The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-09
THE MAN BELOW THE DECK.
He Is as Enthusiastic as the ''Man Be-
hind the Gunv

New York Tribune.
Ever since they returned from southern
waters, where they carried the flag to glori-
Gus victory, the ships of the North Atlantic
squadron have attracted much attention,
and thousands of men and women have
made the journey to Saten island for the
purpose of seeing the victorious fighting
machines in their war paint, and before the
slight bruises which they had sustained had
been obliterated Thousands of people were
content to see the ships from the decks of
excursion boats, became enthusiastic over
the sight at long range, and returned to
their homes with glowing accounts of the
great masses of metal, with their decora-
tons of polished guns and decks populous
with officers in spotless white. Others, who
were anxious to make closer investigation,
went aboard and swarmed over the ships
and saw 1.-The wheels go round" The ad-
ventures of the squadron were told and re-
told by officers and men, and, between see
ing and hearing, the general public knows
more about a modern battle ship, it's con-
struction, efficiency and management than
it knew before the victorious vessels came
to New York.
The part which the various members of the
ships company take in engagements Was
explained to men and women over and over
again, and many of those who heard the
story were filled with pity for the men be-
low decks. The firemen, engineers, coal
passers and machinists had the sympathy
of the visitors and stories were told about
those men being locked into compartments
where the heat was unbearable, and from
which there could be no escape in case the
vessel went down; of armed marines stand
ing the poor firemen threatening 10
blow their brains out If they left their posts,
and Of one continuous strain from work and
prostratng heat with never a chance to see
what was going on above or knowing which
way the battle was turning.
The commander of one of the ships, when
he heard one of these stories, said that the
woes Of the fireman and coal passer ex-
listed chiefly in the imagination of the story
writer. "Of course" he said, 1.-The fireman
has to fire and the coal passer has to shovel
coal, and they know very well, when they
enlist for these posts, that they will be able
to DO the work without providing themselves
with extra fur overcoats, just as the man
who takes a job to cut ice In the Northern
lakes knows that he can worry through the
season without a linen buster. Working at
the fires is a hot job, but the men who en-
list for that service know ali about 1t, and
one hears no complaint from them any more
than from men in less warm parts OF the
ship"
The temperature varies in the ships. Some,
rarely rises above 100 degrees while in
others temperature OF ~ degrees IS notn-
ing unusual when the ship is in action.
when the weather gets too hot for us,
said a member of the New York's crew who
is one of the 2Ol men whose posts of duty
are away below the water-line, I'VE turn on
the fans and get change.
The men have four hours duty and eight
hours rest. While on duty they have many
chances to come alOft to catch Whit OF
fresh air and to see what is taking place,
and when off duty they rest in their quar-
tiers or on deck, and make themselves as
comfortable as possible.
AS to being cut off from escape. the Off
GERS say that there is no such condition.
When the ship goes into action trapdoors
in the shape of monster iron CRATES are
closed to protect the boilers from possible
splinters or projectiles. These CRATES cut off
all retreat by the regular stairwayS that
lead to the decks, but there are ladders in
side the ventiator pipes which are always
accessible, and other iron ladders which
lead from the boiler rooms TO the upper
deck.
IF you had been with us" said an officer,
you would have seen how these ladders
were made use of during our fight with the
Spaniards. Men having fired their boilers
and having few minutes to spare clam
dition OF affairs, and went below and car
ried the news to their mates But even If
they had not come .aloft they would have
known what was going on, because the
captain sent an orderly with tidings of the
fight every little while, and the men at the
fires and In the engine rooms were as en-
thusiastic as those at the guns"
To show that the men at the fires are en-
thusiastic about their work, despite its
severity, an officer of the New York said
that when the Colon was being chased by
the New York there were one hundred men
at the New York's fires and boilers. and of
these nearly one-third were not on duty. but
had volunteered to assist. The force hav-
ing been thus augmented many OF those
who were there because ii was their duty
had an opportunity TO take matters easily
and go aloft for fresh air.
This same spirit showed itself on board
the Oregon during her memorable voyage
from San Francisco around the Horn to
Cuba. Men who were overcome by the heat
in the furnace room insisted on returning
to their work as soon as they felt able to
do So
Another officer In speaking of the fire.
men and coal p2ssers said: The time was
when these men were not looked upon in
the proper way. Neither officers nor men
seemed to appreciate them. but the oppose
tlon was similar to that which was felt by