Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-09-23
nDocK Rats n-Tbe tbororoI,l,, rntar,od .

'DoCK RATS. The thoroughly unnamed and
wild animal character of the CLOCK rats" is fire.
quenty evinced by a singular tendency which
they exhibit for making themselves dens or
nests of their own under the very piers them
selves, and amidst the stencil Of the oozing tides
and sewerage. Here they will patch together
odds and ends Of plank and drift wood and
even set up some sort of contryance for warmth
and cookery, if they can so arrange that the
fumes of their coke ana charcoal shall not too
speedily betray them. These nests are great
places for the reception of plumber when the
junk shops are too closely watched, and every
few weeks the harbor police make thorough
searches for them, boating and wading, to the
great detriment of tempers and uniforms and
at the cost Of severe fatigue and personal dis
gust Nothing but such minute probing and
searching would suffice to defeat the cunning
with which the "dock rats" conceal their unique
settlements.
While the younger scamps make the best
scouts, informers and general skirmishers in
the world for their older associates, the more
important thelts, and those which especially en-
gage the attention of the harbor police are for
the greater part concerned with heavy goods,
and require strong arms and somewhat extend
ed facilities for their execution. Plenty of mus
Gle and bone and full supplies of lawless and
reckless energy are always on hand, however,
for the proper development of any conceivable
enterprise. Moreover, all this merely executive
oughly efficient by ample capital and competent,
systematic direction, both as to the Acquisition
ofproperty," aud the proper market and means
for its disposal.
Capital? For thevesP
Certainly; and sometimes to very respectable
amounts, such as are not always found under
the seedy pea-iacSets Of the ordinary "docl5
rangers" although some Of these gentry can
produce tolerably well-flled wallets.
Ready money is the soul OF trade; let us take
a few practical examples by way Of illustration.
A cargo Of sugars and collees is in process OF
Tightening from the warehouses on the Brooklyn
shore to the Thirtleth streetpier, East river for
railway transportation inland, and any particu-
lar lighter is lazily beating, up against the tide,
or with a dull and battling wind. All the better
II the day be stormy, or the hour late and quite
dark, The Seneca may be somewhere or any,
where, for she is not in sight and the last patrol
boat IS tugging YEARLY against the tide three
miles, II may be- up stream. Within hail, il
not immediately alongside, by previous arrange.
ment, pulls yawl or u whcrry whose crew arc
not altogether unknown 10 that Of the lighter,
and who may, m fact, change places and en-.
ployments with them almost any day.
Got anything handyP
Eyes, all you can carry"
Aud the hail and answer are succeeded by n
rapid adjustment Of terms, and an equal rapjd
transfer Of property 10 the row.boat. Inc
ighterman's profits have generally TO be paid
in cash, and he may have Others to care for nj
Que end or the other of his trip. The prices are
low, 10 be sure but then the business men in
the row-boat have their risks to run, and theii
profits must be propOrtonate.
Again, vessel with hides is anchored out IN
the stream, or It's bad South American bill Of
health dctains il oHquarantine. Are the homes