The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-18

merchants, your tugboat people, your city
and your city officials, but 1 have no use
for your United States officials, and
speak for nearly every captain who comes
into this port"
At no port on the Eastern coast is there
such dissatisfaction between captains and
shipping agents as there is in Providence.
This is largely on account of the wages
asked, which is $50 per month,
% higher than at any other port.
Many OF the captains claim that those
who are interested in shipping sailors are
quite as much to blame as the sailors
themselves, and this is demonstrated by
the fact that many OF the crews are en-
gagged through Boston agencies. A few
days ago Captain Davis OF the schooner
David Il. Davis was successful in getting
crew for S25. This has caused no small
amount OF trouble for shipping agents,
for other captains claim that they, too,
should be able to secure q crew at the
same rates.
The crews that come from Boston are
usually escorted to the vessels by Q police
squad, and at the earliest opportunity q
delegation from the Union will 60 to the
vessel and try to induce the non-union
crew to leave. Sometimes they are sue
cessful. Captain Sheppard OF the schooner
Herman b. Ogden was treated this way,
Monday night, and all OF his crew but
one deserted the ship. That man wanted
to stay on board, as he had shipped
at Norfolk, where he had a wife and three
children and wanted every dollar that he
could get, but he was afraid to stay on
the boat. Captain Sheppard asked him II
he would stay II he would protect him.
The man said he would, so the lone
sailor was taken to the captains cabin,
and the captain, who has one arm, got
out his American rifle, and, to use his
one language, "some poor devil would
have had lame leg IL he had got over the
rail of the boat" None put in an appear
snce, however, and the man sailed with
the schooner.
There is one other important change
made in the law and that is that no one
shall charge sailor fee for getting him
a position on q vessel. This becomes a
hardship on the shipping agents or
"crimpers," as they are called. When the
law went into effect sailor was charged
81 for carting him and his "bsg" to the
vessel, but now fine of 800 is imposed
upon any person engaged in this work.
1t is presumed that the United States
Comm iss toner's should do this work, as
they are paid 81 for each man that is
signed, but the commissioners leave the
work to the shipping agents, who expect
to get 81 head from the captains.
None OF the captains think that men
who GO to sea in the winter time get any
too much money, but the trade has been
so cut up that labor cuts quite figure
in the expense OF trip, and they claim
ing 10 go for less, the union men should
he restrained from interfering with them,
and that the United States Government
should do something to protect the wan
ing trade on the Atlantic coast.
1t is the opinion OF men we'll acquainted
with the conditions above described that
within short time there will be blood
shed unless some remedy is provided, and
that will be when some hot blooded
captain Is brought into personal contact
with some OF the "independent sailors"
At the present time the sailors gre prac-
tically without a master and openly defy
the authorities. 1t is said to be case OF
mob law, pure and simple, and can not
go on great while longer.
1t has been suggested that Commis-
sioner Freeman should assume charge OF
his Office at onco and see IL he can protect
the sailors who desire TO ship at the
"going" rates OF other ports. II not, he
should notify the higher authorities. 1t
has been demonstrated, u is claimed,
that the deputy commissioner 10 not
equal TO the occasion.