The Labor enquirer., 1884-04-12

L +
Ia bitter pill to haye to accept association
pilots at last, yet captains and owners
agreed that there was no other way. But
none of these outcasts offered So there
was still bitterer pill to be swallowed
they must be sought out and asked fol
their services. Captain - was the
first man who found it necessary to take
the dose, and he had been the loudesl
derider of the organization. He hunted
up one of the best of the association
pilots and SAID:
"Well, you boys have rather got the
best of US for little while, 30 I'll give
in with as good grace as can. I've
come to hire you; get your trunk aboard
right away. l want to leave at twelve
o'clock"
II don't know about that Who is
your other pilot?"
"I've got 1. s.. Why?
81 can't go with him. He don't belong
to the association"
"What?"
Its So"
"Do you mean to tell me that you
won't turn wheel with one of the very
best and oldest pilots on the river be-
cause he don't belong to your associa-
ton ?"
Eyes, do"
"Well, if this isn't putting on airs l
supposed was doing you benevolence
but I begin to think that am the party
that wants favor done. Are you acting
under law of the concern ?"
"Yes."
"Show it to me-"
So they stepped into the association
rooms, and the secretary soon satisfied
the captain. who said:
"Well, what am to do? have hired
Mr.. s. for the entire season"
II will provide for you," said the Sec
retary. II will detail pilot to 60 with
you, and he shall be on board at twelve
o'clock"
"But if l discharge s., he will come
on me for the whole seasons wages"
"Of course, that's a matter between
you and Mr.. s., captain. We cannot
meddle in your private affairs"
The captain stormed, but to no pur-
pose. At the end he had to discharge
s., pay him about 81 900, and take an
association pilot in his place. The laugh
was beginning to turn the other way
now. Every day, thenceforward a new
victim fell; every day some outraged
captain discharged a non-association pet,
and installed hated association man in
his berth. In very little while, the
non-associationists began to be pretty
plenty, brisk as business was, and much
as their services were desired. The
laugh was shifting 10 the other side OF
the mouths most palpably, These vic
tins, together with the captains and
owners, presently ceased to laugh alto
gether, and began to rage about the re
venge" they would take when the pass
ing business squirt was over.
Soon all the laughers that were left
we're the owners and crews of boats that
had two association pilots. But theil
triumph was not very long lived. Fol
this reason: 1t was rigid rule of the
association that its members should
never-under any circumstances what
ever-give information about the "chan-
mel" to any outsider. By this time about
half the boats had none but association
pilots, and the other half had none but
outsiders. At the first glance one would
suppose that when it came to forblddlne
information about the river these two
parties could play equally at that game
but this was not so. At every good-slzed
town from one end of the river to the
other, there was "wharf-boat" to land
at, instead of wharf or pier. Freight
was stored in it for transportation wait
ing passengers slept in its cabins. Upor
each of these wharf-boats the assocla'
toms officers placed strong box
fastened with peculiar lock, which was
used in no other service but one-the
United States mail service. 1t was the
letter-bag lock-a sacred governmental
thing. By dint of much beseeching th'
government had been persuaded to al
low the association to use this lock
Every association. man carried a key
which would open these boxes. Tha
key, or rather peculiar way of holding
it in the hand when its owner was asked
for river information by stranger
the success of the st, Louis. and New
Orleans association had now bred toler
ably thriving branches in dozen neigh
boring steamboat trades-was the assocl
alton mans sign and diploma of mem
bership; and if the stranger did not re
spond by producing a similar key ant
holding it in certain manner duly pre-
scribed, his questions were politely lg
nored. From the associations secret ar.
each member received package of NOR
or less gorgeous blanks, printed like
bill-head, on handsome paper, properi!