The Osceola times., 1884-03-15
A Chnl with Capt. Mary Miller.

Chat with Capt. Mary Miller
4 representative of the New Orleans
picayunc has had the following chat
with Capt Mrs. Mary Miller, of the
stanch little steamer Saline:
Mrs. Miller is a trim, bonny little wo-
man, whom nobody would credit with
years enough TO be the mother as she is,
of a family of four children, two ofwhom
are almost grown. The reporter was
made welcome with the ofi-hand, hearty
hospitality that seems natural with al
most all steamboat folks, and being seat
ed in another rocking-chair-sure eyi.
dence of woman's management-the
talk naturally trrned to Mrs Miller's
unusual life. 81 came of steamboat
family" said the lady "Nly father was
a steamboatman, and after ! married
Capt. Mlller-that was seventeen years
ago-I, of course, spent much of my time
on the river. We have beautiful home
at Louisville, andmy little ones are there
now, but for the past four years | have
been living mainly ON boat. My hus-
band used to do nothing but pilot, and |
spent much of my time in the pilot
house, and learned to manage a boat,
and how 10 navigate certain rivers, in
spite of myself. There is no reason why
a woman should not know or learn how
10 manage a boat as well as a sewing ma
chine" women often lack confidence
in their own ability" hazarded the re.
porter. She stared a bit, and then: "Yes,
that is true. They know what to do,
but prefer to stand by and tell some
man how to do it for them. But as
was say ing, learned to handle boat as
well as any man on the river and sever
al years ago | had an occasion TO test my
ability. Once nv husband fell i'll with
fever and we had a run ofhalfa hundred
miles to make, with several landings, in
very crooked bayou. took the boats
wheel and got through all right, although
you would haye laughed at the amaze
ment oftbe natives to see woman pi-
loting. Several years ago we had to 90
and take Oft loaded barges from a large
boat stuck on a sandbaI above Cairo.
My husband had to leave our boat and
remain on the other which was leaking
badly, and so | took the deck, had the
barges made fast to us, turned the boat
round and carried her down TO Cairo.
Capt. Cannon said then | had as good a
right to captains license as any man
on the river" "What do you do with
yourself all the time, Mrs. Mii,er?" asked
the reporter. We'll, | manage all the
money matters. When we are up in the
parishes buy and load the boat with
cotton seed, which ! buy after inspect
ing samples, and bring to New orleans
and sell out to merchants. We carry
other freight, of course, and | buy all
the boats provisions, and provisions al
so to sell to the plantation hands up the
country do ali the collecting and bank
ing business. At first the merchants
thought it odd to see woman come in
collecting, but | have yet never been
treated with anything but courtesy and
kindness; and, besides, they never hallow
out to me call again as they might to
man. Possessed of your captains Ii
cense, what do you mean to do?" 81
shall keep on Just as am moving. except
that shall be oltcncr ON deck and look
ing after the boat when she lands and
puts freight off or on. | wanted license
because | had earned it and wished to
undertake, when necessary, the free du-
ties of steamboat captain. You must
not think my life has been eventful. We
have never had any accidents happen to
us since we have been on the rive, and
| am not afrai d of any. Ours is a thou
sand-mile trip, and | sew, read, write to
the childIen, make out bills, and take
the deck when necessary. Not many
boats take our route II is through
beautiful hilly country, and the people
we meet at landings all know me. Most
of them call me Capt. Miller already"
"Do you think steambOating would be a
good profession for woman?h Certain
ly not, unless il has come TO her. not she
TO lt--as in my own case. SteamboatinC
was forced ON me, and the happiest
thing il has taught me is that whatever
man NAV learn to do, "A woman may al
so, providing it is not question OF MUS
Gle" Somebody poked an inquiring
head in at the door and asked Mrs
Miller if she had taken out that circular
saw for the wilderness Mrs. Miller
donned her business air, and the reporter
withdrew.