The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-15
BLACK SLAVES OF THE DECKS.

Copy-;gh;ed. Iss7. by Bachelor Syndicate.
A bin has just been put under way II
congress for the protection OF the deck
hands aud roustabouss on the inland rfv-
ers- The hardships that these people have
suffered for years simply bsggars cescrip-
ton No shelter Ia provided for them on
the boats, and in bad weather thsy keep
about thsir work ss long as possible.
sometimes with hands and feet frozen In
q cold spell the hospitals along the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers are nAied with these
men, who have stood on the decks unshsl-
tered until they have pneumonia or frozen
exrremities.
They are mostly coiored men. and be-
cause OF their color are treated ike cattle.
II such q thing had existed before the
war IL would have gone down in history
as one Of The horrible results OF human
slavery. In spite Of their nsrdships they
stick 10 the boats, and q captain might as
We'll try 10 get rid Of his rats as or these
men who live on the decks.
1T Is wonderful how they cling to their
calling" said a prominent official OF the
hospital service the other day. III they
fall sick on the boat their only comfort is
the warm side Of the engine room, where
they may lie against the wall In the cold
wind. and sometimes they die on deck Did
you ever observe how men get welded 10
the sea? Well. the river life has a still
greater fascination for the men who en-
gage in ii. Land and water are mixed in
about the right proportion TO satisfy
these men.
Il remember taking part In the exazni-
nation OF a lot OF shaggy Old river pilots
to see II they could distinguish coaors
They were as scared as cot OF school
boys who had come to be licked. 1t was
pathetic 10 see their hands trembae as
they came in TO stand the test. We
tried them with skeins of yarn OF va
Tiogs co-ors which lay in a heap on the
floor. The surgeon would pick up
green shein. for instance. and throw it
on the white cover OF the table; them he
would ask ihe pilot to pick one out OF
the heap and match il. II was a great
study to STE some Of these grizzled veter-
ans pick up the skeins and cock their eyes
al them and hold them UP 10 the light.
Sometimes they would show their color
blindness at once by going 10 the pie and
picking up a dark gray skein and tossing
it down beside the green one. The pilots
waited In an ante-roam until each had his
turn with me inside Every man sat In
silence vita a long face until his turn
came. Yoa see, every one OF them felt
that his living was al stake, and that he
might never take another watch at the
wheel. Those that came out aggravated
the fears of those who had yet to pass the
had been put to. remember one OF them
who came in trembling and said in
shaky voice:
Sorry sir: but amt no horse Z give
ye'
I've got horses enough said the sur
geon: what do you nsean?'
The feller at Just come out said you
wouldn't pass i'm til he'd gin ye horse
the man remarked.
ha oh all iOAf
enough. and wouldn't have needed horse
anyhow.
.'one day a captain came In with pilot
who tad been rejected
do you mean 20 say. said he. that
this man don't know cosors? Why. SIR; he's
been my first mate for dozen years. an l.
know he can read the lights. He's got al
family that needs his wages, an l need
his help, an / wish you'd give him another
show
Certainly said the surgeon. who
threw a red skcin on the table and
asked the man 10 match it. In fifty
he had picked VI a dark green skein
and thrown It beside the other.
He'll! roared the captain as he
dropped into a chair. he couldn't tell
port from starboard. could hep
1t looks that way said the sur
geon.
But I tell We I kin read lights.
dunno how do It, but kin read 'en
somehow. know kim said the man.
" 'Twon't do said the captain. Yen
have 10 give up yer wheel
Can't was the reply. Hands has
growed TO II. an I can't give up my
wheel, / dunno nothin' about Twin ashore,
an / hain't no peace in port never. It's
God truth. capn. I'd ruther die an give
up my wheel
He seemed TO regard ii - sort OF
divorce from the life he loved. and
when he went out he looked as II he
were marching In his own funeral pro-
cession.
Its the same way with the roust-
abouts" the surgeon continued. but
their devotion Is more wonderful be-
cause OF their hardshfps. suppose the
craps and poker and other forms OF
gambling I'm which they indulge have
a good deal TO do with the fascination
they feel for the steamboat. Every
night when the wind is not too Lively
for comfort some sort OF game is on.
OF cod night YOU may sometimes see
them sleeping hack to back or deck
between stations. and sharing coats in
a wind that cuts 20 the bone.
~ decent regard for human life de-
mands the passage OF the bill under
consideration. II provides that when a
deckhand falls sick he shah have shell
ter and a bed until the boat reaches
a hospital station. That isn't too much
consideration even for a nigger."