The Washington times., 1907-05-20
MAN WITH A HOOK
A MAN OF POWER
Crew Can't and Won't
Unload Cargo at
New York.
Reasons Why the Strike
Of Stevedores Is
Important.
From the New York Evening Posto

From the New York Evening Post)
The reason why a strike OF the sieve
dores is Of such consequence 20 New
York is that tue minute a vessel comes
70 dock she IS in their hands until she
gets into the stream again. That is,
she is in their hands in respect 10 the
most important work on hand-unloading
and loading her.
In port, the captain is a minor figure
on board-when. indeed he is on board.
which is little of the time. The same is
true Of the sailors.
Every sailor, q Is true, signs 20 work
cargo" but he considers it a terrible i'm
position when he has TO. Ell doesn't
often have 10, not because he thinks II
an inposition-his ideas on that point
are not viewed as important-but be-
cause IL is impracticable for crew TO
handle a vessels cargo on any excepC
a small boat
In New York, Of all places. the i'm
possibility Of handling cargo with
vessels crew is most evident. There
are several reasons for this.
Other Work for Crew.
One is that the crews are altogether
inadequate in size and experience, and
dock dues come too high for vessel
owners TO be willing TO spare the time
that would be required in this way.
Another Is shat there Is always I'M
portant work for a ships crew 20 do
when she is in port that can De done at
TO other time-such as painting her
hull outside for the sailors, and over
hauling her boilers and engines for
the men below deck IL she is a steam
vessel
Finally. n the sailors had to work
cargo IN Naur York those ~ fhet1o xrko
do not desert as II is-which Is not
mauy-would surely do so under that
aggravation.
Stevedores Take Charge.
Tramp steamships and windjammers.
when they come to this port, hire some
one Of the many stevedore companies
TO take charge. The big transatlantic
companies run .heir own stevedore ger
vice. 1t comes 70 the same thing. Once
the stevedore company takes charge the
ships officers and crew have nothing
more 10 do with the hold until one
cargo is out and another is in.
The first job Of the stevedores is TO rig
the ship That is. they have 10 get up
the derricks and arrange the tackles for
hosting This is piece Of work requir-
ing considerable knowledge and eXpe-
rience, and necessitatlng taking into
consideration the depth Of the hold and
the arrangements on the dock.
Methods of Work.
This work done. one gang is put in
the hold and another on the dock, each
IN charge OF a header" who directs the
work. Another man is stationed at the
hatchway 10 guide the cargo in or out
and whistle signals 10 still another. who
holds the rope on the winch. and turns
on and of the power. There is also a
timekeeper on deck. who keeps track OF
the men at work for the sake Of figuring
up their pay, and a foreman who has
charge of the entire job.
The header" in the hold has 10 be
one Of the most capable men in the
work II is for him 10 direct the rest
In getting out the cargo and seeing that
the sings are properly put about the
piles which shoot up minute after min
ute. 50 that the whole shall not come
loose and fall back before IL reaches
the dock, with destruction TO the mer-
chandise and possible injury or loss OF
life fer the workers. Even more diff
cult is his work in slowing cargo. Fish
cannot be put next 10 beef, nor heavy
machinery on top Of crates OF tomato
cans.