The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1883-02-08

to the poor-house or to be bound out,
| declaring that he could take care OF
himself; and when some thoughtless
person had said in his hearing that he
would have to live on charity, Joe re-
ply had been
"Pll never eat a mouthful in this
town that | haven't worked for if /
starve.n And he had kept his word.
Now that he was fifteen years old he
was not willing to begin to receive
charity, even in the form of a reward
for his good deed
One day when some of the most
prominent men OF the village were talk
ing to him on the subject Joe said:
al don't want anything except q
chance to work, but I'll tell you what
you may do for me if you will. Now
that poor Martin is dead the ferry privi-
lege will be to lease again, and I'd like
to get it for a good long term. May be ]
can make something out of it by being
always ready to row people across, and
better than skiff after awhile III pay
the village what Martin paid"
The gentlemen were glad enough of 8
chance to do Joe even this small favor,
and there was no difficulty in the way.
The authorities gladly granted Joe
lease OF the ferry privilege for twenty
years, at twenty dollars a year rent,
which was the rate Martin had paid.
At first Joe rowed people back and
forth, saving what money he got very
carefullv. This was all that could be
required of him, but it occurred to Joe
that il he had a ferry-boat big enough,
II good many horses and cattle and a
good deal of freight would be sent
across the river, for he was "long-
headed fellow. as.I have said.
One day chance offered, and he
bought for twenty-five dollars large
old WOO boat, which was simply a
square barge TO. ty feet long and fifteen
feet wide, with ieveled bow and stern,
made to hold cordwood for the steam
boats With his own hands he laid a
stout deck on this and, with the assist
ance of n man whom he hired for that
purpose, he constructed pair of pad
dle-wheels. by that time Joe was out
of money, and work on the boat was
suspended for a while. When he had
accumulated little more money, he
bought a horse power and placed
it in the middle of his boat,
connecting it with the shaft of his
wheels Then he made rudder and
helm, and his horse-boat was ready for
use. 1t had cost him n hundred dollars
besides his own labor upon it. but it
would carry live stock and freight as
well as passengers. and 50 the business
OF the ferry rapidly increased, and Joe
began to put little money away in the
bank.
After awhile a railroad was built into
the village, and then a second one
came. \ year later another railroad |
was open on the other side of the river,
and all the passengers who came to one |
village by railroad had to be ferried |
across the river in order to continue their |
journey by the railroads there. The |
horse boat was too small and too slow |
Tor the business. and Joe lambert had |
to buy two steam ferry boats to take its
place. These cost more money than he |
had, but, as the owner of the ferry |
privilege, his credit was good, and the |
boats soon paid for themselves, while |
Joe bank account grew again.
Finally the railroad people determined
~ run through cars lOF passengers
and freight, and to carry them across
the river on large boats built for that
purpose; but before they gave their Or
ders to their boat builders, they were
waited upon by the attorneys of Joe
Lambert, who soon convinced them
that his ferry privileges gave him alone
the right TO run any kind of ferry-boats
between the villages which had now
crown to such size that they called
The mselves cities. The result was that
The railroads made contract with Joe
10 carry their cars across. and he had
some large boats built Tor that purpose.
All this occurred a good many years
ago, and Joe La bert is not called Joe
low, but Capt in Lambert. He is one
)f the most prosperous men in the lit
lie river city. ard owns many large riy
# steamers besides his erry-boats.
Nobody is reader than he to help
poor 10y or poor man; but he has his
own way If doing it. He will never
oss so much rs cent to a beggar, but
he never refuses to give man or boy
III nee to earn money by work. He
las an odd theory that money which
comes without work does more harm
han good Geo. Cary EggIest0n, in
Vide AWake.