Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-03-15
GOODBYE, MR.. SHANGHAI !


along Pratt street more or less under
the iDflaeuce of the tall oues for 10
cents, he was quietly approached
from behind or ON both sides, escort
ed abruptly to waiting oyster boat,
and when be came TO himself next
morning be vas away down the bay,
goir Z after the bivalvular muIlusk,
with big master of the boat stand
ing over him.
That was called Shapg ghaiing.
Last winter the United States
revenue crew went down the bay aud
corralled nearly a dozen cases of
shanghai and cruelty, and only on
February II another case Of cruelty
20 men was discovered, but the
United States revenue cutter Apache
has Just returned from cruise of
62 l miles up the Potomac river and
down the bay as far as Windmill
Point, covering nine days, without
discovering Il single case of cruelty,
shanghaiiog or any other treatment
which would warrant taking men
from boats or instituting prosecutions
against the masters.
1t is reported that the men wore
more and warmer clothing; that they
have better food to eat and that they
have better sleeping accommodation
than they had last year, and all this
is supposed to be due to the cease
less activity of the revenue and State
oyster service in pstrolling the
waters. Among other good indica-
tions is the more general EMPLOY
ment of home crews instead of shin.
ped crews by masters of oyster
boats. The home crews have the
advantage of being better class of
men. The shipped crews, on the
other hand, are composed of 90 per
cent tramps.
They are not now iniimidated by
the masters into reporting complete
satisfaction. Last year In some
cases the masters threatened their
crews with all sorts of punishment
if they complained, but the men
came right up with their stories
when the vessels we're boarded.
Oystermen are ready enough to COM
plain of any maltreatment. They
are much better off than they were
last year. Last year the average
dinner was little soup and a piece
of fat meat without a streak of lean
In 1t. The average supper was the
cheapest kind of moIasses, corn bread
and maybe an Indifferent cup of
coffee. For breakfast, if there was
any left over, there might be a bit
of the soup from dinner of the Gay
before. This year he men are bet
ter fed, and they know that if they
merely make complaint that they do
not get enough to eat, the matter
will be Investigated. The captains
are required to furnish proper cloth.
ing and food, and they are approach
ing it; but of course there is plenty
of room for improvement-noto only
in the matter of food, but in every-
thing.
1t was estimated that there are now
in the neighborhood of 1000 oyster
boats in the waters, carrying crews
averaging eight men, captain and
cook. These men get $25 a month
and food up to Christmas, aud from
S15 to $40 month with food after
Christmas. when oysteriug is not so
profitable. They seem to be satisfied
with what they are earning in spite
Of the fact that at the end of the sea-
SOD, when clothing, tobacco and ex-
tras are charged up and deductt d,
they have mighty little, if anything,
left. There is one boy from Balti-
more-Rummel Thomas (colored).
aged 16 years-who is working for
nothing and not sorry of it. lie was
sitting on wharf along Pratt street
one day, kicking his legs over and
wondering if he would ever be Presi-
dent of the United States, when Capt.
William Drummond, of the sloop
William Austin came along.
"Say, Mister" said Thomas, eager.
ly, "gimme job on your boat"
81 don't want anybody" was the
reply.
But Thomas kept after Captain
Drummond with persistence worthy
of better cause, until finally he was
adopted for trip down the bay.
That was last July. On the way
down Captain Drummond and Thorn
as rugged up a contract by which
Thomas was to work from july l,
1906, until March 1, 1907, for moth
ing, and at the end of that time Cap
tain Drummond was to give him
suit of clothes and his fare back to
Baltimore. When the Apache came
across Thomas on the sloop, off Colo
nial Beach Va, he was still working
and without any particular anxiety
about raise of wages. And, so far
as the Apache could find on this trip,
ali the shipped crews are work
ing Willingly without asserting any
ground of complaint.-Baltimore