Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-11-15
q, An Interesting Letter.
JillC NuSlC w hiifSllSA1
November IL, 1917.

November IL. 1917.
Dear Register-l wonder il descnp-
ton of the manner OF preparing vessels
for troop horses and grain transportation
TO the other side would interest your
readers? Well, in the FIRST place, names
will be omitted. so the censor will be
saved some trouble. The work is called
ceiling a ship. As matter OF fact, you
do not put any ceiling in al all, but rather
partitions To save myself being eriti-
cised by my good friend Mr.. ]. ID. Den.
will say terms used by land carpenters
are different from ship carpenters. For
instance, a bottom sill on land is cant
on board; purlin is top crimp; brace
is weather rib. Take hoat iha, is 10
load a full cargo which will embrace
horses and partly finished shells, these
are called horse bo'tS. and the men pre-
Ter TO work on them rather than a grain
boat.
have from II 10 80 men. and we go
aboard al Sa. m. | check each man as
he comes up the ladder lby the way. a
swinging rope one 30 feet long and The
l.. s. inspector tallies my check numbers.
These men cannot leave the boat with
out beng checked cut They are paid
tor the time between checking IN and
out, so that means they stay on The full
day and il busy are lei oil at 5p. m. TO
return at p. m. and work until | p. M.
often until 5 a. m. Alter D. m double
time commences, and Sunday work is sll
double time.
The first thing 10 be done. II The boat
has never carried horses, is TO 60 on the
second deck and lay out The work. First
is 10 bolt down the cant from stem 10
stern, port 10 starboard. and directly
above TO put the top chmp. That gives
a place 10 iasten The top and bottom OF
the braces or studs. The stalls hold from
one 10 four horses, never more than tour.
Each horse gets space 80 inches by 9
ieet, renewable bars between stalls
Where tour are in one stall there is no
partition. The flooring is called grazing.
and no nails are used, but all work IS
boltcd. screwed and oountersuuk 10 pre-
vent injury. All sharp corners are round
ed on Tor The same reason. the stalls
finished, head boards are put In OF by
u stuff, a one inch hole bored IN ior The
halter strap and 4 TN covering on sides
where horse could bite or gnaw al The
wood. The horses all face in. four rows
TO a deck. The average boat can carry
from 900 10 ! eco on each deck. Each
horse is provided with feed and water
bucket and plel iy OF feed Is carried.
Water is condensed on. boafd-ihat Is,
tie salt is removed, making sea water
drinksble for horses) From the time
horse comes aboard TO the time he goes
ashore he never lies down. The hoSIlefs
keep him on his ieet all The time. II lie
should lie down the rest would fall over
him and trampe him 10 death, owing 10
The Ioll and pitch oi vessel al sea In
clined runs are provided, and contrary 10
general belief, horse walks aboard even
10 The bottom OF The hold on kind Of
I nclired stairway with returns or resting
places similar 10 hall stairway In houses.
One man leeds and waters ten horses.
so he does not have il so bad; but one
feature that would mol appeal 10 many Is
that he sleeps in hammock over his
charges heads, with not too much space
between.
The shells are placed in The bottom Tor
ballast, generally about four feet deep.
Then sand is poured in 10 iIll The hull up
10 The top OF the shaft tunnel through
which The shaft runs that propels The
vessel. Then false floor IS put IN and
jury deck is The result. In grain boat
only heavy partitions are built 10 keep
the cargo from shifting.
Most. oil The vessels are under The
British flag, but quite number 9re under
the til color French, also some Italian End
Norwegian. The crews are moi given
much shore Liberty, Tor very good fea-
sons-they might forget 10 come back.
Most q The British ships are manned by
Calcutta Ind ians. A good description is
remark one Of my men made "Mr.
-, HAT is The 'tCsi-Iooking negro
and The only one ever saw ifat had
straight hair" OF course they are all
followers Of The Prophet. in other words
Mohsmmedans They do not touch al
coholIc drinks, but ihefe is no limit 10
The number OF wives. They are very re-
ligious and never fail 10 face the East
kneel on prayer rug al proper time, re-
gardeSs Of place. The men asked me
why those fellows were all The time
kneeling on that little piece of carpet.
said they were praying 10 their god.
An Ihshmsn said, well they out-cuss
mule driver. guess that is Why they
have 10 pray 50 much" (C. 6 o canal
drivers take rolice A peculiar ihing
about toreigrers IS hal you seIcom IN
dersiand what they say. except wien
cussing. as slI The world seems 10 Use a
universal SET Of terms TO express ibtm-
Sc ives. A kird OF Esperanto, so 10
speak.
am glad 10 say that we have frequent-
ly had The same boat over again. even
II the submarines are busy and 10 one in
sisnce have hso ore boat three times 10
work on. tie most OF The time IS lost
IN loading and unloading. Very little
time IS lest IN actual passage. A strange
tact and one that is common 10 all The
whole crew, from captain 10 cookie. is
that they are anxious 10 get back where
there is some excitement. The name
am called on board will answer TO this
communication.
Your Friend,
FOREMAN CHIPS.