Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-10-07
FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO MANILA.

Dear Editor and Readers oftbe Monitor:
On Tuesday, July %, at twelve
O'Clock, the U. S. Army Transport
bound for the Philippines, left the dock
at San Francisco. a stop was made
short distance from the wharf and the
Slocum, carrying many friends Of
those on board of the out going steam
er came along side to allow farewell
greetings to be exchanged. A belated
Minnesota man took advantage of
this interval by hiring two fishermen
to row him out to the Thomas. The
sailors hauled him aboard by means
of a.rope amid the cheers of the pas
sengers.
Assoon as We had passed through the
Golden Gate, at the entrance of San
Francisco bay, the sea became rather
choppy and continued to be so for
three days. AS very few of the teach
ersl had ever taken a, sea voyage
before, the first thing in order was to
get little practical, personal knowl-
edge of seasickne ess. About eighty
five per Icent. of the passengers
availed themselves of the opportunity.
Seasickness is something that has to
be experienced to be fully understood.
1t occasions feeling similar to that
of the small boy who winds up rope
swing, gets into the swing and let's it
unwind. In this connection a cruel
young man on board the Thomas gave
a new version OF "Goo- Goo Eyes":-
"a teacher on the steamboat stood a-looking
at the sea,
The pork and bears she's had for lunch with
her did not agree;
She felt so bad,
Yes, very sad.
'She watched the waves come rolling in, and
she was rolling out,
She leaned her head against the rail and then
began to spout:
She felt so bad,
Twas very sad.
"Then the fishes made those goo goo eyes,
To get a meal to them was no surprise.
She gave the best she had,
She felt so very bad,
Then the fishes made those geo goo eyes,
Thei transport Thomas is said to be
the finest in the service of the army.
She was built at Belfast, Ireland, in
1894, for the Hamburg American line.
Her first name was the Persia. Not
being able to make the speed desired
by the company, she was sold to the
Atlantic Transport line. She was
bought by the government in 1898, be-
ing thens Unknown as the Minnewaska,
and her first service was to transport
frOoDS from Coron1ob to NI1bo Tn
1899 she was recbristened the Thomas.
This is her seventh trip across the
Pacific e Her tonnage is 7,163 tons;
length, 467 feet, draft 27 feet, and she
carries four siX-pound guns for de-
fense. lShe carries two triple expan-
power of which is 5000. There are
two double end and two single end
boilers and eighteen fires. About 90
tons OF coal are daily consumed. The
power is 5applied by twin Gcrew.
The engineering force includes oilers,
IS firemen,I12 coal passers, and Z en-
gineers. : The electrical department
includes two dynamos Of a combined
voltage of $50 amperes, which furnish
power for 600 lights, 20 electric fans,
a meat cutter, dough mixer having
a capacity of 500 pounds Of -four, and
a coffee Etgrinder. Lady passengers
are also supplied with electric heaters
for their curling irons. The highest
deck is called the sun deck, where the
ships officers have their rooms and
where is located the wheel, by means
Of which the five quarter masters
(often improperly called pilots each
in turn steer the boat. Next lower is
the upper deck, where most of the
staterooms are located. Next is the
spar deck, on which is the salon, or
on this trip the ladies' dining hall
During the day passengers sit in their
steamer chairs on the spar deck or
upper deck. Next lower is the main
deck, on which is the mems mess hall
Below the main deck are the orlop
and lower orlop in both of which are
hunks. The lower orlop is about on
a level withsthe water and the lowest
apartment is the hold where the car
60 is stored. The method of keeping
time on shin iS of firc+ fo