The Minneapolis journal., 1901-11-30

to hear the remark: "Oh, 1t is only
freight boat" The hustle and excitement
are infrequent as a majority of the yes
sells met with are freighters. They ply
steadily on, their black hulks rising in the
air, If running light" or buried deep IN
the water If heavily laden. The modern
lake freighter is built long and narrow,
with quarters for captain, passengers anu
crew forward, and the engines, galley and
messroom aft, while the deck between Is
out up by the hatchways through which the
cargo is lowered into TIE hold. No longer
of wood, these toilers OF the sea are con-
structed entirely Of iron, are exceedingly
strong in construction and absolutely 6re-
proof l have been told that asn entire
cargo of coal might burn without+material
Snauty to the ship itself.
Luxury for Guests.
The modern freighter is usually fitted
UP with the sumptuous quarters for
limited party Of guests. The captain and
crew enjoy the company of passengers II
they are the right kind On the Clarence
A. Black one of the PittsbuTg Steamship
cempany"s big ore boats, the guests
apartments consist Of a salon, a boudoir
and completely fitted bathroom with an
unlimited supply OF hot and cold water.
The rooms are all hS@ted with steam,
lighted with electricity and furnished in a
most lavish manner. Lucky are they
one Of these ships FOR there is no such
thing as 3 paid passage. Passengers are
taken as guests only. 1t seems incredible
that guests should abuse this gracious
hospitality and fail to conform strictly
to the rules OF the ship. But un-
fortunately for the care-burdened captain,
guests sometimes do not appreciate the
necessity Of arising betines and appear
ing promptly at meals. However, the cap
tain has many guests Of the right sort,
and these make up for the shortcomings
OF the "fussy ones" AL guests, in case
Of sickness, are tendsriy watched over
by the captain, who is usually the ships
knows how to use them, dealing with sea-
sickness, ohills. colds or burns with equal
success.
The Captain q Busy Man.
Indeed the responsibilities of the cap
tain are most complex. Not only must he
receive orders as to the taking on and
unloading OF freight at the proper ports,
pilot his ship and her cargo worth many
thousands OF dollars through wind and
foE, snow and sleet, bending every energy
80 land the property Of his employer safe
and sound in port; but he must be house
Keeper as we'll. The horsekeeper on land
thiaass her duties onsrous If she have an
eight or Sen-roon1 house 60 look after; but
she would gasp at the task Of housek9ep-
ing on large ore boat like the Black,
2 This ship is 40 feet long and so feet beam,
end Of $500 tons burden-lapge enough to
taEe on board the North West or the
North Land bodily and feel no inoonven-
4Sqoe- Think OF the task OF keeping this
Hpmster house! To be sure the captain
has an able corps of assistants; but his Is
tho final responsibility. The engineer
@QAs after the iInZna culate order that pre-
wills ii the engine ROOM, yet even here
Ia aATsS6
tt0ns. Thep there are. all the little min
Atias at housekeeping, trivial but in
dtspensable, such as bed linen and towels
and napery TO be Kept An stock and prop
eVly lau4dereS.
Then, furniture must be,kept in a fresh
c9nditfon, and care taken chat passengers
DO not leave the handsome chairs on
deck to be ruined by the weather The
mess room and COOKS galley come in for
their share Of attention.
But all this is as nothing in comparison
with the mighty task of plotting the ship
p such manner as to prevent any shift
ing OF cargo or the hundred and one dis
asters that threaten.
Verify, these lake captains must have
an unlimited capacity for thought, labor
end endurance. And all this work must
frequently be done on wofuly scant al
Iowanoe Of sleep. For instance, Captain
w. B. McGregor of the Black always pilots
the st. Clair fats, st. Mary's river and
the $500" and is always at his post in
heavy weather. AS heavy weather may
succeed any of the river trips, he is fire.
Quentty without sleep 8or forty or fifty
hours. perhaps enduring fierce winds and
cold meantime In the early winter
months the captain must frequently stand
on tbs bridge Tor hours midst snow and
Aleet with his rubber garments stiff with
tce- This is all quite un3ma ginable to the
passenger tucked warmly away In a steam
heated room, with only the rolling of the
vessel to Inconvenience him.
Receiving Orders En- Route.
AS a rule the exact destination of an ore
boat is not known to the captain when he
leaves port. His orders read clear for
Lake Erie" or Lake Superior OF Lake
Michigan, 'as the case may be, and he
sails away. knowing that he will receive
more explicit directions at the 800" or
Port Huron or Detroit. The freighter
makes no intermediate port en- voyage and