The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-14
STEAMSHIP LINES
NEEDING REFORM
Reports of Conditions to Which
Storage Passengers Are Sub.
iected Almost Incredible.
WOMEN INSULTED By
PASSENGERS AND CREW
Filthy Quarters. Lack Of Pri-
yacy for Women. Vile Ian
guage and Gross Neglect.

w ASH NGIbN, Dec. la report
on STORAGE conditions. based OIL infor-
nation obtained by special agents of
the immigration commission, travelling
rs steeragc passengers on different
transatlantic steamers. was made public
today through presentation 10 the seu-
atc with recommendation for legislation
to better conditions. Conditions found
in many of these vessels are described
As appalling.
The general report Of the commission
contains the reports of individuals Civ
ing their experiences on board steam
ships Of which they posed as stecragc
passengers. \ woman agent, who was
insultcd and compelled 10 withstand re-
pulsive priyations. said;
Suggestions of BarbaIism.
''In those twelve days in the steer
age. lived in disorder and in surround
ings thai offended every sense. Only
the fresh breeze from the sea overcame
tho sickcning odors. the yllc language
OF The men, the screams OF the women
defending themselves. the crying OF
children. wrctched because of their sur
roundines, especially, every sound that
reached the cars. irrita'cd beyond Gu
drauce. There was no sight before
which the cyc did not prefer to close.
Aid to immortality.
Everything was dirty. sticky and
disagreeahle TO tho touch. Every I'M
preston was offensive. Worse than
this was the general aid TO immortality
For fifteen hours each day ! witnessed
all around me this improper. indecent
and foWcd mingliug Of men and women
who were total strangers and often did
not understand one word of the same
language. People cannot 1--we IN sucl
surroundings and not he influenced.
The woman agent had told of tho
minclinc of the crew with women oi
the stccrage. and said tho same was
true OF the men stccTage passenger
with tho women
Agents OF the immigration comms
siou say that on mauy steamships mer
stewards and members of The crew, q;
we'll as malo stecragc passengers. crowo
int0 nc compartments set aside Tor lhf
women and constantly pass through lh'
passagcways ut such compartments, 50
that no woman in the Stccragc han Z
moment : privacy.
Women Are Insulted.
Members of the crew. SAID QUO
woman agent, "nevcr failed 10 deal
woman passenger blow when she was
found standing on the tramcwork ol
a lower berth 10 get anything from an
upper berth If woman was dressing
they always stopped 10 watch hcr' ah'
Frequently hit and handled her,
Conc night the chief stceragc stew
ard entered our compartments, but, not
noticing me, approached POLISH glrl
who was apparently the only occupant
She smoke i'm Polish. SAYING, My hcao
aches. please go on and let me alone.
But nc continued aud soon was insult
inc her. The girl. weakened by sea
sickness. defended herself as best she
could. but soon was struggling 10 GET
out of the man s arms. Just thcr
other passengers entered ard ne re
leased her.
The writer tells of rcpclling advances
on the part OF the crew and stewards
with a hard. unexpected blow in the
offender 5 face. She says:
Revolving Testimony.
"Thc manner in which the sailors
stewards, GTemcn aud others mingled
with the women passengers was thur-
oughlv revolving. Their language and
the topics OF their conversation were
vile. Their comments about the women
and made in their presence were
coarse.
Concerning other conditions in the old
rvpc of stccragc which still exists on
many steamships. agents of the commi>.
sion are Just rs severe. In the intro.
ductiou TO the report it is stated:
"Thc universal needs of space. air.
food, Slccp and privacy are recognized
i'm the degree now made compulsory by
law. Beyond that the persons carried
arc looked upon Is so much freight,
with mere transportation as their only
due
The sleeping quarters are described
as being in many eases ilthy, made.
quate and all that is bad.
Some Improvement Noted.
Good conditions arc described in
with igationS of some
steamships. and it iS declared that com
petition was thc most forrctul Influence
that led TO the development Of the i'm.
proved type of Storage.
No womHn with thc smallest degree
of modcsty aud with no other couvc-
uicGrcs than a washroom used Jointly
with mcu, and faucet Of cold salt
water can keep clean amidst such sur.
roundinos for twelve days and more
tho report saws IL was forbidden 10
bring water for washing purposes into
the sleeping compartments. nor WAS
there ANYTHING in which 10 bring II.
Senator Dillingham;. chairman Of the
commission, introduced in
tho senate today two bills intcudcd TO
correct much of the evil by which tho
is made,
Sn1IE RlNJES UE GTUpN