The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1894-07-28
SHOWING AWAY A CARGO
CARE NECESSARY IN LOADING
AN OCEAN STEAMER.
"stinening" a ship-Loading Grain-Dis-
posaI of Fruit. Provisions, Etc.-im-
mense Amount of Coal Carried-Steve-
doreJ and 'Longshoremep-

When great ocean steamer comes
to port and has olsen barked passen-
gers, baggage and freight, the first
care OF the stevedorc in charge OF
her loading for the return VOYAGE is
to give her interior a thorough over
hauling and cleansing. From bot
tom to top, he superintends the work
! OF washing out the holds where
canned provisions are to be stored,
and OF lining with mating those
wherein grain and flour are put. and
the labor OF preparation goes briskly
along until all is in readiness for the
new cargo
Then begins the varied and pictur-
esque process OF loading the ship.
10 those unfamiliar with the sight,
the details are bound to be full of
interest. Moored to her pier. her
huge length stretching out into the
harbor. her vast interior Invested of
all she has brought from foreign
lands, her machinery idle, her Off
/ GERS and crew busted in multitude
| OF petty duties, and q small army Of
longshoremen getting ready to be-
| gin operations upon her, the vessel
easily suggests some great aquatic
monster lazily awaiting its feeding
| time, and not much concerned either
as to the character OF the food to be
! put into its many yawning mouths.
When the loading is fairly be gun,
| the ship and its immediate neighbour
hood are busy places, indeed. On
the wharf assorted merchandise b.
the carload is being unloaded ana
/ piled near tho ship. and teams by
the dozen are adding their contents
! to the immense mass.
BY the water side lighters OF
grain. coal, hay, flour and provisions
are either fastened to the vessels
sile. or anchored some little distance
away, waiting their turn to hoist
their contents aboarl. Engines are
putting, ropes are tugging and der
ricks arc lifting heavy freight of
every description to the ships deck
The sounds Of truck. wheel barrow
and winch are heard everywhere,
anl the rlcrs Of stevcdore and
foreman and the answers OF their
subordinates mix with the general
din.
Large vessels have four or five
holds, and q distinction is made in
storing the cargo in them. Grain,
from its compact and dead weight.
is reserved mostly for the center Of
the vessel, while cured provisions
arc packed as far forward and as far
aft as possible for their better
preservation from the heat of the
ships fires In some vessels, like
| the great Cunarders. which carry
passengers as we'll as freight, the
heaviest weight is stored in the
lowest hold; this is to steady the
ship and is called in the technical
parlance of the stevcdore 'stiffen-
ing" the ship 1t takes about l5J
tons to "stiffen' great Cunarder,
and when this is done the lower hold
is fastened and battcned down, and
work is begun on the next.
TO watch tho loading OF grain,
either from an elevator or q lighter,
into one Of the mammoth vessels en-
gagged in its transportation, is to
witness one OF the chief operations
OF the worlds commerce, SAYS the
Boston Herald. 1t is carried in long
pipes, with generally funnel-shaped
movable appendage at the end, which
is shifted by means of rope from
one part OF the hold to another,
according as the stream Of grain
ills up the spaces reserved for it.
The grain flows into vessel with
the noise and velocity of torrent,
and sends dense volume of dust
and chat upward. obscuring the
depths beneath and making the fig
ures OF the men attending the stow
age below look like dim ghosts in the
rising mists.
Another important feature Of the
loading OF q great vessel IS her coal.
1t is CUSTOMARY to take on as high
as 2)) tons OF surplus over the
actual necessities of the voyage, and
hence the bunkors OF the vessel arc
the charge of n special gang Of men.
Some vessels load their coal overall,
but the majority take it through
openings at the sides. Large "y"
shaped pockets, which run direct to
the bunkcrs ace let down at each
side, and around them are built
stagings, on which q couple OF men
are stationed to dump the coal from
huge buckets. hoisted by engines
from lighters. On the wharf side,
the coal is wheeled in barrows by
two men up shelving gangway, and
turned into the bunkers direct,
Considerable caution is necessary
in tho storage OF sack flour. As
flour will absorb every strong odor
in its ncighborhood aboard ship, tho
care OF tho stcvcdore or his foreman
is directed to keeping it apart from
all strongly smelling substances.
such as leather or cured provisions.
Apples and cheese also require
special thought, and are stored only
where the necessary ventilation ca II
be given them. Hence they are not
put in the lower holds. which are
fastened down for the exclusion of
all air and smell. The steamer will
take whatever is to go and has
variety of goods according 20 the
season, the great food staples always
being in season and forming the