Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1905-02-23

FLOATING CITIES WITH A VARIETY
OF OCCUPATIONS.

Atlantic Liner.
The great Atlantic liners have often
been described as noating cities. and
In ut least one particular the COMPARE
son Is entirely aCcurate--that is to say,
IN the variety of occupations represent
in her flight from land to land carry
population OF perhaps 1000, of whom
the majority, of course, are passengers
people of all professions and lines
OF business Leaving passengers out
OF account, however, and considering
only the 800 or Whereabouts who 20 to
make up the liners crew, one will cas-
lily find representatives of nearly all
the trades of a thriving community
ashore.
This diversity of industry represents
ali evolution-or, rather, Il revolution
that has come along with the develop
ment OF the gigantic modern steam
ship. In the old days OF sailing ships
all the members of the vessels crew
were sailors and performed one part or
another OF II sailors work. Even the
redoubtable cook was usually much
better yersed In matters relating to
spars and ratlines than he was in the
secrets of the culinary art But today
the status is different. Navigation of
the big Atlantic tiiers Is n complicated
task, and the number of men required
to carry it ON is ten times greater than
on even the biggest ships of n century
ago The variety of their vacations
has of course been multiplied to CORE
spond with the increased conpleNity.
The sailors are i'll small minority
nowadays. True. you viii see a num-
Der of seamen on the big ships, and
these still have their duties TO perform,
duties which, however, have nothing
to do with the handling of sails, for
not In number Of years has canvas
been spread on any of the big liners,
But common sailors seem few In com
pariscn with the men of other trades
whose usefulness on shipboard the sea
captain of a generation or two ago
would have found hard to explain or
even understand.
| Some Of the greatest changes In the
conditions of service have come about,
naturally enough. through the intro
duction Of steam machinery. The pres
ence of machinery means that the liner
must carry not only number Of eng-
neers, but also several machinists to
keep in order the complicated mechan-
ism of pumps and blowers and deck en-
gines which n big vessel carries Then,
since every great passenger ship is pro
vided throughout with a modern plumb
Ing system, she must have in readiness
a qualified plumber, An expert olectri-
clan is also needed to look after the
electric lighting plant, n refrigefating
engines for the cold storage plant and
n number of other representatives OF
dtferens branches of the engineering
profession.
Instead OF the ancient cook with his
very limited accomplishments the up to
date liner has an expert chef, besides
bakers, confectioners and also the other
gastronomic specialists to be found In
tie big fashionable hotels ashore. A
shin's butvher cuts the roasts aud
Joints and takes general charge Of the
meat supply, and there are several
storekeepers, who. it is true do not sell
goods, but who keep as exact account
of all the groceries and other supplies
Issued for the use of passengers and
crew as though their livelihood depend
ed upon it.
| s1 "A
barber, for passengers long ago gave
up the habit of going unshayen from
beginning to end of the voyage. The
barber has a comfortable little shop,
and next door TO him perhaps Is In
stalled the barkeener, who from the
nature of his clientele is required TO he
adept in mixing the drinks of all ma
tons. Still more surprising to the mex
perlenced traveller il will perhaps be 10
learn that the big steamships carry
| four or FIVE bootblacks TO keep the pas
sengers in shines.
| OF the learned professions the only
one regularly represented IS that OF
medicine Every liner carries sur
geon, who not only attends 10 pas
sengers or members Of the crew who
may fall i'll, but who Is also charged
with the general supervision OF the
health and sanitation of the vessel.
| There are usually plenty of sea law
yers' on board not that there Is any
! demand for legal services If clergy
men are not among the passengers the
captain or purser is qualified to read
the service on Sundays.
The issuing of paper containing tele-
graphic news involves of course an edi-
tor and a wireless telegrapher. The
editorial duties are assumed by the
purser. aud the wireless operator not
only receives the news for the ships
paper but takes and transmits mes
sages for the passengers as well. The
ships PRINTER prints not only the ships
newspaper, but the daily menus and
pncert programmes as well.
Most Of the liners carry one or more
r.usieians. Seine have fully equipped
bands that furnish daily music, and
those liners which 90 not include a
complete musical outfit have at least
one or more buglers TO sound the calls
FOR meals and for inspection.
Every liner has on board carpenter
who makes necessary interior repairs
and looks after the boats tanks and
| wells anil there are to be found among