Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-07-18
IT COSTS TO RUN A SHIP.
THE SWIFT ST. LOUIS EATS UP $780,.
900 ON EVERY ROUND TRIP.
The Coal Is the Greatest Item, Costing
SI5,oOO-Not Very Small Salaries Are
Paid-Handsome Fees for Pur-
ser and Doctor.


written about the great American steam
ship ST. Louis, which promises to be the
forcrunner of magnificent fleet of AN
kec-built and Naul<cc-deVised transatlan-
tic liners. Her many wonders of work
manship and her great engines have all
been described and applaudcd. Naval cN-
perts have studied her to discover her
worth as a war vessel, as she now belongs
10 the auxiliary navy of Uncle sam ana
has been so constructed that almost IN
simultaneously she can be converted INTO
swift cruiser. with speed enough to catch
up with or run away from-h the latter
be ncccssary-anythinE that floats.
An interesting feature of the st. LOUIS
but one that has not been touched upon
is the cost of maintaining her. She is a
little city or municipality i'm herself, the
captain being the mayor and the officers
the board Of aldermen.
The agents of the big ocean liners are
inclined to be shy about talking of the
expenses of their steamers, as the rivalry
between the different lines is so intense
. that none of them cares to give out lntor-
nation which may be business ammuni-
tion for another MIR. Clement n. Girls
com. Jr son of the president Of the line
controlling the St. Louis however, agreed
10 give some figures on the question when
seen by the writer. lie figured for some
time and then said that the expenses of
the round trip of a steamer like the st.
"
according to the season.
This is the busiest time in the year Tor
the big liners, and when the ST. Louis
gets back from southampton her maiden
voyage both ways across the Atlantic VIII
have cost fully $4,000. The voyage be-
tween the two ports Will take trlne
over seven days, making the daily cost of
operating one of these huge sea monsters
something like $500. In the winter time,
when the passenger traffic is down to a
minimum the expenses of course are
much less, and that is when the cost gets
down to 100000 for the round trip. Men
who spend $4,000 a month on steam
yacht. as Commodore Eldridgc 7. Gerry
does are regarded as terribly cNtrava-
CANT but maintaining a vessel like the st.
Louis for a month would cost something
approaching the sum of 100000.
THE SALARIES NOT LARGE.
Not a single individual on the ST. Louis
gets large salary. OF course the cap
tain heads the list, getting about $1,000 a
year Captains on smaller passenger
steamers only receive $4,000 year, which
in these times of great salaries is not any
too large. The chief officer of ship like
the st. Louis only gets about Slo)0 which
IS somewhat small when it is remem-
bcrcd that the bulk of the heavy work
falls on his shoulders The second off
GERS pay ranges from $500 TO $1,000, ac-
cording to the size of the ship, while the
third and fourth officers only get from 5000
10 5000 All of these men have to perform
duties of a responsible kind. and as there
are no bonuses attached to their work 1t
can be seen that they are not overpaid.
These items also show that, while vast
sums of money are expended on running
chips Of the size of the St. Louis, none of
il is thrown away.
The crew of the St. Louis numbers 40
men. Two hundred of these are in the
oil ff tl.at11 -
directly under the authority of the chief.
The stewards department is the next
largest, numbering 10 in all. The sailors,
including the deck officers, number but 40.
COAL COSTS $4,000.
The engineers department is the most
expensive on the ship owing to the i'm
mense coal bills. The St. Louis burns
more than 800 tons a day, or about 400
tons the round trip. This means an eX-
penditure of $1,000 alone. The salaries of
the men, the engineering supplies, includ-
ing the thousand and one things needed
for the vast machinery of a great ship,
call for 5000 more for every round trip.
The chief engineer draws $4,000 a year
and his immediate assistants receive $780,
1920 and $1,000 respectively. The stokers
or tiremen average about $50 a month and
the furnaces of the St Louis require lNO
Of them working in different shifts.
The purscr, who is a most important
DOall,
way of salary, as the company in fixing
his pay figured on the large bonuses he
receives for changing money and perform
ing the little services which the wealthy
traveller does not hesitate to pay for lib
orally. His salary is only $1,000 year but
he makes another $1,000 in fees and some
times considerably more
The ships surgeon only receives 5000 a
year Iol t"e sam Icdoo..' ~ " g. :, :
III CoH'"I' "tti' ''"'i'' tVu' ~ I -
'ie'I i,Nd'liS VI ''I' NYh''ns 80 ''" 49,
tI'o"E" 'Io O'' - ,Oi''l' w. i'i,
~, !"'i e -" ~ "l'l q rs ~, 1911,
hh, 'HT - l "puI0 - Wi VI III ''i9 A''7 II
WI ''O'' VI F'''' ~ ''
THOUSANDS FOR PROVISIONS.
,r,a stouard,e donartnont is one of the
costIiest on the shin as il provides the
rrovisions for all the passengers and crew
trbo ,,ro,,ieio,e for a round trim cost I'm
mo ,oirbhorhood of SO 00o and the sal
oriee Of inc Stewards mon amount ia
.2oon moro Tho stewards are the least
,aid of an,. on tho shin for the reason
that in ne fooe Of tho nassonpers they
collcct n ,.ar,, reenactahln SIM, annuallv
All the nav tbov got is SEQ a month hrt
tbev take n, si0 i'm fins The real down.
rif,ht seasicl< man and woman are, almost
willing TO give their last cent for some
littlo service ana tho stewards who ar,
conetantIv thrown i'm win mis- class M
Inrortunatos reap a eoodlv harvest
Tho chief steward receives $500 a wear
end also comes in for his share of the
fins as if is within his power to placC
many dclicacies in the way of the lihera
tourist Tho chief cook is a great man a,