The morning call., 1893-04-12
SAILORS PLANTS.
Censuring the Shipping
Commissioner.
Secretary Carlisle Invited to Take
Hand-An Affidavit Sent on to
Washington.

A conflict is being waged between
the Shipping-owners' Association of this
city and the Sailors Urion of the Pacific.
The union has shipping Office of its own,
which has been established for two years,
aud which Is maintained for the benefit of
its members. All seamen shipped from
this office are members of the union and
must be paid and treated as the union
directs.
Some time ago many ship-owners formed
an association with the avowed purpose OF
obtaining seamen for their vessels who
were not controlled by the union, and who
in consequence might be hired for lower
wages than union men receive. They opened
an Office at Spear street, and the Shipping
Commissioner sent deputy to sign men for
them. His action angered the union, who
looked upon IL as the Interference of a
Government official between united capital
lists and united laboTers, who should fight
their battles without Federal assistance
The union sailors allege that the Deputy
Shipping Commissioner has not only signed
men at the office of the Owners ssocia-
ton, but has, at the request of the owners,
signed men in saloons and clearinghouse
and that many men signed by him have
been grossly deceived.
They have accordingly sent a memorial
to the Secretary OF the Treasury asking
him to cast his official eye upon the conduct
OF the Commissioner aud to restrain him
from taking part in the conflict that
is going on between the union and its eDe-
mics.
To establish the allegation that the ship
owners and the Commissioner are deceiving
sailors. several affidaYiUs have been made
and forwarded TO the Score tary, of which
one of the most important is the following:
Charles Paris, being FIRST duly sworn. deposes
ana says as follows: L am a sailor by occuDa-
ton. Daring the month of February, 1898, L
was living al the New Broadway Hotel In this
city and county, and while out on the street one
day was accosted by a man who asked me II
wanted TO ship Cd whaler. l told him l would,
II could get position as boatsteerer. He
10 come down and sign.
went with him anu we called 10 to four or
FIVE saloons aud became Intoxicated. We
nnally went to the ship-owneTs' shipping office
al Spear street, and l, still suppOsing that
was about to ship on q whaler, signed some
shipping articles there. had my clothes with
me. as we got them before went to the shipping
office. Two men lett the shipping office with
me, ana Instead OF taking me to whaler took
NE 10 The schooner j. B. Leeds, put me on board
and she Immediately lett the WHAT and went 10
sea.
Then found that Instead OF being whaler
she was coasting schooner bound TO Astoria.
There were lhree other men on her one OF whom
was an opium nend, ana none OF whom had ever
gone 10 sea before: They could moi do any Of
the ships work. Neither OF them could steer
and the steering had TO be done by tile second
mate and me. None OF them had any clothes ex-
cept what they stood In.
The opium tend jumped overheard when we
were outside The Astoria bar as his stock OF
opium gave out and he out OF his mind for
the want Of IL. There being no one VINO could
man The boat he was drowned. The other two
men were Seasck when We started. and finally
TOOK sick with bOis all over them. ana Inc
schooner put back one on account of her crew,
bur the wind not being favorable she had to con-
tlnue on TO Astoria. When we returned | went
10 the owners Office to get my money but they
deducted $40 from the sum due me, saying that
l had received That amount OF allotment l
r. md
told them, but they told me 1t did not make any
difference, that 1t had been paid and that was
all there was 10 II. And further afiant sayelh
not.
The foregoing was signed by Charles
Paris and sworn to before Notary John T.
Lyons on the 7th inst.