Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-08-12

write the last notes to be taken off b.
the pilot next day.
Next morning, at 7:30 promptly
we swung out into the river. One
fellow missed the steamer at the las
moment and was brought out by {
tug. It was his first experience
with rope ladder and he made {
'.fuzzte" of it. But he was 'Ianded'
all right and deposited in the steer
age section.
To those who have never seen ar
ocean liner, a little description oil
our craft may be interesting. The
Oceanic is something over 900 feet
long; you see it would reach from
the La Grande to Goods house, two
blocks down. She drew 80 feet Oh
our trip across and the distance from
keel to promenade deck is surely rs
feet. The two smoke stacks are
large enough to allow an ordinary
trolley car to pass thru. Our state
room was on the upper deck, and
there was one deck above us and
three or four below-so you see we
had a six story hotel. the dining
1@,,1l hofu,anv I00
500 people at once. The dining
room Interested me particularly for |
was able to eat three meals per day
during the whole trip without
qualm. The promenade deck was
nearly 800 feet long-I think eight
turns around it would make a mile.
Our steamer chairs were on this deck
ours were forward and we had the
shady side during the afternoons.
An American "hog CESS" endeavored
to take our places from us but the
deck stewart evidently knew too
much for her. The second cabin
passengers quarters were aft and
were quite attractive but one felt the
motion of the boat there more. The
steerage quarters were fore and aft.
They had the run of the upper deck
outside.
The ship was fitted with the Mar
conf telegraph system and messages
were received in mid-ocean by way of
other steamers. I believe the appar-
atus will only carry the current or
waves about $50 miles. I had the pri
vilege of watching the instruments
work thru the courtesy of fellow
passenger who knew the operator.
We had aboard the Oceanic 1900
people, SO you see we had pcpula-
ton almost as large as that of Morris
Of this number 500 were the crew
and 676 steerage passengers. The
rest were divided about equally
between first and second cabin. The
ship proved very steady and had
little roll. Of course she was not
tested on this voyage for old Ocean
proved friend to us.
just a word about the people. I
was struck with the appearance of
the. storage passengers, My own
thought Of that class Of passengers
was rather crude. 7 had pictured
the scum and dregs Of society-such |
as we receive at the ports of New
York and Boston. But that is nof |
the class which was aboard out ship.
They were about as clean and re-
spectacle a lot Of people as you |
would find anywhere. Many were
going back to their home lands for
a visit to their families, servants,
men, etc, And they were a
happier appearing lot Of people than
tie first cabin passengers and Ger
5ainly they appear to have better
time. They had some fine musicians
among their number and we were
treated to some good music-one
evening they sang a sacred choral
and the parts were we'll ia ken. The
second cabin passengers were the
proud possessors of a brass quartet
and we heard both sacred aud rag
lime music intersperced with Dixie
and Star Spaugled Banner. Next |
ime [ think I'll travel steerage. The
irst cabin passengers were motley
of all degrees o.
lighness anc loWness, actors, bust
less men, lawyers, sports. Many
described the aggregation as con- .
listing of freaks. We had two or
hree newly married couples (nol