Changing of the Guard I

At the USLines office in Philadelphia circa 1960, the District Freight Manager was being kicked upstairs to New York. I guess he had done enough penance with a ten year sentence in an outport. His name was Fred K. - he was an Ivy Leaguer from Princeton and had served with an airborne division in Europe in WWII. The District Manager thought we should give him a sendoff with a dinner and the upper room at Old Original Bookbinders restaurant was reserved for the occasion and we invited fifty heavyweights from the shipping industry. Since the D.M. was more comfortable behind the scene he nominated me to handle the M.C. duties on the dais. As the departing exec was no longer my boss, I took certain liberties with my introduction. I said that Fred K. answered a want ad in the New York Times seeking a young, industrious, enterprising person promising an exciting future - applicant must be a Yale graduate or the equivalent. Fred answered the ad with "By the equivalent of a Yale graduate do you mean two Harvard men or a Princeton man working part time?" I said that Fred got the job and he's been working part time ever since. At the same gathering we introduced Fred's replacement which will save for a separate offering. Stay tuned and keep the party going.
tjs
Next - Changing of the Guard II

Did You Know?

They say that the bathtub was invented about 1842.  It is also said that the telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell around 1876. So if you took a bath in 1842 it would be 34 years before you would be disturbed by a phone call. Of course you might shrivel up like a prune in the interim. Isn't history fascinating?
tjs
Next - Changing of the Guard I (Monday)

Along the Shore

I have mentioned how much I admired the longshoremen - particularly in B.C. (before container) - for the way they braved all kinds of weather in pursuit of their hazardous occupation. But they didn't always recognize the "ownership" of certain cargoes. i.e. they thought those Lord & Taylor cashmeres belonged to the ship - and the ship was open season. And those phrases "use no hooks" were often ignored. Also some thought that stencil "FRAGILE" was a port in Italy.  Our ships from Australia would bring in bales of wool, bags of ore and "pigs" of lead. Many of the men wore long WW I coats with multi pockets to hide any small items that might catch their fancy. But sometimes it was amazing what might attract them.
 We were discharging pigs of lead and at the noon break the gang members in the hold had to climb a thirty foot vertical ladder to reach the main deck. One man was lagging behind and the gangway watchman thought he looked suspicious and engaged him in idle conversation thereby detaining him from going to his favorite luncheonette. The man's face turned red and then turned blue and he turned and went back down the ladder and removed the lead pig that he had tied around his neck. Go figure.
tjs
Next - Did you know?

The Grenadines

Below repeated from blog Feb 23, 2011 - Captain Ted Charles passed away last week at age 84.

I always wanted to sail in the Grenadines so one winter I flew down to Grenada (the small island that we invaded in 1983) to join a schooner for a week's sail south to north from Grenada to St. Vincent passing thru some lovely unspoiled islands such as Carriacou, Petit St. Vincent and Bequia. These are not tourist stops. One evening we dropped anchor off Carriacou and since there was no nightlife ashore we settled down to count the stars. Soon we heard music coming out of the darkness. As it grew louder we could see a small rowboat with four native boys and one scratchy guitar and they were singing the chorus of HEY JUDE over and over as they came alongside. Our captain - Ted Charles -  had been in show business and knew a potential floor show when he saw one. So we hoisted this "scratchy band" on board and they performed for us on the fantail after which we passed the hat around. Each time I hear that Beatles song I am transported back to another era. If and when serendipity comes your way I hope you will embrace it as we did.
tjs
Next - For the Birds

Down the ways

Circa 1970 when NASA was beginning to hit its stride, the Steve Allen show featured the  comedian Bill Dana playing a Latino astronaut called Jose Jimenez which became a very popular feature.
At about the same time USLines was planning their new class of containership and the contract was awarded to the Sun Shipyard in neighboring Chester, Pa.  I had a customer in Philadelphia named Carlos M. whose speech pattern was remarkably close to that of Jose. He called me one day and suggested that we name our first vessel "Astronaut" and sent his unsolicited suggestion to our home office in New York.
 After several weeks the company announced that the first "new build" would be named S.S. AMERICAN ASTRONAUT and the sponsor would be Commander James Lovell of Apollo 13 fame.
 When Carlos heard the news he was ecstatic and called me daily for updates. Our Sales V.P. suggested I invite Carlos and spouse to the ship christening. Now the shipyard is the host for these events and they control the invitation list. As a result Carlos and I were behind the ropes while Cdr. Lovell was up on the scaffolding and after the champagne bottle was swung and the ship slid down the ways into the Delaware River, it began to rain. The dignitaries hustled Lovell into the limo and they were off to the reception. There is no more desolate place than an empty shipyard in the rain so I escorted Carlos and spouse to a nearby riverfront restaurant for a leisurely luncheon and he seemed happy with his 8x10 glossy autographed by James Lovell and the thought that he was instrumental in the naming of a ship and I wouldn't dare spoil his dream.
tjs
(for full disclosure - as the writers say - a photo of the ship appears on the cover of my paperback "The Eagle Blue Chronicles" which sells for $9.99 from Lulu Publishing - it is still in its first printing.)
 Next - The Grenadines.

Duty Calls

It was circa 1950 and The Philadelphia Steamship Bowling League convened on Friday evenings at 6:30PM - it was a raucous crowd - I carried a 150 average with a ten pound ball. I had tidied up the desk and had my hand on the doorknob when the phone rang. Dutifully, I picked it up. It was Big Mike the Operations Mgr. There would be no bowling tonight. A ship had just arrived from New York with a relief Master and in the rush to depart New York he had forgotten to replenish the petty cash box and now the crew wanted a "draw" to take in the sights of Port Richmond. Mike said "this is what ya gotta do - take a taxi to M.J. Kelly's Meats (a supplier of victuals to our fleet) - Joe Kelly will give you a package - take it to pier 179 North and give it to the Captain." Pretty straightforward instructions. So off I went - Joe Kelly met me and gave me a brown paper bag filled with money and we headed to Port Richmond. Pier 179 was a  pier with no lights used for idle berthing. It was in the Reading Railroad complex near their grain elevator. I had heard that the rats around grain elevators were as big as cats and I should tuck in my trouser cuffs and whistle if I should see any. The taxi got me as close as he could and I started down the pier apron looking for a gangway but there was none to behold. The ship was "in Ballast" (empty) and was riding very high in the water. There was an accommodation  ladder (a misnomer) hanging down from the bow with the bottom rung broken. I tucked my parcel in my shirt - reached for the ladder and started up with several pairs of eyes peering down at me. They helped me on board and ushered me to the Captain's office - he was perspiring profusely and being hassled by several unlicensed crew members. I handed over my package - he thanked me and bid me goodnight. And now I had to get down the same ladder. The cab was waiting and I made the last game at the alley. The next day was Saturday - we always worked a half day on Saturdays. As I entered the office feeling proud of my previous night's achievement I was set upon by the Freight Cashier demanding a receipt from the Captain which I did not have. Some days you cannot win - either in bowling or in life.
tjs
Next -Down the ways.

Addendum

If you care to retrieve WHY? TOO KAY? of Feb 17 there is a photo added by my editor after publication.
tjs