Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-17

hangs" that is, the number of rows of
fruit on each stalk. When the season is
at its height. as it is just now, there is a
grand rush to get the fruit on board, and
the work never subsidies until the vessel is
filled to the matches. Sometimes, however,
the boats have to coast along the shallow
shores to make up their loads, and then
the fruit is RATED out to them In small
lots on log RATS bound together with vines
and poled by strapping blacks, whose ideas
in regard to clothing are about as primitive
as those of the natives of Central Africa.
When the hold Is filled the banana boat
wastes not moment in getting away with
her cargo, and makes the best time she is
capable Of to her port of destination Most
OF these boats are very fair travellers, and
can unload the fruit in New York within
six days of its cutting, making the trip
from Jamaica or Porto Rico to New York
In three or four days.
When the boat arrives in port gangs of
workmen are awaiting to unload her. AS
soon as she has tied up to her dock she is
surrounded by trucks and lighters, the
Matches are thrown open, and the men
fairly swarm over the ships sides and in to
her hold. If the boat Is a large one, four
OF five gangs" from 100 to 125 men, work
on her at once. There is sometimes con-
siderable rivalry between these gangs, and
they often make the bananas fairly fly out
of the ships hold in the effort to handle
more punches within a certain length of
time than any of their rivals. All the work
tends from the hold up through each hatch
way and out to the side of the boat where
the big. cool-looking green punches are
passed into trucks or lighters or cars.
A Moving Line.
AS each string of fruit comes on deck,
swung by the ends of the stalks between
the double line Of handlers, it Is classed,
counted and diverted to the particular lot
to which it belongs. all while 1t is In mo-
tioE. Beside the rail sit the counters, who
operate little automatic machines, register
ing the number Of punches put into each
load. In each gang there is a crier, who
shouts out the number of each lot as it
goes over the side, and a boss" whose
principal duty seems to be to keep things
moving" A member of the firm sits on the
slippery deck and superintends the general
work. while the different buyers stand be-
side him. watching the fruit as it comes
up, and offering suggestions as to its quail
1ty or the particular kind they want About
them Is a perfect babel of noise. the con-
slant ting-lfng Of the registering machines
the monotonous lone, two, three four of
the counters, the sharp-spoken directions
Of the superintendent as he says lone hun
dred greens, seven, out" the encouraging
shouts CT the bosses as they urge their
men to let them come; send them up
lively, now the cries of the truckmen
quarreling for places, is all merged in a
sort Of composite clamor from which the
bystander can make out nothing at ALL
The great bulk of bananas brought into
this country are the yellow kind, but a
good many Of the red variety from Lower
California and Central America are also
used: There Is no other kind of fruit that
can be served in SO many different WAYS or
on SO many occasions as the banana, and
growth In popularity and the great in
crease in its use.