The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1895-08-10
COST ||' TO Run a SHIP
THE BIG ST. LOUIS REQUIRES $50, 900
FOR THE BOUND "TRIP.

St4e Burns .0AosUOU Wo1th q CoaA-Ihe
Bill Fog BreakaEe Is No Small Affair.
Salaries af Omcers and Men Are Small,
but Some of Them Cot Large Fees.
The cost of running a big ocean grey
hound to Europe and back reaches into
the thousands "A. transatlantic liner is
really q floating hotel, and everything
on board is conducted on the same scale
of lavishness that is found in. a fashion
able Fifth avenue hotel
Clement A. Griscom, Jnk+ son Of the
president Of the line: controlling the St.
Louis, agreed to give some figures to a
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 the st. Louis average be-
tween $50, 900 and $50, 900, according to
the season. -
The voyage between the two ports
takes q trife more than seven days,
making the daily cost Of operating in
the busy season so4eething like SIS, 500.
No single indivi dual on the St. Louis
gets large salary. The captain heads
the list, getting about $4,000 a year.
Captains on smaller passenger steamers
only receive $4,000 a year: The chief
officer Of a ship like the St. Louis gets
81 500, and the bulk of the heavy work
really falls on his shoulders. The Sec
ond officers pay ranges from 5000 to
81, 400, according to the size of the ship,
while the third and fourth officers only
get from 5000 to $500. All Of these
men have to perform duties of q 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 the 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 department.
ie the next largest, numbering 40 in
all The sailors, including the deck off,
GERS, number but 40. Il.
The engineers department. is the
most expensive on the ship, owing to
the immense coal bills. The St. Louis
burns more than 800 tons a day, or
about 4,500 tons the round trip This
Means an expenditure Of SIS, 900 alone
The salaries Of the men, the engineering
supplies, including the thousand and
one things needed for the vast machin-
cry Of great ship, will require an ex-
penditure of $4,000 every round trip.
The chief engineer draws $4,000 a
year, and his immediate assistants re-
ceiye $1,000, $1,000 and 1000 respec-
lively. The stokers or firenaen average
about $50 a month, and the furnaces of
the St. Louis require 100 of them work
ing in different shifts.
The purser, who is most important
person on board, does not get much in
the way Of salary, as the company in
fixing his pay figured on the large
bonuses he receives for changing money
and performing the little services which
the wealthy traveller does not hesitate to
pay for literally. His salary is only ST..
600 a year, but he makes another 81, O00
in fees and sometimes considerably
more.
The ships surgeon only receives 5000
year for the same reason. He is
brought in contact with numerous real
and fancied invalids of the wealthy
class, and although 30 one is compelled
to fee him few fail to do So. and big,
popular ship like the St. Louis is worth
to him at least IS, 600 to 1900 year.
The stewards department. is one OF
the costliest on the ship. The provisions
for round trip cost in the neighborhood
Of $12, 900, and the salaries of the stew.
ard's men a mount to $S, 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 consider
able sum annually. All the pay they
get is $40 a month, but they take in $40
a 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, 500 q
year and also comes in for his share Of
the tips, as it is within his power tx
place many deicacies in the W ay Of the
liberal tourist.
The chief cook is a great man on thu
ship, almost as great as the captain, and
in all makes So, 900 year out of his job.
The breakage and wear and tear or
the ship and it's furniture are very heavy,
requiring an expenditure in inoidentalt
Of about $1,000 each round trip There
are countless things to be replaced, and
9 comparatively little thing like the
washing of the ships linen means an ex-
penditure big enough to support man
| for q wear in the Ian IF 1uxnrv