Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-09-26
NEW VOL. 3O--NO. 40.
Costs a Fortune Each Trip.

The expense of running the new
steamship St. Louis Of the American
Line is something enormous. For
round trip between New York and
southampton, as figured by an expert.
the cost to the company is between
$50, 900 and $4,000, according to the
season.
Nosingle individual on the St. Louis
gets a large salary. 0fcOurse, the cap
tain heads the list, gettingabout $1,000
a wear. The chief officer gets about
81, 500, which is somewhat small while
it is remembered that the bulk Of the
heavy work falls on his shoulders.
The second officers pay is 81 200 while
the third and fourth officers only get
from 5000 to 5000. The crew Of the
ST. Louis numbers 40 men. Two
hundred of these are in the engineers
department, and all are directly under
the authority of the chief. The stew
ards department is the next largest,
numbering l70 in all. The sailors.
including the deck officers, number
but 40.
The engineers department is the
most expensive OF the ship, owing to
immense coal bills. The st. LOUIS
burns more than 800 tons day, or
about 4 500 tons the round trip. This
means an expenditure of SIS, 900 alone.
The salaries and engineering supplies.
including the thousand and one things
needed for the vast machinery OF
great ship, call for $1,000 more every
round trip. The chief engineer draws
50, 600 a year, and his immediate as
sistants receive 81 800, $l,2oo and
81 900, respectively. The stokers or
fremen average $50 a month, and the
furnaces of the ST, Louis require $50
of them, working in different shifts.
The purser does not get much in the
way of salary, as the company, in fix
ing the pay, figured on the large boz
muses. he receives for changing money
and performing the little services
which the wealthy traveller does not
hesitate to pay for literally. His sal
ary is 81 900 year, but he makes an
other $1,000 in fees and sometimes
considerably more. The ships SUR
geon only receives 5000 year for the
same reason. lie is brought in con-
tact with numerous real and fancled
invalids of the wealthy class, and,
although no one is compelled to fee
him. few fail to do so, and big, pop
ular ship like the st. Louis is worth
in the neighborhood of $4,000 to $],-
600 a year.
Provisions for round trip cost in
the neighborhood of $4,000. aud the
salaries of the stewards men amount
to $4,000 more. The stewards are
the least paid Of any on the ship. tor
the reason that in the fees Of the pas
sengers they collect very respectable
sum annually. All the pay they get
is $50 a month, but they take IN $40
a month in tips. The chief steward
receives 81 500 a year, and in all
makes about $4,000.
Breakage and wear and tear on the
ship and its furnishings are very heavy
and nearly 5000 trip is required
for repairs. Washing Of the ships
linen meansan expenditure big enough
to support man for year in the lap
Of luxury.
While the expenses are great, OF
course, the income is proportionately
large. A round trip that costs $780,
600 should bring at least 100000 in-
to the Golfers of the company. il not
considerably more. But when the ex-
penses are down to 100000 the com.
pany il glad 10 break even.