In 1952 I was an ordinary seaman sailing on an oil tanker. The E.S.S.O. Portland sailed from Portland, Maine for dry dock in Jacksonville, Fla. for yearly maintenance and inspection. It was early July. "All hands on deck" were needed for tank cleaning.

First a Butterworth machine was used to wash the oil and sludge from the sides of tanks to the bottom. Butterworth machines were high-power spraying devices that used super-heated water. They were lowered slowly down into the tanks. When the sides of the tanks were clean, two or three of us would climb down ladders to the bottom of the tanks. Two crew members remained on deck to lower and hoist buckets. Using wooden shovels, we would fill the buckets up, throw the sludge over the side, and then lower the bucket to be refilled.

We did not wear protective clothing or masks or carry oxygen bottles, as did the men described in the column, but we did work in short shifts. The fumes would get to you after about 20 minutes. If you stayed down in the tank much longer you would act intoxicated and have problems climbing up the ladder.

None of us wanted to clean the tanks, but we were motivated by overtime pay. I remember we were paid double-time when down in the tanks. On weekends it was double-double, and when one of the weekend days was the Fourth of July it was double-double-double.

The work was hard. It was hot on deck and hotter in the tanks. We were filthy. No matter how much kerosene or Varsol you used, no matter how long you showered, no matter how much soap, how much scrubbing, you were never completely clean. It took two weeks to be completely clean.

When we arrived at Jacksonville, all tanks but one passed the Coast Guard inspection. We had to go down and finish cleaning that one. That trip from Maine to Florida took about six days, two of which were spent floating around off Jacksonville so we could complete the job.

In major ports, the oil companies would employ men to clean tanks. I observed them working a few times. They worked hard and long and did a good job. They would wrap themselves up completely in newspapers in an effort to keep clean.

Times have changed, but hard, dirty work must still be done.

—Charles P. Shaw, Ravenwood Drive


Paseo Lado needs a good housecleaning

A drive down Paseo Lado from Quito to Gene's Market will take you past rundown homes, yards that haven't seen irrigation or maintenance for years, junk and trash in front yards, stored or abandoned cars, trucks, vans, motorhomes and boats, an ATV hanging from a tree, a skull on a roof, and one really nice house--Gordon Tefler's. This area certainly isn't the Golden Triangle, but Paseo Lado is so despicable that the rest of El Quito looks grand in comparison. I believe it should be the Teflers complaining to Saratoga to enforce the residential policies as they apply to this neighborhood instead of busybodies complaining about a house that makes theirs look even more shabby by comparison. This is one time where Saratoga screwed up and it turned out for the better.

—Jim Adams, Quito Road


Saratoga council used its foresight

I attended the open house at the city's new campus on Prospect Road, and I was impressed with the advantages of the location and space. About 120 people attended the two open houses and I heard many positive comments.

The administrative building has a nice room that can pleasantly seat 50 people and is available for use right now. The sheriff's department is using some of the smaller rooms in the building. The fellowship hall will be able to seat more than 160 people after $55,000 is spent on upgrades, and this work should be completed by the end of the year. While I was there, an arts commissioner sang in the church; she said the acoustics were excellent.

A Boy Scout troop, the League of Women Voters, several churches, neighborhood associations, a children's theater group and a book club are interested in the use of the buildings.

The grounds are pleasant and quiet. There is an outside barbecue, two inside fireplaces and informal seating for group meetings. There is space to hold a large, all-day meeting without disrupting regular classes or routine meetings.

Years ago, when our city council decided to buy the Heritage Orchard, there were some people against it. Fortunately, a forward-thinking council went ahead with the purchase. If they had not taken a leadership role and purchased the land, we would not have a home for our new library or a place to show our children the beauty of an orchard. Are we glad they took a chance then? Yes, absolutely! Will we look back and say the same thing about the North Campus Facility? I believe in the future we will also praise our current city council for its foresight.

—Gregory Gates, Saratoga Parks and Recreation Commissioner


Three candidates should be on board

Of all the candidates running for election to the West Valley-Mission Community College Board of Trustees, only three appear to have education and fiscal responsibility as their primary goals. Jeff Schwartz, an incumbent, Brett England and Gagan Singh repeatedly have stressed the importance of providing the best community education possible. That means focusing their budget on classes, instructors and repairing classroom facilities.

In these restrictive financial times, we must have board members intent on fiscal responsibility, and these candidates demand it. Improving existing classroom facilities is also vital, and that, too, is supported by Schwartz, England and Singh. I am confident that none of our taxes will be misdirected under their leadership.

Please elect England and Singh and reelect Schwartz to the West Valley-Mission College Board of Trustees.

—Marcia Fariss, Saratoga