New-York tribune., 1885-08-10
ten years missionary in India. spoke on the condition
of wviicn III that Land.
AMONG The LUMBER MEN.

the largest lumber market IN the United States The
Lumber District is called lies north OF the CIT!
along Hudson River with the Eric Canal In the rear
and has dock frontage OF nearly mile ana a hai'.
Here millions OF feet OF lumber annually received
and shipped and thousands Of men and boys have en-
poymcnt The property belongs to the Van Ronsseaer
estate and commands high, rent The docks ana SIPS
are strong and well built and large sums OF money are
yearly expended to keep them In repair Near the lower
end OF the district and the canal In the centre OF
small park stands the deserted house OF the old
Van Rensselaer, Patrons. the hoe OF generations OF
that ustrous family Directly across the i er ON the
brow OF the hill Is another ancient house. once the
home of Van Rensselaer,. Tho yards extend bacK
from front to the canal In the distance OF
some hundred feet and between each pair OF
yards is slip running in from the canal to within
short distance OF the oice. Both canal and slips are
crowded with boats OF all descrI tions loading ana
unloading.
Business In the district begins with tho opening OF
navigation in the spring and closes with 1t in the fall
Throughout the winter Every little Is done with the
exception OF occasional shipment by rail- The pies
are rooted over tho offices locked aud the dealers
move down their winter quarters In the city. the
offices or cottages used by the dealers face the river
within short distance of the dock and ont In
line the whole length of the district They are intended
for occupancy ohy during about eight months OF tue
year. and are light frame structures. owned by their
respective occupants who vie with each other In making
them as attractive possible. Some have grass pats
and shade trees front OF them handsomely fur-
nshed and excel many Of the summer cottages seen
at The majority OF the dealers are resi-
dents of Albany and rank among her prominent citizens
The divided up into what are known as Cshada
and Michigan houses, the one handling only Canada
lumber and the other only Michigan though there are
several firms In the district who handle spruce anu n"
wood exclusively.
Most Of the bargeand river boats are owned or con-
trolled By shippers or scapers they are called by
the boatmen who contract with thedeacrs fol the snip
Inent Of their lumber. When buyer does not specify
how his lumber be shipped 1t left to the option OF
the dealer turns to his ayote shipper or 10
the one deliver 1t the cheapest as the
case may The shippers pay for the loading and un-
loading and carry theumber to the principal markets.
New York, Brooklyn and New Jersey. at an average
freight of from 50 cents to 81 per 1000 feet An
ordinary river boat will carry from 100000 TO 2ooooo
feet while many OF the barges Will carry over half
million. The shippers really the busiest men In tue
place and everything that is going on They are
constantly tramp from yard to another direct
ing the loading and shipping OF many lots OF lumber for
many different buyers and destinations, and when a
buyer comes to market he Is Immediately taken In tow Dy
one or Of them and escorted through the district
They virtually control the shipping business ard when
loads are the canal and eanacr deserts It's
friendly to try his luck on the river he necessarily
has to place himself their mercy for load furnished
commission.
All the larger vessels. bargcs. river boats and
schooners load fom outside II is called that Is on
the river rot and the lumber ia carried TO them from the
yards During the busy tie docks present very
lively appearance Barges and canal boats lie two and
three abreast whole length or the district hundreds
OF teams are carng Lumber I'm all directions aud drivers
are shouting ana urging them tugs pulling and
down the channel and above all IL the ncessant noise Of
falling boards swarns OF men walk back ana forth
across the decks dropping them one by one.
The hardwood lumber from the South and West
and the spruce aud hemock from Northern New York
Albany Is virtually drying point, avast sorting and
storing yard though millions OF feet or lumber owned
aud controlled by Albany parties are annually shipped
of Canada and Michigan levied on TO supply the
market and tho loggers camp In the forest 10 It's
destination Albany the lumber passes through many
hands AMI IA transported thousands OF miles, ny OK
in the woods In drives down the rivers ny Ncse sa
pne lumber shipped from Canada Is subject To duty OF
" eeT nr eat a@s IS to ee bills o ans one for
himself for the shipper ana one ior tuc cohsIshte
and ene OF these beng accomplished tie others stand
void The master agrees to deliver the lumber In Ike
good order aud condition as when shl cd ihe act OF
God the Queens enc mics fire aud all AID every tue dan
gers and accidents OF the rivers aud navigation OF
Whatsoever nature and kind excoI ted Tho cons'ghees
feet feet ron Ottawa 81 so from Oswego aud 3! from
Tcnawanda and Buffalo. the captains ayins for the
tnoasai feet. the above shipping points The Lumber
as at Albany is all rehandea by shippers who furnish
tue boats with loads commission aud advance money
for running expenses. . ,,,., ,.,.
The INN nlcrr cu
French men. Engsbmep. negroes aud the muscular sons
OF Erin In weather they WORK with surt-ironts
turned up to- the knees, and every part OF the skin
exposed 10 the Is quickly tanned 10 Tue coOr o so"
around the waist and handle the lumber with the bare
hands which become 50 hardened that the rougnes
boards slide through them without leaving splinter
The work is governed by scale OF prices adopted by tho
dealers which, remains fixed throughout he season. ana
strikes are thing nnhoard OF In the district The men
work by side IN perfect harmony and quarre are OF
rare occurrence; They earn good wages during ne
keep them through the winter when all work In the
district though majority OF them are young men
who let their slip from them as inst as earned
Life the Erie Canal Il anything bat pleasant exist
The boamen as rule are rongn d. itehas y. err, os,
specimens OF manhood conceivable Fights along the
canal OF Gangs OF rougs infest
the locks and shipping ports and watch for chance to
pick quarrel TO steal Whatever they can lay thelr
hands on They are the dread OF every decent boatman
on the canal but when captain is known TO have good
nghting behind hun he IA generally uii'nolesed
together in one of the upper slips Of district ENGAGED
ia a battle trivial occurrence aid nfteen
or sixteen men fought from boat to boat with fists and
clubs for nearly hour when the police got wird Of the
affair and raidec them strong antpathy always exists
Detween the dockmen and the boatmen. still there are
exceptions among caualers, ana you will ind wel-to DO
captains who intelligent. thrifty men. owning their
reliable crews They generally have their families
aboard. and neat cabin with bit Of lace few poed
cook" as the woman is called who spends her
summers in the cabin Of canal boat exposed 10 he
rough and profanity Of the boanen s not looked
upon with still VIII often catch glimpse
of n tidy form under cabin awning pretty face with
delicate features at cabin window MS the boats glide
silently along the levels The lumber boa,s run Sn, anu
day. only stopping to change horses or TO pass through
the locks aud the round trip usually occupies from two
To three weeks when the boat arrives In Albany an
inspector goes aboard with gang Of men and the tally
ing sorting and measuring bcgins The law allows four
days in which TO unload. though the time occupied Ia
GENERALLY from two trse. II boat detained longer
than four days consignees liable 10 pay demnr-
AGE for each DAVIS detention When the load II on the
captain reports at the Weghmasters Office with his
recent and gets his clearance papers, then the horsca
are brought from the canal stables and the boat starts
back on her long journey for another load.
AN INNOVATION AT CHA UTA UQUA.
CHAUTAUQUA, Aug. 8 Especial. the