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The Show
When the hew superliner SS
United States putted out oi Pier 86 on
her maiden voyage recently, eome of ue
Power editor* went down to watch her
depart.
After ahe backed out into the atream
and headed toward the Narrows, we left
the ahouting crowd and mode our way
to Bedlam's [tent Propeller Bar around
the corner.
Most of the water-front characters
had beaten ua to the draw, for the bar
was already crowded. Seemed that
everyone was talking ot the same lime.
About what? About first voyages, blue
ribbons, and about the various crossing
records. Even Robert Fulton's first voy
age waa towed into the arguments.
Only one person, Marmoduke Sur-
faceblow, consulting engineer extraor
dinary, kept out of the noisy chatter. He
leaned on the bar, staring at the bottle
of Sandpaper Cin before him.
"The United Sfafej might moke a
record crossing, hut I was chief of one
vessel that never missed a sailing date,"
announced on old-timer standing next
to Marmy.
'
"Blfgewaler on keeping soiling
dafos," barked Marmy, suddenly com
ing to life. "I'H* tell you about Fits!
Assistant Engineer TufTy Grogan, who
kept hit ship from soiling for two duys
while he engineered a big deal ashore."
That did it. Things quieted down in
a hurry, for Marmoduke Surfoeeblow
was evidently about to sound ofl. Mar my slowly pulled himself up to his full six-feet four-inches height. Then he looked belligerently around at his ex pectant audience and started blasting away.
"Bock in 1901 I was third assistant engineer of the SS Mongolia Queen," barked Marmy. ''She waa the flagship of the old American Asia Line, with home offices in Salt Francisco.
'The Mongolia had two 4-fegged triple-expansion engines and six doubleended Scotch boilers. Each engine had a 50-inch-diameter low-pressure cylin der at either end, with a high- and lowpressure cylinder in between. Those en gines were 3400-hp apiece, and cranked away at 120 rpm on 220-psi steam.
"They were the pride and joy of TufTy Grogan, her first assistant engi neer. Crogan was a marine engineer whet was a marine engineer. A big twofisted Irishman, TufTy had the reputa tion of being the noisiest first assistant --with the quietest engines in the line. And Ue would squore off and bust the first guy who hinted that lie hud sailed with quieter machinery.
"When Grogan was down below at sea, he was always whipping his flash light out of his hip pocket and placing one end egsinst an engine column. Then he'd press liis ear against the glass and listen. After spending a few minutes at various columns, he'd put his
'stethoscope' into his hip pocket,___ . over to the log*desk and address me til
seriously as a doctor announcing hbl
decision after an important diagnosis.1 '"Third,' he'd eay, "When we hit
Singapore tomorrow morning, I trail
you to key up on the port engine's btf
crank bearing. If you have time belor*j
the deck department la through working cargo, you'd better take a few thoo
sandths out of the starboard forward!
low-pressure erosshaad for good mead
ure.'
x
"Grogan was usually right. H*j
caught the slightest noisy bearing be-J fore it had a chance to develop intoV-
knock. But he was a sharp operstofj in moro ways than one. He had >Pj
kinds of rackets ashore. That IncluiWj everything from selling scrap-brow*^ condenser tubes, old valves and brassy
piping, to doing a Jiltle smuggling off
fireorms and cigarettes.
3
"He'd go ashoro in Shanghai and w
show up for several days, until ju*j
before sailing time. Then he'd retort'
with two or three natives following his;
up the gangplank, ell loaded down with]
packages.
1
"We pulled Into Shanghai one tripi?
only to learn that our usual five-dsfj
stay had been cut to two days. TbsL upset Grogan's plana and he burned up plenty. Seema he had a 'Ml] deal' working ashore and had .alresdTi
(Continued on page 208)
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