New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-31
CAPTAIN MARY MILLER TALKS.
Erom The Ne,e.orleans Picawun..

Mrs Miller is trim, bonny little woman,
whom nobody would credit with years enough TO be the
mother as she Is, OF iaIlly o! louI cHich Two VI
The reporter was made welcome with the of hand
hearty hosptalty that natural with almost all
steamboat folks and being seated In sanother rocang
char-sure evidence Of wolnans management Ihe TAX
naturally turned 10 Mrs Millcrs unusual life
come OF a steamboat family, sald tue lay my
father a steamboatman, aud after married captain
Mler-that seventeen years ago OF course spent
much OF my time on the river We nave Oeantitui
home at Louisville, and my little ones are all there now
a boat Ny husband used to do nothing but pilot and
boat and how navigate certain rivers In spite
Of myself There Is no reason WY woman should not
know or learn how to manage boat as well as sewing
women often lack confidence In their own ability"
s6 saTed Bit ana then: "Ycs. that Is true. They
know what to do but prefer to stand by ana tell some
man how 10 do it for them. But as | was saying. /
inrned 10 handle boat rs well any man on the river
and several wears ago had occasion to test my ability
Once INV husband fell III With fever and we had run Of
half hundred miles 10 make with several andlngr III
very crooked bayou. took the DQats Wheel anu goI
tbrgb ali rrbt although YOU would have laughed over
,hc cement of the natives 10 woman plotting
Several years ago had % 20 ana take on oaleu
frorn a largo boat stuck on saudbar above Cairo. My
h hand had 10 leave our boat TO remain the other,
which was leaking badly and so took the deck had nS
are made Ia Il 10 w. turned the boat round and carried
berefov,n 10 caro- Captain Cannon said then had as
good right TO Cal tmns Incense rs "i'y in@H vi '"'
what do You do with YOURSELF all the time Mrs
Miller T. asked the reporter ...... u,,o, ,ro ara
mn I'm Tie parishes buy and load the boat WIN c9ttO-
seed which buy after Inspecting samples and brinS 20
New-Orcans and sell out 10 merchants We carry olhe
y-ct az course and buy all the boats provisions ana
nrnVisons also 20. sell TO the plantation hhnd- w INC
country Then do all the collecting ana bahkIng Ds
ness AZ drst the merchants thought IL odd To see a
woman come In collecting, but have neyet YET Deeh
treated with ANYTHING but courtesy ana kndhessi hhu
besides they never halloo out to me. 10 can again. IL
they mi ght 20 a man." . -, q, 49,, ,,oo,,
p6ssessed Of your captains license what do yol mean
ii shall keep on Just as am moving e1cep. lnaI l
shall be oftener on deck and looking after he 9oa Me
Tor d. nd uuf
because had earned u ANA wished to unde take "Hen
NECESSARY the free duties or steamboat captan W.
Yon must not think my life las been eNsAlI US,
have never had any accidents happen 20 US hiuo w." =
been on tie river and am not AFRAID Of any 0IS - d
thousand mile trip, and sew, read "Il'e 10 'no -
make out bills and take the deCk wheh beo'sh
many boats take route. us through S Dg. ~
hy country and the people we nyet 80 a1roeJ
know me. Most Of them call me CapNlh 1leI acIuS,
"DO you think steamboaing WOuid DC" II E"'" F''
fcssiOn for a woman T. -. -. =. Gil,
Certainly not unless Il had come to her not se 20 -
as In my steanD0ating was IVeeu Oh III =