Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-10-07

THRIFTY BLUEJACKETS.



The bluejacket's pay is small, rang
ing from sixteen dollars to seventy dol
lars a month; but, as a writer in the
New York Sun recently said, all his
expenses except clothing are provided
for. Moreover, the thrifty and clever
find ways of adding to their income.
Among the seven hundred men on a
battle ship are wOrkmen of every trades
and many of them find ways of en-
plOying their spare time prOftably.
A machinist has been known to build
an engine to his profit. Many clever
machinists have built miniature great
guns, mounts and all-not mere toys,
but guns that will fire-and disposed
of them at profit to themselves.
One of the most profitable trades is
that of tailor. Biuejackets like neas
clothes. and q great many Of them
have an idea that they can't get
proper fit from the paymaster's store
rooms. They are also fond of fancy
stitching, which is not found on gov
eminent clothing. Hence, rich har-
NCSI 4OA L1C ud1Oys OAONOA AAAStA 1900
the sewing-machine. Half a dozen
tailors are found on every ship, and
their services are always in demand.
The bluejacket provides the CLOTH
which he obtains from the paymaster,
and the tailor makes the clothes at
from six dollars to ten dollars a suit.
A handy tailor has more than once
been known to draw more money in a
month than his captain.
Another profitable trade is that Of
the barber. A barber is generally en-
listed as a landsman. His pay is six
teen dollars a month. On board ship
the executive officer designates the
barber who shall have the virtual mo-
nopoly, and he also fixes the price he
shall charge. This is generally 90
cents a month, for two shaves a week
and one haircut a month.
The barber has a space assigned him
for his shop, and provides all his own
materials. On a big ship he hires adj
ditional help for busy days, for which
he pays from his own pocket. On
ship with a crew of seven or eight
hundred men, the barber is consider
ably better off than his brother ashore.
BARRIERS have been known to save five
thousand dollars during a cruise.
On every ship will be found some
men who in civil life would make ex-
cellent statesmen. These men design
and sell to their fellow bluejackets cal
endars, postal cards, souvenir muster
rolls of the ship, and so forth. Some
of these men will add fifty dollars a
month to the pay the government al
| lows them.
Even real estate is interesting to
the sailors. The agent of a leading
suburban realty company recently said
| that he had done a considerable bust.
ness with bluejackets during the stay
of the ships at the local hayward just
prior to the cruise round the Horn.
Many enlisted men, both on the active
and on the retired list are owners Of
Brooklyn real estate.
The government has recognized the
sailors thrift by establishing a bank
ing system. Any enlisted man may de-
post with the paymaster of his ship.
The money draws interest at the rate
of 4 per cent year until the date Of
his discharge. Hundreds Of thousands
of dollars are deposited in this man.
ner. AS this money cannot be drawn
upon during the term of enlistment,
many bfuejackets have opened accounts
with New York savings banks. They
deposit and draw by mail.
The old belief that the bluejaclIet is
unthri1ty is far from the truth. Jack
nowadays is not the happy-golucky
spendthrift Jack of former days. He
is as sage and saving as the next one.