Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-03-03
WASHING DAY AFLOAT
When the Sailor Lads In the Navy
Turn Laundrymen.
A HARD JOB IN BAD WEATHER
Each Man, With His Feet and Legs
Bare, Scrubs His Own Clothes and
Gets Thorn Ready For Inspection.
"Jmmy Legs" and the Lucky Bag"

Bare, Scrubs His Own Clothes and
Gets Thorn Ready For Inspection
"Jimmy Legs" and the Lucky Bag"
Have you ever noticed how clean and
we'll 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 shril blast of his silver wills
tie the chief boatswain's mate will
pipe, Scrub and wash clothes" and
every man hurries 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. TkSse
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 line which.
says the Youths Companion, Is run
from the bow to the topmast or upper
top OF a fighting mast. The well in
| formed man now usually puts his
clothes to soak the night before in
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 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 cothesline to
| claim his own. If he fails to secure
| them within reasonable time. the
| 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 on
board ship is commonly called. and Pc
tition the first luff," or executive OIL
Ger. to order them released.
AS n rule. Jimmy Legs, who has
charge of the cleanliness Of the decks
always has extra cleaning. painting
and SO forth in mind. and the man
whose clothes get into the lucky bag
receives so many hours extra duty as
a gentle reminder to be more careful
In the future. His name goes on jim
NV Legs time book. and when there
Is any extra labor to be performed he
is called upon to assist
This Is usually the lot Of the lands
man" who has not been aboard long
enough to "learn the ropes"
After they are taken from the line
the stops are taken out and the clothes
rolled in such a manner that they need
no ironing. These rolls are then tied
at each end with the stops and are
slowed away In the clothes bag. In
this way all his clothes, both blue and
white. are kept clean, and when Sun
day morning comes and there is gen.
eral inspection on the quarter deck he
has no fear Of being reprlmanded for
having on solled uniform.
The hardest things of sailors outfit
to wash are his blanket and hammock.
The hammock forms part Of his equip
ment, but belongs to the ship He is,
however, required to keep 1t clean.
| His mattress and blanket are dashed
into the hammock and slowed In the
MEETINGS or crates provided for that
purpose.
Every day couple or more men are
detailed to stow them away and at
night to break them out. 1t Is this
handling so much that gets them fear
fully dirty. especially while a ship is
coaling. When washing his hammock.
sailor lays 1t fat on the deck and
uses wire brush to get it clean, with
the assistance of soap and lots Of Eel
bow grease"
In visiting foreign port and before
the ship has come to anchor 1t will be
surrounded by "bumboats." generally
bringing out washerwomen. who are
usually negresses and who clamor for
any work In the laundry line. They
do good work and charge very little
for 1t. They always show their refer
ences from the last ship and always
want new one to add to their already
long list.
1t Is In wet and stormy weather that
| the sailor has his own troubles trying
| to dry his clothes. Round the uptakes
| of the smOkestack there Is a drying
room I'm which clothes may be hung.
| but as they grow yellowish when hung
| there often this room is used us little
ns possible In the newer men-of-war
| there are installed washing and drying
machines which greatly facilitate the
laundry work. making It inexcusable
| for sailor to have soiled clothes.
| This machine. which dries clothes by
centrifugal motion. does the work rap
idly and well.
These machines. which are being
| added to all the new ships. Will In
time do away with all hand work. The
old familiar sight Of long line Of
clothes strung from bow to masthead
will no longer be seen. and the boat
swains mate will forget how to pipe
Scrub and wash clothes"