The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-05-06
COST TO RUN A SHIP.
THE BIG ST. LOUIS REQUIRES Sc, 900
FOR THE ROUND TRIP.

tOH ! 1E hOOND Hif.
She Burns SIS, 900 Worth of Coal-!The
Bill For Breakage Is No Small Anhir.
Salaries Of Officers and Men Are Small.
but Some Of Them Get Large Fees.
The cost of running q big ocean grey
hound to Europe and back reaches into
the thousands A transatlantic liner is
really floating hotel, aid everything
On board Is conducted on the same scale
of lavishness that is found in fashion
able Fifth avenue hotel
Clement A. Griscom, Jr. son OF the
president of the line controlling the ST
Louis, agreed to give some figures to
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
steamer like the ST. Louis average be-
tween 500, 900 and $50, 600, according to
the season.
The voyage between the two ports
takes trifie more than seven days,
making the daily cost of operating in
the busy season something like 900.
No single individual on the st. Louis
gets large salary. The captain heads
the list, getting about $4,000 year.
Captains on smaller passenger steamers
only receive $4,000 year. The chief
officer Of ship like the ST. Louis gets
$1,000. and the bulk of the heavy work
reaIs., ialls on his shoulders. The Sec
end officers pay ranges from 5000 to
81, zoe, according to the size of the ship,
while the third and fourth officers only
get from 5000 to 5000. All of these
men have to perform duties of a 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
41n men. Two hundred of these are in
the engineers department, and all Of
them are directly under the authority
Of the :hief. The. steward department.
is the next largest, numbering 10 in
all The sailors, including the deck Off.
GERS, number but 40
The engineers department is the
most expensive on the ship, owing to
the immense coal bills. The ST. Louis
burps more than 800 tons day, or
about 4,500 tons the round trip. This
means an expenditure Of $15, 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 5000
year, and his immediate assistants re-
ceive 81, 800, $1,000 and $1,000 respec-
lively. The stokers or fremen average
about $50 month, and the furnaces of
the st. Louis require $50 of them work
ing in different shifts.
The purser, who is a most important
person on board does not get much in
the way Of salary, as the company i'll
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 year, but he makes another SO, 600
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 no 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 So, 900 to 81, 900 year.
The stewards department is one of
the costliest Oh the ship. The provisions
for round trip cost in the neighborhood
of $12, O00 and the salaries Of the stew
erd S men amount to $4,000 more. The
stewards are the least paid Of any on
the ship, for the reason that in tie fees
Of the passengers they collecta consider
able sum annually. ALI the pay they
get is $50 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 a
year aad also comes in for his share Of
.ti.e fps, as it is within his power to
place many delicacies in the way Of the
liberal tourist.
The chief cook is great man on the
ship. almost as great as the captain, and
In all makes So, 900 year out of his job.
The breakage and wear and tear on
the ship and its furniture are very heavy,
requiring an expenditure in incidentals
of about IS, 600 each round trip. There
are countless things to be replaced, and
comparatively little thing like the
washing Of the ships linen means an ex-
penditure big enough to support man
for year in the lap of luxury.
Here are some odd facts about the st.
Louis: There are fully 1000 tons Of
piping of various kinds in the ship. The