The harbor of Liverpool has about 7 miles of docks, with an elevated railroad its entire length. Ships are docked in basins as in Bremerhaven. Gates leading to the river Mersey are opened about two hours before high water, and closed about two hours after.
The one dock where we spent most of our time was the Salthouse Dock. It was near stores, the Seamens house and a Mission. There was also a place called Strangers Rest, where one could spend some time and write letters.
A ship had unloaded grain on Salthouse dock in bags, some full bags were used to form a basin, into which loose grain was dumped. The empty grain bags were our beds for weeks. One night the police were shouting and running towards the grain pile. We in fear that we were discovered jumped for safety; I had the misfortune to slip on the icy surface and fell into the water of the Salthouse dock basin. There are in the wall of the docks inbuilt stairs for the landing of small boats, and one of those stairs saved my life.
Now it was either freeze to death or surrender to the police. In one corner of the dock was a good sized room used by the police, they took me into that room where they had my pal. They had a big fire in the stove, made me take my clothes off to be dried, and made us some tea and toast, and now we learned that they were chasing rats, and did not know of our existence.
Oranges from Spain were unloaded on this dock, it sometimes happened that a crate sliding down the chute would break, and the oranges rolled in all directions. We would gather as much as we could carry. We had nothing else to eat. Having nothing but oranges, there came a time when the sight of one could make you deadly sick.
In the Mission on Sunday evenings they held prayer meetings. After a sermon lasting about one hour or longer, they gave out a cup of weak tea, and two slices of white bread.
One day the German sail ship Glade from Bremen unloaded grain from Australia. During the noon hour I wanted to go on board to see the captain, but was forbidden by the gangwayman. Later we met a few destitute countrymen who like us had planned a trip to the land of the free, but had met with the same fate. At one time I mentioned that I would give much if I had it, to again sleep in a warm bed, especially in this cold weather. One of the men said to me, I know a place where you can sleep for 3 days without cost. To my questions 'why he don't go there himself, if it was true', he said that he had been there and cannot go again. I begged him to tell me how to get there. He then told me to go to a certain street and number. Next to the door is a little window, you knock and an old lady will open it and then you say 'Sholem Alaichum', and she will hand you a ticket with an address on it. You give that ticket to that party and you will be taken in.
I still could not believe it, but it was worth trying and try I did. All went well, I got the ticket, delivered it and was taken in.
It was a Jewish family, and they could tell by looking at me that I was not a Jew but they said nothing, and the next morning I saw for the first and only time a Jew at prayer. He had a small wooden black box on his forehead, with a long leather strop on top of his head, held in place by his derby hat, and wound around his arm several times. He had his prayer shawl over his shoulder. He was standing in a corner facing east and prayed aloud.
The lady told me that in a few weeks she expects her 14 year old son back from Paris after an absence of two years. When I asked her why she let a child so young go to Paris, she said to learn French; that they have friends in Paris and the boy paid for his board and room by selling matches evenings at sidewalk Cafe's. When I asked her why she did not turn me out, knowing that I was not a Jew? she answered that the Jewish Relief Society paid for my board, and if I was not a Jew I was in need, and it was a Jew that gave me the tip. I am not interested anymore in anti-semitic opinions.
In one corner of the Salthouse dock there were several 50 pound weights, which we used to test our strength. One time I saw a man in Hamburg lifting 400 pounds with his teeth. Let's see how much I can lift. The man in Hamburg had the weight on the table and lifted only about 6 inches, and mine were on the ground, and I had only a handkerchief to lift, but there was a small chain, and I attached it to the weight, it was easy, 100 pound I could also make, 150 was not so easy, but could make it. When I had 4 weights on the chain and the chain in my mouth, the chain twisted and broke the crown on 3 of my teeth. Oh what fools we mortals be.
It is now January 1894. Another sailing ship from Bremen the Hatfield unloaded grain, and I made it my business to see the captain about a job. He told me that a stevedore had charge of unloading the ship, and to come back tomorrow and he will see what he can do. The next day I was told that I was hired, but must stay on board to repair damaged grain bags. After I explained to him all my woes, he told me to tell the cook to give me something to eat, and I could have an empty bunk to sleep in.
The work was easy, the cook a good fellow and I, who had learned which side the bread was buttered on, helped the cook by washing dishes and peeling potatoes, and with his consent took food to my pals. I did not know what my pay was and did not ask, food and lodging was the all-important thing.
The good time lasted about 2 weeks and at the end of the job I was paid about 40 shillings. After expressing my gratitude to the Captain and the cook, my pal and I went to a second hand clothing store to improve our appearance, which we had neglected, then had our shoes resoled and a haircut.
continue reading: Ludwig Steiner aboard the steamer MENELAUS