New Britain herald., 1925-01-23
THE BLACK GANG
 UNSUNG HEROES
'Grinly Crew Sticks to Ship
 Until the Last

This is the story of the Black Gang" that grimy. hairy crew of .swab- -pots." ''sweat-rags." ''oil- slingers'' and a.ipers which you, stroilins the liners deck in dustless fiannels or idling over dinner in evening clothes, never sec Prob ably you never even think of these men, But 1t Is to them, to the in- credible endurance, of their bodies, sooty and sweaty. stripped to the waist. that. you owe the speed and ease oftyour crossing. - I They are the men whoreally break the ocean records and almost their backs, too. Tine skipper? Oh. yes, much credit to him, but credit to his knowledge of wind and wave and course, because that's what put the. gold stripes upon his sleeve and set him on the high, cool bridge. But never forget the men below. ull wager the skipper never does), nor their toll inthose depths to which no ray of natural light ever penetrates.
 Hell Hole of Noise.
 There they stand their exhausting watches, ina hell-hols of noise and dirt, about their necks the stringy black towels to smear the sweat from their faces or thrust into their twisted mouths when they open the doors. of the insatiable furnaces ii fling in coal or to con the blazing jets of the oil-burners.
 Hour after hour they bear 1t and then, when the trick ends, crawl up the hot ladders to their dingy, smut etreaked quarters, drop into their hunks worn and gasping-to ,awan the next call. below. r~
 Seldom do they see the ocean. Some time, after they sfinish their watches of four hours. they may try to scrub the grease and dirt off their bodies, but 1t is a hopeless job. Their work eats up every ounce of vitality, so they must take grub at one meal sufficient to appease more fortunate men for a day. For eight hours they can do what they like. They spend that time sleeping. Then back at the ceaseless shoveling, oiling and Eiping, day in and day out, four hours on and eight hours off. until the ship Is docked, when they get ready for the turn about, writes Harry P. Cunningham in The New York Evening World.
 The Black Gang.
 The "Blaek Gang" so named be- cause Of their grinly color caused by the coal dust that settles on their faces, arms and bare bodies down to the waist. the most fearless men aboard a ship.
 If one became panicky and started for a ladder during an accident there would De another 'sweat-rag' at the first rung with a shovel ready to kill him who was yellow
 Never does a ship founder with out some members of the "Black Gang" being unaccounted for. They are the last to leave a sinking ship. Crawling up narrow ladders they reach the deck and for the first time learn what has happened.
 Close the watertight compart- ments!" comes the command. A gang of huskies drop their shovels and run to their. stations. close the doors and remain in the prisons until the words "All hands above" when they scamper up ladders to the eraar- gency exits. ...
 Why Run?
 Ask one of them why he did not run when water began pouring into the stoke-hold. He will reply, "Why the 'ell should I? Another blokc would knock me cold if did, and if e ran I'd kill i'm. We don't play that way down there. If to 'ell you're goin'. you're goln'. so why the 'ell run? You'd go quicker"
 The Black Gang" brides them selves with being necessary evil' aboard ship. They are nobody's business; consequently they seek no glory or praise. Their members rarelyremain on one ship more than a trip. Today they are bound for New York: tomorrow to India. They die young from consumption caused by the inhalation of the fumes gen. erated by gases and exposure. Others die from drink and the results of fights ashore started during the trip and finished when they signed of.
 Death for "Squealers."
 Tn the old days to be 8 good Shipper" one had to kill ones way to that reputation. Many "swab- pot" left Liverpool or one of the other ports alive. but never re- ceived his pay in New York. It was just question of striking an enemy over the head with a poker CT shovel and. tossing his body into the furnace. No one ever squealed' To do that meant death to the in- former.
 Today the Black Gang" is com posed of better type Of man. On