Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-04

I
tracted. that she had gone to her old
| home in England on short allow
ance.. and was returning steeragc be-
cause she hadn't enough money to
! travel in any other class. She was q
! thorough bohemian, however, the ex-
| perience was a fascinating one and
| she was glad that it all happened, as
| she was sick Of her own class and
| found more frankness, truth and de-
| cency among the unsophisticated
| people who composed the most of the
| steerage list.
| 4 lot of Scandinavians, stout and
\ hardy fathers and mothers, and rosy
| checked Sons and daughters, were the
! livcllest Of all the steerage for a time.
| They were ON their way to farm 1t i'm
| the Northwest. and looked as though
| they would be fine acquisition 10 the
| citizenship Of any country. In one in
/ stance at least. however. the Lodge i'm
| migration bill would have worked dis
astcr TO this circle Of relatives for one
| father and mother Of a most intelli-
/ gent family Of children. the most Of
them grown. could not read Or write
| Under the kindly provisions Of the
/ Lodge bin they would have been
/ turned back to their own country.
I while The children would have been
| admitted.
Han 4 dozen young Londoners. each
with n Cockney accent that would
knock you down. were on their way TO
the states" ID make their fortunes
Eiate with the conviction that they
would easily win their way. yet not
ore Of them having the least idea as
Ia what he would do. I'll Y made fun
for the whole steerage. ana spent a
Spodish bit Of money at the bar. which
| they doubtless wish ny this time they
| had kept in their pockets, They were
jolly, handsome. bright young fellows,
yViGentlg 81 prosperous families hut
theIy was suspicion aroused from
their conversation that they We're each
the black sheep Of his family. coming
20 America upon funds furnished by
tn" governor. in the interests Of re-
trlnchmcnt and reform.
a beyy AZ ocean cowboys had no end
of interesting ana thrilling tales Of ex-
PLOTS with cattle AT sea in storm
Til If life Is the atyangrst Of ocean ex-
istences They are almost constantly
on the water. often on unscaWorthy
vessels. returning the moment they
get their herds To the other side only
to board other vessels With other
herds. one had recently lost half a
vessel lo&d in a storm. many Of the
animals in pens upon the open deck
beng swept overheard.
Several Germans ana Englishmen
who have been residents of America
for years, but. discouraged by the de-
preston of business, had gone back
tn the fathprland thinking they could
do as we'll there were returning with
much satisfaction to the States, de-
claring at their worst there were bet
ter than the OLD country at its best.
one Enelishman who had been in
America for % years. and thought ne
might get a business in the old coun-
Try which would earn him a living.
had no words to express his contempt
OF the slow, unprugressive, unenterpris-
ing methods of his old friends and rel
atives and vowed he would remain in
America for the rest of his life and be |
buried in American soil.
Another person not of the usual |
steerage class was rich Scandina- |
Wan butter exporter of New York. 1t |
may seem like carrying Goals to New |
Castle. hut here was a man who had |
become wealthy shipping butter to |
Scandinavian ports. He had plenty |
of money tn travel first class, but he |
did not choose To throw 1t away for
the mere style and luxury he would |
have az frst-classer for the short
,,f
money any faster during this week of
inaction." he would say to me. than
by saving the difference between the
flrst-class and the steerage fares"
This will serve to suggest the va
rety of life in the steerage. but it
would require pages for description of
the picturesque and tragic incidents
of the voyage. The storage facilities |
of the Paris were of the best. Most
of the women had cabins to them
selves, and only few of the men
were forced to occupy the old-fash-
toned hunks without enclosure, The
table room was sufficient for nearly
the whole outfit. and the food was as
good as could be expected for the
price.
Two or three days out there came to
be less and less demand for food. A
gale sprang up which hourly increased
in violence. The tables We're no long
er filled. Groups of Wretched people
wan and haggard. began to be seen
lying about the decks on the lee side
for to windward the waves were
washing to the top of the tunnels
Sea sickness in the steerage is sea
sickness indeed. for there is no oppor-
tunity to secure that care and comfort
which one may have in the other
classes. One of the Cockneys she
cumbed, much to the amusement of
his companions. A little later the
Others We're noticed to be cutting
down on their ale and porter. Then
they ceased to appear at table. and
only occasionally would they be seen
10 the deck for a mouthful
of fresh air.
Until the fourth day, and the clinax
OF the gale, the Jersey Lily" refused
to join the mourners, She continued
to smile her rare, sweet smile, and to
comfort the sick ones. The night of
me third day was one of fearful pitch
ing and roaring ana cannonadin. and