Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-12
JACK TAR A VICTIM.
Made to Sign Away n Part of His Pros
pective Earnings.

From the New York Herald.
Though many laws have been enacted for
his renefit and officers appointed to en-
force them, 1t appears that the seaman
who ships from an American port has any
thirg but an easy time of 1t in obtaining
employment.
The sailors story Is that from the time
he lands at New York he Is beset by land
sharks" in the guise Of masters of the
boarding houses where he gets his food
and drink during the intervals between his
voyages. One sailor who had just shipped
said to me the other day that before he
bearded his vessel, previous to sailing, one
third Of his prospective wages had already
been spent for the privilege of working
aboard the ship. 1 asked how that came
about and he explained his first assertion
by saying that while his wages for the
voyage he was engaged to make would be
only $40, he had already signed an order
payable to his boarding master for $50, to
when, so far as he knew, he owed only so
for food and lodging.
Credit Given In Advance.
"You see, it's this way" explained the
sailor when I landed I had little or
nothing coming to me from my ship. OF
course. found it easy to get a boarding
master to take me in. Any able seaman Of
good reputation can always get credit for
accommodations from these fellows. They
charge US a dollar a day for board, and
they get it when We ship for another voy-
age. They get their money in the shape of
an advance from the master of the vessel
upon which we ship.
IF that were all it would be all right;
but there's where the rub comes. In addl-
ticn to their boarding money they get an
amount of money, which varies according
to the length Of our voyage, from s. to SIS,
which we call blood money and for which
the sailor never receives any considera-
ton. It's a downright shame, bit out of
Cur small wages this blood money must
be paid, or else we remain upon land, earn
ing nothing and increasing our board
bills"
asked the master of a well-patronized
sailors boarding house for an explanation
of this state CO affairs. This man has been
in the business for years, and though he is
not rich, he seems to be moderately pros
porous.
Its not our fault" he explained. 1.-THE
blame for this state of affairs rests upon
the shipping agents who do business in
this port. What is called blood money
by the sailors is blood money in reality.
1t is robbery so far as they are concerned.
but we boarding masters are not the ones
upon whom the blame should be placed
''Pn explain. A man owes ME, say, so,
and 1 want to get him shipped so that 1
can get my money. That has to be done
through shipping agent He wants a
certain humble of men for a ship. My
nan suits him, and he agrees to ship him
for a voyage to China OF Japan. Now. the
ship is supposed to pay the agents fee for
shipping a crew. but the agent is seldom
satisfied with that, and he wants a fee
fIcm the sailor as well. The fee for voy-
age like the one l spoke of is SIS, and the
sailor signs an order, payable to me- for
$40. That means that he pays me my
board bill and SIS more to the agent for
shipping him.
Violation of Law.
1.-The law is against this and there is
fedeI al shipping commits ion whose duty it
is to see that the law is not violated. But
what can 1 do? If I refuse to pay the
agent his fee for shipping my men he will
ship no more for me, and must shut up
chop and go out Of business. It's shame