San Francisco Waterfront History
San Francisco Waterfront History
The San Francisco Waterfront
The Social
Consequences of Industrial Modernization
Part One; "The Good Old Days"
By Herb Mills
Page 20
In any event, however, the men took pride in being prepared to go below in short order. With the hatch uncovered and the hold men ready to go below, the dock men would secure the appropriate stevedore gear (e.g., a bar-bridle, chine hooks, a cargo net or sling) to the blacksmith. They would also ready such other stevedore equipment as the hold men would require (e.g., pallet boards or scows).
Frequently, the cargo which was to be discharged from the shelter deck (or upper 'tween) had been loaded right up to the hatch covers. In that event, the hold men-having clambered over the hatch coaming (edge) from the weather deck so as to stand atop the cargo-began the discharge by building that cargo into loads (pallet, sling, or net) and sending those loads ashore.
They continued to "dig down" until they reached the shelter deck itself. If the size of the square and the nature and stow of the cargo would permit, both the inshore and the offshore men would build such loads. Otherwise, they built one load at a time.
With all other things being equal, the men would first dig around the hatch ladder leading from the weather deck to the shelter deck. This was done because walking around on top of cargo and climbing over hatch coamings is hazardous.
Having cleared out the area near the ladder and having freed the ladder for use, the discharge of the remaining cargo in the "square" of the hatch, i.e., the area directly beneath the hatch covers, could go on apace.
With the square cleared of cargo, both the offshore and the inshore men began to discharge the cargo which was stowed in the "wings" of the hatch, i.e., the port and starboard portions of the hatch which are located beneath the deck above.
Essentially, the task was that of moving the cargo from stow to the square so that it might be hoisted and sent ashore. The same task was posed when, as was generally the case, the forward and after end of the hatch was also located beneath the deck above. As the men moved into the wings, an important skill almost always came into play. This was the construction of a safe and suitable flooring over which the cargo might thus be moved.
