The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-07-08
GARFIELD ON THE TOW-PATH.
What His Captain Says of Him.

"And so you want to know about
Garfield. Well, | remember Jim
very pleasantly, when he was driving
for me on the Ohio Canal"
The speaker was a ruddy-faced ell
derry man with white hair and silvery
beard. He sat tilted back in an old
much-whittled chair, in little hot,
fy-haunted office, at 152 Monticello
ave, Jersey City. Over the door was
the name Jonathan Myers.
Il was on the Ohio Canal from 1888
to 1S49," he continued, ''as captain
and owner Of canal boats. Let me
see, it must have been about 1914 or
1915 that [ first fell in with Jim [
happened to want a driver-that was
the way Of it. The canal boats then
were very large, and nicely fitted up
for passengers. We could carry
twenty-five in my boat. Then there
was place open amidships for the
emigrants, who used to travel alto
gether by the canal. The crew slept
in the stern cabin, and consisted of
five men. There were two drivers,
two steersmen, and one bowsman,
who was on duty at every lock.
Il was very particular about the
kind of men | engaged, for my wife
often travelled with me, but I never
had any fault to find with Jim. I
remember him as stout, plucky boy,
large of his age-he couldn't have
been more than fourteen. And he
was as honest as the day is long. /
could always trust his word, and | put
confidence in him. Many Of the
drivers would lie and steal whenever
they got chance, but Jim was al
ways square with everybody. He was
temperate, had no bad habits, always
faithful, and seemed to take pride in
doing his work we'll. He WASH what
would be called a great talker, but he
! listened with all his might, and was
all the time picking up bits of knowl-
edge. He was inclined to be very
studious, but there really WASH t much
chance on the boat His work was
hard. and no mistake. You see we
had four horses, and each driver took
care of two, which made up his team.
We called the horses engines, the
drivers engineers, and the steersmen
the pilots. Well, Jim would get on
a horse and ride steadily for six hours.
Usually in that time he'd only take 6
bite of something on horseback, OF
perhaps run on board the boat min
ute if she was waiting for anything
At the end of the six hours Jim was
spelled by the other driver. He ther
drove his horses on board, cleaned
them down, and fed them, and after.
ward got something to eat himself ant
took nap. His time off was SIX
hours, then he drove for six hours
and so on. I paid him SO month
and gave him his board. The crew
ate, as well as slept, in the ster1
cabin, and when we had passenger
Jim and the others had to wait fo
the second table.
so he was really too hard WORKED
to study or play much. Evenings b
and the others would dive into tn
canal and swim along, holding on t.
the stern line. Some of the men use
to play cards amidships, but Jim
l never took a hand, and he neve
Joined the men i'll their sprees at tn
/ end of the trip. But he wasn't an
i baby-he could take care of himself
He never got into any fights while h
n was with me, but the men all learne
$ that he couldn't be imposed upon an
s s he was very popular among then
o When he came on board he We