Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1908-03-20
WASHING DAY AFLOAT
Wien tie Sailor Lads In the Navy
Turn Laundrymen.
A HARD JOB IN BAD WEATHER

Bare, Scrubs His Own Clothes and
Gets Thorn Ready For Inspection.
Jimmy Legs" and the Lucky Bag"
Have you ever noticed how clean and
well dressed a sailor lad looks when
on shore leave. how white his clothes
look when you board the ship on Wis.
iting days? But did you ever realize
that he was his own washerman?
With n shrill blast of his silver whls-
tie the chief boatswains mate will
pipe, Scrub and wash clothesr ard
every man hurrles to his bucket. gets
his soiled clothes, salt water soap.
draws a bucket of briny or fresh wa
ter, as the case may be, and begins his
washing.
He is generally barefooted at this
time, so that he will not wet his shoes
and stockings. He wears his trousers
very bell shaped at the bottom in order
that he may roll them up over the
knee
After scrubbing and rubbing his
clothes until clean he turns them in
| side out and with STOPS" proceeds to
get them ready for hanging up There
stops are short pieces of twine,. twisted
and with whipped ends, that he uses
in lieu of clothespins. They are fas
tened in eyelets placed at the side
seams and bottom of his shirts and the
waistband of his trousers. He turns
all his washed clothes inside out to
prevent the right side getting soiled.
They are then hung on a line which.
says the Youths Companions is run
from the bow to the topmast or upper
top OF a fighting mast. The we'll in
formed man now usually puts his
clothes to soak the night before in n
bucket half full of water into which
he has either sprinkled handful of
soap powder or a small piece of salt
water soap. In the morning a little
rubbing and his clothes are clean and
hung up. while the "landlubber" has
just begun.
When they have been thoroughly
dried, the chief boatswain again pipes
Scrub and wash clothes" and every
man rushes for the clothesline tC
claim his own. If he fails to secure
them within Il reasonable time, tho
master ut arms. or Jimmy Legs.
takes them down. and they go into the
lucky bag" Then the only recourse
the unlucky owner has is to go to the
mast. or the stick" as the court OF
board ship is commonly called. and pc
tition the first luff." or executive Off
Ger. to order them released.
As rule Jimmy Legs. who has
charge of the cleanliness of the decks
always has extra cleaning. painting
and SO forth in mind. and the MAI
whose clothes get into the lucky bae
receives SO many hours extra duty as
gentle reminder to I've more careful
in the future His name goes on Jim
my Legs time book. and when there
is any extra labor to be performed ht
is called upon to assist
This is uSually the lot Of the LANDS
man who has not been aboard Ions
enough to learn the ropes"
After they are taken from the line
the stops are taken out and the clothe:
ro..pd il such II manner that they neet
no ironing. These rolls are then tie(
at each end with the stops and are
slowed away in the clothes bag. Ii
+ this way all his clothes. both blue ant
white. are kept clean. and when Sun
day morning comes and there is gen
eraI inspection on the quarter deck h
has 10 fear Of being reprimanded fo
having on SOileu uniform.
The hardest things of a sailors outfit
7 to wash are his blanket and hammock
( TIE hammock forms part of his equip
3 ment. but heioags to the ship. lie is
however. required to keep it clean
His mattress and blanket are laShet
into the hammock and slowed in tho
MEETINGS or crates provided for tha
purpose.
Every Gay Il couple or more men are
detailed to stow them away and a
ri night to break them ont. 1t is thi!
Y handling so much that gets them fear
, fully dirty. especially while ship is
, coaliag. When washing lis hammock
II sailor lays It fat on the deck an(
uses wire brush to get it clean, will
the assistance of soap and lots Of eel
bow grease"
10 In visiting Il foreign port and before
o the ship has come to anchor it will b'
$ surrounded by "bumboats," generally
bringing out washerwomen, who ar
n usually negresses and who clamor fo
any work in the laundry line. The!
do good work and charge very littl
for it. They always show their refer
ences from the last ship and always
t want a new one to add to their alread,
d long list.
$ 1t is in wet and stormy weather tina
= the sailor has his own troubles tryin;
e to dry his clothes. Round the uptake
= q L. Ll.n.iIl