The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1895-07-24
COST TO RUN A SHIP.
THE BIG ST. LOUIS REQUIRES $50, 900
FOR THE ROUND TRIP.

She Burns $4,000 Worth of Coal-The
Bill For Brealnge Is No Small Affair.
Salaries of Officers and Men Arc Small,
but Some of Them Get Large Fees.
The cost Of running big ocean grey
hound to Europe and back reaches into
the thousands A transatlantic liner is
really floating hotel, and everything
ON board is conducted ON the same scale
of lavishness that is found in q fashion
able Fifth avenue hotel
Clement A. Griscom, Jr., son Of the
president of the line controlling the st.
Louis, agreed to give some figures to q
World reporter covering the expense Of
her voyage to England and back He
figured for some time and then said that
the expenses of the round trip of a
steamer like tho ST. Louis average be-
tween $50, 900 and $50, 900, according to
tho season.
The voyage between tho two ports
takes o trifle more than seven days,
making tho daily cost of operating in
the busy season something like IS, 800
No single individual ON tho st. Louis
gets large salary. The captain heads
the list, getting about $4,000 year.
Captains on smaller passenger steamers
only receive $s, 200 year The chief
officer of ship like the st. Louis gets
81, 800, and the bulk of tho heavy work
really falls on his shoulders. The sec
ond officers pay ranges from 5000 to
81 300, according to the size of the ship,
while the third and fourth officers only
get from 5000 to 5000. All Of these
men have to perform duties of re-
sponsible kind, and as there are no boz
muses. attached to their work it can be
seen that they are not overpaid
The crew of tho st. Louis numbers
40 men. Two hundred of these are in
the engineers department, and all Of
them are directly under the authority
of the chief. The steward s department
is the next largest, numbering ITO i'll
all Tho sailors, including the deck off,
GERS, number but 40
Tho engineers department Is the
most expensive ON tho ship. owing to
| the immense coal bills Tho st. Louis
burns more than 800 tons day, or
about 4, 800 tons the round trip. This
means an expenditure of $40, 900 alone.
The salaries of the men. the engineering
| supplies, including tho thousand and
one things needed for the vast machin-
cry of great ship, will require an ex-
penditure of 50, 900 every round trip.
The chief engineer draws $4,000
year, and his immediate assistants re-
ceive 81. 800, 81, 900 aud III 900 respec-
| lively. The stokers or firemen average
about $50 month, and tho furnaces of
tho st. Louis require $50 of them work
ing in different shifts.
Tho purser, who is most important
person on board, does not get much in
tho way of salary, as the company In
fixing his pay figured ON the large
bonuses ho receives for changing money
sssveSs~s.- sstS IN - IN GRlt2S@ ~
the wealthy traveller does not hesitate to
pay for literally. His salary is only $1,-
900 year, but he makes another 81, 900
in fees and sometimes considerably
| moro.
The ships surgeon only receives 5000
year for the same reason. He is
brought in contact with numerous real
and fancied invalids of tho wealthy
class, and although no one is compelled
| to fec him few fail to do SO, and big,
popular ship like the st. Louis is worth
to him at least 80, 900 to 81, 900 year.
Tho stewards department is one Of
the costliest ON tho ship. The provisions
for round trip cost in the neighborhood
81 hn Iar ~ nft ha cta
ard s men amount to SO, 900 more. The
stewards are the least paid Of any on
the ship, for the reason that In the fees
Of the passengers they collect u consider
able sum annually. All the pay they
get is $40 month, but they take In $40
month in tips The seasick man and
woman are always willing to give their
last cent for some little service.
The chief steward receives 81 800
yesr and also comes in for his share of
the tips, as it IL within his power to
place many delicacies in the way Of tho
liberal tourist.
The chief cook is great man ON tho
ship, almost as great as the captain, and
in all makes SO, 600 year out of his job
Tho breallage and wear and tear ON
the ship and its furniture are very heavy,
requiring an expenditure in incidentals
of about So, 900 each round trip. There
are countless things to be replaced, and
comparatively little thing like tho
washing of tho ships linen means an OK
penditure big enough to support man
for year in the lap Of luxury.
Here arc some odd facts about the St
Louis: There are fully 1000 tons OF
piping Of various kinds In tho ship. The
condensers will pump up at least 3d.
900, 900 gallons of cool water a day
The furnaces will consume no less than
1900, 900 cubic feet of air an hour. Tho
boiler tubes, if placed In straight line,
would stretch nearly 10 miles and tho
condenser tubes more than 20 miles.
Tho total number Of separate pieces Of
steel in the main structure Of tho ship is
not less than 40, 900, and the total num-
Der Of cubic feet Of timber used in the
construction is moro than 100, 900. The
| total number Of rivets is not far from
|