The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1908-04-30
WASHING DAY AFLOAI.
When the Sailor Lads In the MAJ.
Turn Laundrymen.
\ !. HARD JOB IN BAD WEATHER.,

! Gets Thorn Ready For Inspection.
! Jimmy Less' and the "Lucks Rao.r
5 Have you ever noticed how clean and
wen dressed sailor lad looks when
on shore leave, how white his clothes
look when you board the ship on Wis
ting days? But did you ever realize
that he was his own washerman?
With a shrill blast Of his silver whis.
tie the chief boatswain's mate win
pipe, Scrub and wash clothes!' ard
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 hia
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. These
stops are short pieces Of Irvine. twisted
and with whipped ends, that he uses
IN lieu Of clothespfns. They are fas-
tened in eyelets placed at the side.
seams and bottom Of his shirts and the
waistband Of his trousers He turna
all his washed clothes inside out t.
prevent the right side getting soiled.
They are then hung on line which,
says the Youths Companion, is ruD
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 a handful of
soap powder or small piece Of salt
water soap. In the. morning little
rubbing and his clothes are clean AMI
hung up. while the ''landlubber" has
Just begun.
When they have been thoroughly
dried, the chief boatswain again pipes,
SCRUB and wash clothesv' and every
man rushes for the clothesline to
claim his own. II he fails to secure
them within reasonable time, the
master at arms, or Jimmy Legs"
takes them down, and they go into the
"lucky bag Then the only recourse
the unlucky owner has Is to 60 to the
mast, or the stick" as the court on
board ship is commonly called, and pc.
tition the first luff.'' o.: executive on.
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 na1,
whose clothes get into the lucky ba.
receives SO many hours extra duty as
Z gentle reminder to be more careful
in the future. His name goes on JIM
my Legs time book. and when there
is any extra labor to be performed be
Is called upon to assist
( This is usually the lot Of the Glands.
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 reprimanded for
having on soiled uniform.
The hardest things Of sailors outfit
tc 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 it 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. It Is this
handling so much that gets them fear
fully dirty, especially while a ship is
coaling. When washing his hammock,
sailor lays it dat on the deck and
uses q 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 It 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 Il They always show their refer
ences from the last ship and always
want 4 new one to add to their already
long list.
It q IN vet and stormy weather tha
the sailor has his own troubles trying
10 Dry his clothes. Round the uptakes
e To smoksstack there Il . drying
yoom n whiGA clothes may be hung.
hut @ they grew yellowish when hung
thsre oftsn this room b used - little
Q possible n The newer men-of-war
theFs are installed washing and drying
~,hfnh5 ev~n a$0v RoNl1itAk - tho