New-York tribune., 1905-05-21

cation of an ocean liner marvel to the unini.
tiated
The laundry bill and the cost Of paints and
supplies, such as soaps poIishes, securing ma
terials. etc. amounts to $1,000 Tor each OF these
housecleanings To this must be added the
wages of over five hundred men. aud their board
and lodging.
The home maker rather prides herself on tho
recollection Of soft old rags which she accumu-
lateS against hOusecleaums days. The ship
steward would regard them with scoru- The
cleaning cloths which come from the Ii-eu room
in not less than twelve varieties are all heumed
and marked clearly the table and bed
linen and like them are sent regularly % the
laundry. Further for each sort of cleaning
there IS a proper towel and Woe be unto thar
steward who is caught interchaugius these
cloths.
For instance to polish the enamel finished
WOODWORK in the ladies' parlOr come Ions. mar
row towels of soft linen crash. while for polish
ing the brass work in the same room age sup
piled small, square towels of huck Checked
glass linen and chamOs are furnished for polish
ing the mirrors and portfolios. Cotton waste.
such as is used by machinsts, is given out Tor
polishing brass and silver.
ragged towel is not tolerated in the ships
housecleaning, and some idea of the total num-
purpose OF poilshlEg the gIas5 IN th@ por.noieS
alone three hundred towels. each eishte=n
inches square, are required.
Various patent pOiiShes are requisluoned TOR
the various sorts of metal For instance in The
grill room alone four poishes are required for
silver. nickel, brass and copper respectively,
while securing powder is used on the 5r1iler-
For each of these pOIishes separate and dis
tinct sort of cloth or waste is employed Even
q well drilled land servant would Ope1 her
eyes the condition in which these cloths aad
towels are kept. The writer saw young stew
ard. immaculate in white linen jacket polishing
the bulls eye or glass IN a portho-e "l,1 WAaI
looked like a glass towel, such as is used in q
we'll organized pantry In her Ignorance she in
Qulreu WhetheT II was not d waste or Su'I Lof-
eng. The head steward stepped To the lads
side and came back with the square OF llueu-
1t would put many a housewives glass towel 10
this one towel for fifteen minutes
The staterooms are divided into groups Of ten.
each group being given over TO the care of one
steward and helper The first thlnS done is 10
draw of every drop of water which may nave
remained in the tanks or reservoirs above the
washstand and TO make the entire Washing ap-
paratus sanitarily clean and dry. Then the
berths are stripped of linen and bedding. and the
mattress slips or covers are all taken on ana
sent down to the foot of the cOmpanICuWdy on
the main deck where they are received by the
linen steward and his assistants. Their duty is
TO sort and count the linen and pack II int
two hundred or more bags. ready for the laun-
dry. From amidships comes another lot OF linen
the bath towels. From day to day these have
been gathered up in the bath rooms and carried
TO a compact drying room, where they have
been hung upon racks or arms To dry. mus
preventing mould or rust For an ordinary Voy-
age in the first cabin alone 2te Turkish towels.
as large as single sheets. are required, and tUO
In the great dining saloon the table covers ara
rolled like carpets 20 the centre or the long.
narrow tables and great wicker baskets, lined
with heavy cotton flannel or felt are brought N
from the pantry. Into these IS dumped the nat
silverware which has been kept in drawers Two
TO each table When the silver has been carried
away the haugings come down. 10 be beaten
and laid away with the table covers until the
boat turns it's nose once more toward the sea.
for be It known that a large liner has us shore
furnishings as well as its sea toggery.
The cleaning of the steerage IS much simpler
process, but none the less thorough When
everything that could be injured by water has
been removed. the hose, throwing a mighty
stream Of water. is brought into play. p is
sight worth watching; those braWuy men. bare
legged strong armed. flashing the water IN and
out, from crevice TO Granny, until the paint
CLEANS and glistens even on duh day. Later
the walls and ironwOrk are gone over by hand.
but that first sluicinR is by all odds the most
To give an idea OF the strict discipline which
regns on board ship during the hOusecleanins
period, the same force Of men scrub both the
passaGeway between the galley and the pantry
and the galley and pantry themselves. When
they are cleaning the passageway they may. and
do. remove their shoes and stockings, swinging
their great brooms in perfect rhythm and sing
ing in time 10 the movement But when they
enter either the pantry or the kitchen. they
must put on their shoes before they scOur the
floor.
The seamen and deck crews scrub not only
the decks but the outer walls OF the cabins Thz
brushes used for this purpose have long handles
with soft, hairy bristleS crowded into q bach
not more than four inches square Strong soap
sudS are used for washing down the white paint,
and the men work In gangs of six or ten swing
ing their brushes with a regular. not unsracefu|
movement, and covering the great stretches Of
woodwork in remarkably quick time
other parts OF the ship, unseen but not un-
heard. are also undergoing n terrific cleaning.
Burly men are working IN the hold, clearing Il
out for fresh consignments OF baggage and
freight. And IN the depths OF the ship below
the level or the water line the mighty engines,
now silent and pulseless. are being overhauIed.
polished, oiled and CoaNed into good humor for
another record breaking trip across the Atlantic.
Yet with all this routine or labor, 10 must not
be thought that the steworts and seamen are
dissatisfied with their lot The larger proportion
OF employees aboard the boat who were inter-
viewed this occasion seemed rather hevvfl-
deTed by the question, Would you not Ike TO
spend your time ashore?"
The invariable reply was, ''To-night-aTter g.
I go and see some friends"
Their boat IS their home. Land represents
little TO them. and their sentiment seems 10
crystalllze on their floating home. \ word OF
admiration for their work or for the condition
in which their department Is found inspires
their confidence and interest WI ereas the slight
suspicion