The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-15
First and Second Cabins-Fees- The
Ships Bells.
[From the Atchison Globe.I

The members of the band are stew
ards in the second cabin. There were
fourteen men in the Crosse Kaiser
band, who played orchestra instru-
ments at dinner, and then gave a con
cert in the second cabin dining room
at D. m, which L always attended
when able. A first cabin passenger is
at liberty to visit the second cabin, but
the second cabin passengers do not
visit the first cabin. The second cabin
passengers have dinner at O'Clock, so
that at seven, the second cabin stew
ards or those belonging to the band,
are at liberty to play Tor the dinner OF
the first cabin passengers. The second
class accommodations are very good,
but the second cabin is located in the
rear of the boat, where the motion is
as great as in the steerage, which is
forward. The first cabin is in the
center of the boat. 1t was frequently
remarked that the second cabin pas
sengers seemed to be having a better
time than those in the first cabin, for
they We're usually very jolly.
The men who played in the band and
orchestra on the Kaiser Wilhelm der
Crosse" were competent musicians,
every man playing two instruments,
yet they worked like slaves as walters
in the dining room, and cleaned up
rooms after sick passengers in addl-
ton. 1 wondered about 1t a good deal.
Are good musicians so numerous in
better Engagements? The leader of
the band was a handsome man, yet one
morning when l arose early, and went
on deck. l found him emptying a slop
jar from the second cabin deck. This
man played a slide trombone in the
band. and led the orchestra with a
violin. His orchestra of fourteen men
was as good as you could hear any
where Yet he cleaned up rooms after
seasick passengers.
A steward on a steamship has several
| rooms to attend to, and waits on a GER
| tain number of passengers at table. AS
/ it is the custom to give your room stew
| ard $3.50, and your table steward 81 Sc,
| they must take in a good deal of mon
ey- The giving of these tips is as
| well established as the rule of giving
a sleeping car porter % cents after a
nights ride. There is also a deck stew
ard. and if you have received favors
| from him, you are expected to tip"
him also Then there is the man who
polishes your shoes. If you frequent the
smoking room a good deal, you tip the
! smoking room steward. A paper is
passed around for members of the band
| Some men always tip the head stew
ard, and thus receive a good place at
/ table
The ships time is regulated by bells:
two bells, three bells, etc, which are
sounded first from the officers bridge,
and then repeated from the crows nest
forward. The crows nest is a little
pldce on the FORWARD mast. 40 feet from
the deck. Here two sailors watch night
and day, the watch being changed every
four hours. The man on the left side
in the crows nest is the t'Larboard
| Watch a term which is now almost
! obsolete, although it was famous enoush
/ at one time to inspire a song On Eng
| lish ships. the men in the crows nest
cry out ''All's well' during the night
Eight bells and airs well,'' but this is
not done on German ships The bells
ring every half hour. One bell after
midnight, means 80 a. M Then two
! bells means 1 a. m. and so on until
eight bells are sounded at 4 a m Then
one bell means 4:30 a. M and so on IN
Ill eight bells means s a. m. Then one
bell means $50 a. m. and SO it is con-
tinued all through the day. until mid
night is announced with eight strokes
of the bell.