The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-02-20
WASHING DAY AFL0AT
When the Sailor Lads In the Navy
Turn Laundrymen.
A HARD JOB IN BAD WEATHER

Each Man, With His Fest and Legs
Bare. Scrubs His Own Clothes and
Gets Them Ready For Inspection.
"Jimmy Lsssv and the Lucky Bag"
Have you ever noticed how clean and
well dressed sailor lad looks when
on shore leave, how white his clothes
look when you board tho ship on Wis
iting days7 But did you ever realize
that he was his own washermani
With shrill blast Of his silver whls.
to the chief boatswain's mate will
pipc. "scrub and wash clotbcs!'' ard
every man hurries to his bucket. gets
his solied clothes, salt water sonp.
draws bucket Of briny or fresh wn
tor, m the case may be. and begins bis
washing.
He ID generally barefooted at this
time. 10 that he win not wet his shoes
and stockings. He wears his trousers
very bell shaped at the bottom In order
that ho may roll them up over tho
knee.
After scrubbIng and rubbing his
clothes until clean hc turns them In.
side out and with stops" proceeds 10
got them ready for hanging up. These
stops arc short pieces Of twlne, twisted
and with whipped ends, that he uses
In lieu Of clothesplns. They are fas.
tened In eyclets placed ut the side
ssams and bottom Of his shirts and tho
waistband Of his trousers. He turns
al his washed clothes inside out to
prevent the right side getting soiled.
They are then hung on line which.
says tho Youths Companion. ID run
from tho bow to the topmast or upper
top OF fighting mast. Tho well In.
formed man now usually puts his
clothes TO soak the night before In a
bucket half full Of water into which
be has either sprinkled handful Of
soap powder or small piece Of salt
water soap. In the morning little
rubbing and his clothes arc clean and
hung up, while the "landlubber'' has
just begun.
When they have been thoroughly
dried. the chief boatswain again pipes.
scrub and wash clothesr and every
man rushes for the ciothesline to
claim his own. II he fails to secure
them within n reasonable time. tho
master at arms, or Jimmy Legs"
takes them down. and they 20 into the
'iucky bag" Then the only recourse
the unlucky owner has In to 20 10 the
mast, or the 'stlck," as the court on
board ship is commonly called. and pc.
tition tho 'frst luff," or executive Off.
Ger. 10 order them released.
Az rule. Jimmy Legs. who has
charge Of the cleanliness Of the decks,
always has extra cleaning, painting
and 80 forth In mind. and the man
whose clothes get into the lucky bag
receives 40 many hours' extra duty as
a gentle reminder TO be moro careful
In tho future. His name goes on Jim
my Legs time book. and when there
IL any extra labor to be performed he
In called upon to assist.
This IL usually tho 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 NIL 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 solled uniform.
The hardest things Of sailors outfit
to wash are his blanket and hammock.
The hammock forms part Of bis equip
ment, but belongs to the ship. He Is,
however. required to keep II clean.
His mattress and blanket are lashed
into the hammock and slowed In the
nettlngs 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 ship Is
coaling. When washing his hammock,
sailor lays II fiat on the deck and
uses wire brush to get It clean, with
the assistance OF soap and lots Of EEL
bow grease"
In visiting a foreign port and before
the ship has come to anchor 1t win 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. a
It Is In wet and stormy weather that
the sailor has his own troubles trying
10 dry his clothes. Round the uptakes
Of the smokestack there Is a drying
soom in which clothes may be hung,
but as they grow yellowish when hung
there often this room is used as little
-. ,>ns,alJ,la tn tho unxynr mnn. .nf .ryar