Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-12-08

OF passengers We're the main OBJECT OF
the line.
always considerable trouble with the
stiffs just before starting" says the
transportation agent, as he sinks into a
deck chair with the expression of coun-
tenance that says plainly, "Glad I'm
through with that job"
THE stiffs?" inquiries the visitor. Il
thought dead men never gave anybody
trouble"
Our stiffs are not dead by any
means" he explains. "They are very
much alive as is proved by the fights
they get into on the voyage. Very
often it is necessary to put irons on
them.
What did they complain about this
morning? Oh!'rEverything, as usual
Some wanted more money. Some did
not calculate on doing the work that
they find will fall to their share. and
others turned up after carouse SO
dazed that they didn't remember ex-
actly what contract they did make.
What do we do with them? If they
have made bargain. we make them
stick to it. We can't go off short of
men, and after they are once ON board
they can be made to work well enough.
They readily faM in with the routine.
We call them stiffs to distinguish them
from the regularly paid hands. those
that we count on, and who have been in
our employ a long time. A good many
of the stiffs are willing to ship for
nothing, so anxious are they to make
the passage; others are given the value
of a pound or so if they have behaved
we'll on the voyage. There are men
from all parts of the world to whom
anything in the shape of regular work
is repugnant, but who are anxious to
get back to the old country again.
Sometimes stiff gets in with some of
our regular men and settles down into
steady cattle hand. but not often.
Probably the toughest people to be
met with in any business in the world
show up in this cattle trade"
When the steamer nears the island
where the great process of enlighten-
ing the world is suggested, sundry
business-like looking craft are found
regarding her with interest. A squat,
square sided boat with the hairless
image Of bullock mounted on top of
it's red shed, bears down on her from
one direction, and on the other side
looms up more awkward looking Gus
toner still, having tackled on to 1t four
brick -dust-c -colored freight cars.
THE Lacawanna Live Stock Trans
portation Company" reads the legend
on the cars, and through the Slated
railings, as they near the ship. can be
seen the moving of horned heads. The
cattle on the boat having the wooden
bullock on top of it are to go aft. The
contents of the other boat and Of the
freight cars are to be accommodated
in the fore part of the steamer, but
the tide fights against such accommo-
dation. There are many tackings to
and fro. and much backing, siding up.
and fiinging of ropes. calling and
counter-calling, before a final tie-to
can be effected and the business of the
hour go forward. In the meantime.
although pulsing with the impatient
throbs of the engine, the great ship
lies almost mOtionless, permitting the
smaller craft to tackle her as they will.
or can; she is too big to assist in the
matter. Looking from her upper pas
senger deck amidships, the flat-roofed,
ventilated sheds that cover. the live
stock accommodations at either end
seem quite a little distance away, as
though one We're in a farmhouse look
ing over to the cattle and horse lots.
The tying-to of the boats having
been effected. railed-in gang -planks
are laid, from sill to sill, and a pas
the cattle-hoofs can hold is placed for
4 hat IaJ he hn
topmost deck. There are two hundred
and forty cattle to be taken on board
from each of the tenders. The way
from the top of the ascending gang
plank to the opening of the stable
deck accommodations is rallied in tenn
porarily, and two men, the one on the
left. and the other on the right, are
stationed at either corner, armed with
sharpened sticks. to prod the tagging
cattle-fiesh in the direction they should
go.
do you see that man on the bale of
hay?" is said to the visitor. HE is
a stiff, but this is his second voyage.
and he seems inclined to the work. He
belongs to very wellto-do middle-class
British people. He never could stay
at home somehow, he says, and in row.
ing around when out of money he
struck this method of seeing life
Seated on the piled-up hay that brings
him on "a level with the elevated gang
way. the Brtisher plies his sharpened
stick with decided energy. and apparently
with a, relish for the work. AS the brown.
red. spotted, and black bullocks turn his
corner, he tries to hurry them on rather
by sheer force of enthusiasm than by
use of the prod. He shouts and yels and
fiourishes his arms, and exerts himself to
such extent that, although the morning
is young, the perspiration vets his brow.
There is no description of call or roar
or cry that sounds quite like the urgent
cheer of these eattlemen. 1t is a low
pitched continuous sort of rousing, that
corresponds in a measure with the bel
lowing of a lot of cattle, moved by some
common fear or excitement to voice their
sentiments Such protest takes place
now when. all being in readiness for en-
barking. the men go among the crowded
creatures and startle them into action
For a few moments the throbbing of the
engines. the hallooing of the cowboys,
and the lowing of the cattle make float
ing pandemonum.
"When the leader is induced to try new
ground, or rather new pianks. the others
can easily be got to follow" says the
ships officer. "That black muley steer is
the head of the herd. See them offer him
IN fn t< flr,f f,.v,