The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-01-28
The Great Enterprise Which is 10 Give
the Mississippi Valley Deep.
Water Outlet,
Described by Il Tramplng Printer
Who Carried the Banner"
on the Works.
The Manner in Which the Works Are Con-
struCted, the Number of Men EN-.
pIOyed, How They Are Fed,
Lodged and Treated, Etc.

a well known composit0r, mt present
employed on The HERALD, gives the
following as his experience on the
jetties now being built at the mouth Of
the Mississippi:
now HE CANE TO DE- on THE WORKS
About the middle Of Octo Der, 1875, |
landed in the city of New Orleans,
having come from philadelphia on an
emigraut discrepancies. Being
unable to procure employment at my
trade, it became Il matter of stern ne.
cessity-bread and butter--that should
secure work at some other vocation.
The city was overrun, "a not unusual
thing at that time of year, with me-
chanics, clerks, laborers, and advent
ures OF every sort, and found IL inn
possible for a stranger to get work OF
any kind ut any price. Hearing that
the Jetties construction company were
shipping large num- ers of men 10 the
works, ~ miles below New Orleans,
went to the office of the company and
made application for work. The gem
tleman in charge informed me that
their offices wero all filled that they
had more clerks than they needed. |
told him | did not aspire to such high
position, but wished TO ship as a labor
er. He expressed doubts as to my
ability to endure the hardships | would
necessarily be subject to, and astonish-
meut that an individual OF my appear
ance should desire to embark in such
all enterprise. Upon my assuring him,
however, that it was II case OF
imperative necessity, and after
taking IA survey OF my physical
he reluctantly enroll
ed me as one of Il "gang" to be shipped
on the following Monday; the inter-
view took place on Friday evening.
Accordingly was promptly on hand
at the time designated, and found some
fifty or sixty men, mostly Hibernitns,
The roll was called, and
AS each man answered to his name, he
was handed ticket good for deck
passage to Port Eads.
THE CHARACTER OF ACCOMMODATIONS OF THE
HOTELS,
We arrived at the jutties about 4
O'Clock Tuesday morning, and were
to boarding house, an old
fiat boat, which had been partitoned
oil into small rooms, and in the center
of which, extending throughout its
entire length, stood rough board
table. Our guide slowed the party into
these rooms, each person being as
signed separate bunk. These hunks
are built in tiers of three or four, one
above the other. The beds consisted
of mattress, blanket, and q mosquito
bar ON one side, the partition wall
forming the back. In some of the
boarding houses, however, they have
much better conveniences, as | after
wards discovered, the men sleeping in
cots, and being provided with some
what more of the conveniences Of civ.
ilized life.
In the morning we were aroused at
an early hour, and drawing buckets OF
water from the river at the stern OF the
boat, made our additions. There were
no towels, and such as had handker-
chiefs wiped their faces with them, but
the majority preferred standing in the
wind and letting them dry. Breakfast
was soon annouuced. which was served
on tin plates, and consisted of rye
bread, salt bacon, black coffee, and
potatoes "with the jackets on" For
dinner we sometimes had beans and
frequently fish and oysters,
aud Jared altogether il not in an cpl
curean msnner, at least on very sub
stantial diet. There was no ceremony
observed at meals, but every body 'dove
inr with gusto. But few took time to
remove their hats, ana the hindmost
man invariably "got left" If any dish
happened to meet an individuals pc.
culiar fancy, he generally appropriated
the whole thing. There was no use OF
attempting to "stand inn with him or
asking him to divide, and the only al.
Tentative was to get even some other
time.
PORT EADs AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.
At dnybreak / strolled out to take Il
view of Port Eads This place is located
on both sides of ths river, and consists
Of about dozen wooden houses, three
tlat-hoats, the hull of schooner, and
lipht-house. On one side are the Offices
Of the company, a blacksmith shop,
ami n two.story hotel, where reside
tha families of the officials having the
work in charge. This is a frame build
inc of some pretensions. On the OPP
nnslte side are several boarding houses,
a h,rber shop, and boot and shoe
mandatory. The "board'ng bosses"
as they are called, also deal IN rough
clothing, tobacco, and such othtr goous
as the men on the works are likely To
renuire. Such articles rs they purchase
ara charged to them and deducted from
their wages at the end Of each month,
The seller getting his money direct
from the company. When n man IL
dis .harped he is given - printed olanK'
which he takes around to each OF Tue
"boarding BOSSES" and gets their sig
natures thereto, stating the amount ne
owes TO each, if any. In this way the
ekeeners are insured against loss,
and much confusion Is avoided.
nun scryr oF ACTION A WALLED CITY SORT
OF PLACE.
shortly after daybreak the whistle
an a small tow.boat was sounded az q
Sp for the men to get aboard ,, ana
s Se taken across the river to- their
work, ve Our gang embarked with the
w1 1anoe and on arriving o1 shore
u a"ra Informed by one of the foremen
Wele nJ more men than they could
tney , As there was no way Of recross
inc the river, we were , ior'e 'a, 70 ~, ,at
, main until noon, when the t Tow, AZ
came after the men to take ~ ,ni.e ~
G dinner. j spent the forenoon IN io ,nsr