Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-10-02
A BOSS" PICNIC.
The Undercrust of the Metropolis on
ssTimothy Canty'' Excursion.
A Tough, Harum- Scarum Rabble at
the start and q BOOZy and Ugly
Crowd ut the Wind-Up.


Crowd at the Wind-Up.
'Durandal' in Cincinnati Enquirer.
had long had desire to go on one of
these excursions, and the other day en-
braced the opportunity offered by an excur-
sion of the Timothy CAVITY association"
had been told there would be a wild, harum-
scarum and decidedly tough crowd at hand
ON this particular excursion, and that was
the reason went took friend along with
me, and at $50 in the morning got off the
elevated railroad at Grand street and took a
street car that carried US over to the East
river. Once there we traversed two lumber
yards and muddy alley, and emerged on q
dock that was in the last stages of decay.
At the end Of the dock was an excursion
steamer putting and blowing like mad, while
the people streamed toward it from every di-
rection The morning was raw and misty,
and hasty breakfast and early rising made
my head feel like a toy balloon, while the
discordant sounds Jared unnaturally on my
nerves.
Everybody was in a hurry Men Of all
grades, from the heavy, numbering and
wooden-faced longshoreman, clad in stiff
suit of Sunday clothes, to the dapper and
natty little corner-loafer, chewing tobacco
profusely and occasionally smoking. There
were fat women carrying four or five lunch
baskets and as many children apiece, and
worn and dragged-out mothers with babies
at their breasts, and half dozen other little
ones hanging on their skirts. The morning
was sultry, and perspiration streamed off
their facess At least half hundred young
Arabs, whom recognized as newsboys, were
rushing up and down the dock and screech-
ing like owls, and dozen surly tramps, who
had been refused admission to the boat by the
gang plank keepers, lounged at the side and
made insulting remarks to the women who
passed aboard.
There were also girls innumerable, most Of
them looked like factory and shop girls,
though few wore neat, plain dresses, which
indicated that they spent their time at home.
They were gaudily attired and loud in their
manners and speech. All were running for
the boat, though it was not advertised to sail
until half an hour later, and would even
then be held to await the arrival of late COM
ers. Once at the gang plank the children
were hastily gathered together and drawn
into the family group by the fathers or
mothers, who seized them by the hair, ears or
hands, and each family was hustled aboard
The decks had been but recently washed, and
the camp chairs which had been exposed all
night, were soaked through with the moisture
of a heavy fog. A regular August sun
popped up over the horizon, and fell with
scorching force on the water. Steam rose
from everything.
The people settled themselves in groups as
quickly as possible, and fight of two young
men for camp stool resulted in no particular
interest, except when a deck-hand came up
and Knocked them both out and took the
stool away from them. Then the denizens Of
the Fourth ward looked at the deck-hand
with considerable admiration, and the young
men were snubbed during the remainder Of
the trip. First, the people were packed in
solidly on the aft main deck. They sat as
ciess together as they could conveniently,
USUALLY in little circles with the children in
ths middle The children clambered inces-
sa1Atay over the Lays of their parents SO as to
get cut of thefamily circle. AS soon as they
goA Ont they were ruthlesly tossed in again.
But after awhile the parents became negli-
gent and before the boat had left the dock
the children were swarning about the steam
q en- all sides, and climbing on the outside of
tho ratings of the docks. It was q
marvel that two or three did not
fall overheard every minute, but they
Wea8 hardy little rats and seemed to BE-
watched by special providence. After the
crowd had been packed On the aft section of
the boat they were placed forward Tho
asckfhnds and the master OF ceremonies
the champion bruiser with unconscious irony
vas dnbbed-pushed the people around like
sheep, and treated them without the slightest
degree Of civility. So they were packed in
all around on the steamer until there was
scarcely room to move on the outer decks
Then they were put into the cabins and at
Last, with creak and groan and blare by
an ear-splitting band, the steamer moved
from the pier and started down the river.
By this time the girls and young men had
paired off quite extensively and managed to
secure seats together in the different parts Of
the steamer, but there was such an enormous
crowd that skylarking was rendered abso-
!utely impossible, and the maidens and their
lovers looked as il they were bound on trip
to the internal regions, so sad and mournful
were their faces [ had close look at a
great many of the faces Of tho New York
working girls, and 1 must say the sight was
not a pleasant one. Many OF them had
pretty and well-formed features, and under
favorable conditions would undoubtedly DO
considered attractive, but the poor diet,
miserable hours, scant sleeping time and
sitting rooms in which they had been brought
UP, had made them round-shouldered and
sczawny, and had apparently taken thshlood
cut of their veins. There was net girl
thsEe that had fresh, natural complexion.
92sy all seemed panid and worn, and heavy
dark rings ea1ciroled their eyes. All haA the
stan and Attracted manners of shop giEls, end
wsreafraid toglEe> free vent to thsir animal
spirits for fear they would not sssEa like
''ladiea"
Asthe steamer swung down the EAss river
tAs brisk wind oans directly in from the
ecs&4, and put life into the e1cursioaistx
Many of them bad not enjoyed nlouthfA Of
hssh-air since the summer began, and the
paop2e walked up from the Iethargy into
which they had sunk after the excitement Of
catching the boat. The laborers smoked
their pipes suolidly, and the young men
lighted their twofor-ive-cent cigars, while
they attempted more or less iollity with the
girls. The children were already intoxicated
by the buoyant air, and had become utterly
No 4