Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-03-07
ON THE
CATTLESHIP
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The afternoon before the cattle
steamer Earldorman sailed for Liver
pool, Clyde Amidown and Arthu.
Cranston sat talking earnestly in the
writing-room of Portland hotel.
Amidown, from New York, had never
been obliged to earn a single dollar
OF the generous number at his COM
mand; Cranston, a native of Kansas,
had never spent cent that had not
cost him effort of brain or muscle.
Despite this difference, the two were
close friends. They had just gradu-
ated from the same college, and were
on that summer for three months
tour of Europe.
Amidown would gladly have paid
the expenses of the trip out of his
own pocket for the sake of his
friends company; but he knew the
selfrespecting Westerner too well to
make such proposition. So they.
decided to cross the Atlantic on n
cattle-steamer. Amidown had secured
a cabin passage, while Cranston had
that morning signed papers as ono
of the cattlemen.
The two had just returned from
inspecting Cranston's stuffy quarters.
Amidown's heart misgave him. and
ne tried to persuade his friend to
share his stateroom.
WHAT'S sixty-five dollars, Arthur"
expostulated he. you can make ii
up in a short time. l wont charge
you usury on it,
That's all right, old man." re-
turned the other, hut Idon't see any
easier way of earning it than BY
nine days work aboard ship. I'm
not to be frightened out of it because
my room happens to be little
cramped and the work promises to
be dirty"
Amidown held his peace, and that
night they took their baggage to the
ship.
At nine the next morning the sheen
and cattle began to come on board
from the cars. Cranston, arrayed in
old football clothes, was stationed
near one of the gangways, stick in
hand, to prod along recalcitrant
steers. His friend was an interested
spectator on the bridge. BY two
o'clock fifteen hundred sheep were
bleating in the pens on the upper
deck, while nine hundred wild ranch
cattle from the Canadian Northwest
shouldered one another in their mar
row quarters on the three decks be-
low. AT three the ship steamed slow
ly out of the harbor and the voyage
was fairly begun.
Cranston found his daily routine
novel and by no means unpleasant
In all there were forty-fye cattle.
men, one-fifth of them professionals
or paid men," and the remainder
green hands, or "stiffs," as their fel.
low workmen termed them, crossing
In this way to save their passage
money. A dozen nationalities and as
many callings were represented.
There were Poles and Huns return.
Ing from the Pennsylvania coal
mines, shipwrecked English sailors,
an electrician, a music teacher, a doc.
tor, and half a dozen college men
They were divided into squads. each
In charge of an experienced man.
At half-past four in the morning
they turned out" and had breakfast
Then the cattle and sheep were given
all the water they could drink. LIS
was followed by a hearty feed of
hay. At eleven o'clock shorts and
cracked corn were served out. In r.,e
afternoon came more nay and more
water. 1t made full day for yran-
ston and his associates,
Five days out severe storms burst
over the Earldorman. The cattlemen
had their hands full, getting up beasts
that were down, patroling the gang
ways and repairing damage of differ.
ent sorts.
Now port would burst open. and
a solid spout of water deluge the
shrinking steers from behind. Now
Piie VI nay DaleS or grain sacks
would come tumbling down. A dozen
OF the "stiifs" were SO seasick that
tney could not work, and this made
IL harder Tor the others.
The great mass of the cattle were
thoroughly frightened by the storm.
on some, however, it had an opposite
effect. One small black steer on the
port side OF the lowest deck became
so maddened by the unaccustomed
uproar tnat 1t was actually dangerous
70 pass MN.
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