The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-24
ARRIVAL OF A STEAMER
Friends Waiting on the Wharf Warmly
Greet the voysgers From
over the Sea.
,1Here She comesl"

fhc great, black nun OF an ocean tteam-
shin rounding historic Fort McHenry. on
fhe pier have been standing several scores
Of people watching for an hour or more
the Lazaretto lighthouse. towering above
which. on their approach. can be seen the
familiar masts OF the greyhounds OF the
deep
Slowly. and yet more slowly, glides the
noble carrier Of the nations wealth, until
et last. by her momentum alone. she is
astorn with the piers end. Above the
commands Of captain and mates 10
make fast your stern line" Haul In
,,1ur bow slack" Trim amidshipsl" may
l.. heard the Welcome" Cote segne
dicb " "Endelig or du kOmmen," and
i've cries Of Joyful greeting from the
friends who have been daily looking for
She arrival Of fathers, mothers, sons and
daughters. from visits abroad, or from
ZONES left behind IN the fatherland, TO
build others in this hospitable land Of
plenty. -. en- ,,,..
,,,leir upon the ears Of those on the pier,
ybose cagerness 10 embrace their breth-
zen has several times led them TO APP
nrolch dangerously near the edge OF the
wharf. Put on your gang plank In
stsrtly the way Is cleared and the pas
SCI gers descend upon Americas shore.
when 10 Is permitted by the govern
ment authorities the fOndly-cherished re-
url0n OF hearts and hands takes place.
Tears and smiles Of happiness are visible
on all sides. When, after repeated kisses
and handhakes. the friends are suddenly
apprlsed Of the fact that home IS better
place % talk it over there is hustle and
hurry indeed one by one, those not des-
tined for far western homes disappear.
Night sees the vicinity deserted by all
except those whose business keeps them
on the steamer or pier. The engines hres
in the vessels hull are out and the pow
erful propeller rests from its weary, mo-
notonous evolutions. Another activity has
taken IT'S place The cargo OF merchan-
disc. that VIII be distributed over the
whole land, IS being hoisted from the
Sims hold. Men are at work with hooks
which are used in turning ana rolling
packages I'm position 10 be "slinged' In
ropes 10 which the hoisting ropes hook
rs attached. and in a twinkling the ma
chimes placed at each hatchway, usually
on the upper deck. carry the loads 20 men
above. who conduct them from the ships
sides O. the pier. There the packages are
stacked ND I'm tiers until they have been
ll0uidated at he Custom House by the
consignees Of their agents. when they
are stored away into cars for trans
shipment. or carried away in drays
Day breaks and the iron machines
or winches are still revolving. Their
changing noises resOund far away TO the
other shore Of the river and often are
heard many blocks away on the steamers
shore They are made 70 revolVe With
such force and rapidity that when all
are simultaneously working the deck OF
the vessel trembles from stem TO stern.
Standing on the pier one hears the
straining Of the stout ropes as they are
being stretched by the enormous weights
that are lifted by them. Not infreQuenly
one will mentally debate whether 1t is
possible for the ropes to Withstand the
tremendous strain. expecting momen-
tarily 10 hear a crash as the shredded
end OF the broken rope is carried high
into the air, TO become tangled in the
network Of the rigging.
The work of unloading a good-sized
cargo. which is about 200 or 800 tons.
consumes a day or day and a-half This
depends entirely upon the kind OF freight |
that is brought. II it consists Of packages |
aloDe it may take less than twenty-four |
hours If there Is much loOre cargo, such |
as speigel eisen or other minerals in bulk, |
more time Is necessary to discharge II. |
The imports of a vessel carrying an as |
sorted cargo usually consist OF wines |
gT0CkGTN. toys tOAttf ilNff 'iiAf NA'NAet |
and many Other articles OF usefulness.
The stevedores do not wait until al |
the cargo is out before beginning the loau- |
ing process. As soon as one hatch Is /
empty. il is cleaned out and prepared for /
the reception OF export goods the irst /
10 10 into the ship is grain, when IS
excellent cargo for trimming the vessel
making it comparatively easy to secure a
good draft I'm addition 20 the genefai
cargo. ON top Of grain are slowed nour
and other clean. dry merchandise. LIQUIDS,
such as oils, whisky, paints, etc. are Kept
separate from dry cargo. Tobacco, cot
ton. oil-cake. copper, dried apples, rosin,
meats. dn boxes and barrels, starch, ana
the like may be slowed together with
IMMUNITY Most Of these goods come
over rail- from island cities in the cars
An which they were put at points OF snip
ment These cars are run right into the
pier where the steamship IS receiving hef
cargo. The railroad company employs
men 20 tally the goods, which again are
Tailed by the steamship cOmpany's men,
and If counts agree, are signed for by
the iatters superintendent. All eXcep-
tons taken 20 the cargo by the steam
ships are granted by the railroad, unless
In the lattel's estimation they should be
This Is done TO protect
Inc carrier when consignees make claims
upon II for such damages 10 their goods
ls were granted the carrier in the ac-
,epted exceptions.
me loading OF 5OOO-ton steamship
axes usually two and a half or three
laws. IL can be done In less time, but
schedules Of the vessels running 10 TINS
,ort do not require IT, The steamers are
Is a rule prompt IN their arrivals ana
departures
# is well worth the time to spend an
hour IN watching the stevedores as they
race along the pier with their trucks
They always carry a load Any OF the
following constitutes a load: one bale
II cotton, two bags Of oil cakes. one bar
'el Of anything. six or seven bags OF
TOUR. six on seven boxes of starch, four or
I've ingots OF copper, etc The work these
men DO Is very laboriOps Trucking Is 3
Considered more wearing upon a man ,han
nything else. The bosses recognize this 9
act and make the men who load the ,
rucks alternate with these who roll them ,
here Is a boss 10 each gang A gang
enerally consists OF sixteen men, One .
ang works one hatch, six men in the ;
Old. one hatch boss and helper, who guide
le string-loads into the hold Of the ship. :
nd eight on the pier. to load and roll :
ie Trucks. ,
The departure Of steam er is a Common :
ace affair The captain has been 10 ,
.e Custom House ard certified 10 his
.reo, or cleared. as IL is technically
rme1. and, armed with bill Of health 1,
has Ciay 10 make sure that the coast
lot is aOoard "toot" the whistle. cast
I The lines and steer his Vay out past =,
@ great elevators. around FCrt McHenry >
ID out Of sight OF these on the pier. II n