The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1894-09-15

n tenn of selling the incoming
~ cargoes of bananas at public
auction is meeting with great
success. It is estimated that fully sixty
per cent. of the imported fruit is now
disposed to the highest bidder.
These sales, which occur irregularly,
whenever steamer arrives, are held
on Pier North River. The vessels
employed in the trade register from
500 to 14O0 tons. They are chartered
BY the importing houses Of New York;
and fly either the English or the Nor
wegian flag. Whenevera steamer bear.
ing the popular fruit is reported out
side notice is given to the trade. The
salo begins as soon as the steamer
makes the dock and its matches are
opened.
One of these sales occurred on the
steamer America. It was announced
that she wonld reach Pier 3 at 2 P. m.
At that hour the pier was crowded with
chattering Italians, representatives Of
dealers and longshoremen. The long.
shoremen were waiting for chance to
work at unloading the steamer.
Through what seemed to be an I'M.
penetrable mass of barges, car-foats
and other craft in the slip the America
forced her way. As she glided along
the pier, before she was even made last,
the owners of the cargo, the auctioneel
and his assistants, the tally clerks, the
graders, the boss stevedore and the
prospective buyers, jumped aboard and
anxiously gazed into her hold. The
matches had been removed. The
weather had been stormy, and it was
expected that in addition to the usua!
wear and tear to which the fruit is ex-
posed it had suffered from the tossing
of the vessel in its tempestuous jour.
ney. The appearance Of the fruit was
reassuring. 1t had been well slowed
away and was in good condition.
Hanging platforms were rugged mp
from deck to deck, and number OF
trucks backed to the dock edge. Ther
came O curious scene. The boss steve
dore produced from somewhere small
canvas bag. As he WAS seen with it IN
his hand the longshoremen made rush
for him. With the assistance of a
policeman they were driven back and
kept at distance from the stevedore,
who made his way across West street
and mounted On empty truck standing
atthe curb. Thelongshoremen massed
themselves saround the eimpromptu stand
and, with expectant looks, held up
their hands as boys do il the school
room to catch tho teachers eye.
The stevedore scanned the upturned
faces. He WAS looking for men that
he knew were active and sober. As he
picked his men, he called them by
name-such names as MIXED Ale Pat, "
"Big Steve" "Shorty," "Old Con-
molly" "Freshy," and others not in
tended for publication. As each man
heard his name or nickname called a
look of satisfaction came over his face
and he eagerly pushed his way to the
truck, where the boss stevedore handed
him, taking 1t o1F o. : 5tess 5a9ee- ;:H-sual!
round, brass check, with a stamped
number. A station on the pier, on the
deck or between decks, also was as
signed to each man. He hurried to the
ship and reported to the time-keeper
for identification.
A gang of twenty men were selected,
and it was announced that IN half an
hour another set would be picked out.
As the work of unloading progresses
more men are needed to pass the
punches from hand to hand from hold
to pier. As measure of economy the
men are hired only when they can be
actually used.
When all was in readiness, the men
in line, two trucks for each hatchwav,
grader after each hatch bid tally
clerk for each truck, the auctloneer
mounted his rostrum. 1t was tall
stand With q canvas awning. There he
called the buyers to order. These had
gathered on the ships bridge, from
which point ofvartage they overlooked
the entire operation and saw the con-
dition of every bunch. These were
handed up from hand to hand, and as
they passed the grader he gave them
one look and classified them as cone,
"two" or "dock." "Ones" were tho
so-called "nine hands," ''twos, the
so-called "nine hands rejected
(smaller bunches), and "docks" thn
over ripe, damaged or loose and
broken punches. These are dumped
in old fruit boxes and disposed Of after
the fruit in good condition has been
sold. Each truck bears a sign on
pole on which is chalked the number
Of the truck and the grade OF the
bananas. AS soon as the truck has ITS
full load of banana punches, which la
the unit of these auction TRANSACTIONS,
the tally clerk informs the auctloneer:
who shouts the number OF the truck
and calls for bids.
The dealers are all Italiane, and
most of those at the sale are familiar
ficures at the auctions OF California
fruit. which are conducted by the
same auctioneer.
If person wishes to taste banana
in all it's lusciousness he should eat one
of those which hn7e ripened naturally y
in transit. The full flavor Of the fruit
is intact, which is not the case with
the punches ripened artiticially by the
New York dealers. New York Woi!h
1,rrIr cAvEn uNI