper pitch.
Along the front or inboard side of the
shed is strong rail, about as high as the
top of an ordinary manger. When the
sheds are full of cattle the heads of the
animals are fastened to this rail by ropes
of sufficient length to enable the cattle to
reach down to the deck for food. The
whole shed is divided into stalls not less
than ten feet eight inches long, and each
stall holds four steers. The stalls are
divided simply by extending rails from
the head rail to the bulwark. The in
board side of the shed is open. The
deck becomes floating corral. Where
the deck is wide enough and unob-
structed amidships, sheds are sometimes
built there as well. If the deck below
the upper one is of iron SO as abso-
lutely prevent leakage through on
the cargo below, the tween decks
may be divided into stalls and filled with
cattle. The process of taking the cattle
on board is simple. They are nearly al
ways fat stock, and not the wild long
horns, and they are therefore docile.
They are driven on to the pier and then
up gangway in single file to the deck.
A somewhat steep gangway leads to the
lower deck. The cattle are guided to
the stalls by the marine cowboys, who
make them fast in their places, putting
up the rails that divide the stalls as fast
as the cattle are in place. These rails
keep the cattle from Slowing around
fore and aft and interfering with each
other.
The contract between the ship and the
shipper provides first of all that the
cattle are at the owners risk. He must
protect himself from loss by the sink
ing of the ship or by the throwing Of
the cattle overheard in time of distress,
or the death of the cattle from any cause
en- route, by insurance. The insurance
people inspect each ship and see that the
cattle are properly housed and provided
for. The ship provides all the fresh
water the animals can drink. The
shipper must provide his own food, and
this he does by putting on an abundance
/ of baled hay and corn in the ear. He is
sure to put on a plenty, because the
ship carries it free, and should any sur
plus remain the ship delivers it free on
the other side, where it may be sold at a
profit.
The cattle are cared for by the shippers
men, who are carried free by the ship to
the number of one man to each twenty-five
cattle. These cowboys are also returned
free, either on the same ship or by steer
age passage on liner.
It is part of the contract that the ship
shall sail Immediately after the cattle are
on board, Gather and tide permitting.
At sea the cattle are necessarily fed well,
and at regular intervals, to keep them In
health. The steamer sails with all the
fresh water she has capacity for, and when
this is gone she furnishes distilled water.
The usual contract is by the head. The
shipper pays from S15 to S25 head for
the transportation of his cattle, but just
at present the rate is much nearer the
higher figure than the lower. The freight
is always paid in advance.
Those who have seen the cattle arrive
out-the usual landing place in England
is at Deptford-say that it is apparent
that the stalls are not cleaned during the
ten or fifteen days it takes for passage,
but that the cattle are well bedded with
hay. They arrive out with no bruises gen.
orally. In one case mentioned to reporter
the ship had rolled so that she had shifted
her cargo, and came into port with a
heavy list to starboard, but the cattle
were in excellent condition, some of them
quite fat enough for Christmas beef, and
all in about as good condition as when
they were shipped. As they were
obi ged to stand up nearly all OF the
time during the voyage, their legs
were generally swclled somewhat on
reaching Deptford, but spectators say
that they walk up the gangway from the
lower decks and thence down on the pier
without difficulty. They are turned out
to pasture for few days to rest, and are
then ready for the slaughter house. 1t
is asserted on the best authority that
American cattle arrive in Deptford IN
much better condition than the Irish cat
tie do from the short passage to Scotch
and English ports.
Cattle-carrying steamers vary in capacl-