The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-03-20
THE RIVER MAN.
Talks With q Purveyor for Junk
Shop and Morgue.

Among the many occupations Of those
who follow the water for living none
is more peculiar or more speculative
than that of Hugh Townsend, or
"Hughey," as he is Familiarity called by
his associates along the North River
front. Born in Chicago, he came to
this city some twenty-five years ago,
and having been sailor on the lakes
for many years, naturally turned to the
water for support. He invested his
savings in a Whitehall boat, having had
a boatbuilder to construct it after his
own design, easy to row and affording
plenty of room, and in which he spent
most of his time rowing up and down
the Hudson, gathering in any article of
value that may have been dropped from
passing boats. Living on the water, he
sees phase of life little dreamed of by
the residents of cities. His stories of
struggles, deaths and brutal ARRAYS
along the docks would fill book. Sui
cides he has seen and murders most
foul, but in all his experience no one
ever touched old .'Hughey." As he ex-
presses it, his life is .'gamble," never
knowing in the morning where he win
be at night, but still going at his work
with a light heart and a general desire
that the day may be a profitable one. In
foggy weather he is of great assistance
to the river craft, pointing out the
docks, telling the location of vessels at
anchor and warning the steamboat
pilot of his proximity to the shore. His
value in this way can be understood
and is appreciated.
The junk shop plays an important
part in ''Hughey's" business by pur-
chasing the old rope, canvas, copper,
brass, scrap tin, ETC., that he collects.
Almost every one has noticed these
peculiar old shops along the river front,
their sign an anchor and their business
denoted by the quantity of old iron and
brass, anchor chains and rusty pots,
pans and kettles on the sidewalk, piled
up until they cover the windows, leav-
ing only the door to admit the feeble
light and occasional customer to the
inner recesses Of mystery. Every night
; after ''Hughey" has fastened his boat
under some convenient dock he carries
his load of waste to the old junkman,
and on being paid, his days work is
done. Then his pipe is taken out, and
lighting it he starts for home and wife,
stopping at every corner at the hail of
some friend to pass the time of day and
talk over the latest river sensation, to
which perhaps one or both had been a
yvifnooo Thu nor mr. inc <x{ ~ - "a
all know "Hughey." and many stray
coil of rope finds its way into his boat,
propelled to its destination by willing
and generous hands.
During the summer months Hugh
ey" reaps a rich harvest from the ex-
cursion barges aud river steamboats,
that pass continuously up and down the
river. Hats and bonnets are blown
from the heads of pleasure-seekers and
tired travellers alike, and they all 90 to
enrich ''Hughey's' collection. To see
him pulling his boat up the river, keep
ing his eyes on the water and stopping
now and again to gather in his ..find. q
one Is forcibly reminded of Dickens
Rogue Riderhood, who, with his
daughter -pent his nights upon the
Thames picking up the bodies of the
unfortunate dead. and. after rifiing
their pockets of everything they con-
tanned (sometimes taking the rings
from their fingers and earrings from
their ears). casting them back into the
cold and pitilcss river.
For many years .sHughey' carried on
an extensive business with the Coroner's
office, his luck of finding bodies BEING
the talk OF the river. The remark that
"Hughey has another .fioater.''' be-
came by-word, and when his boat was
seen coming into the dock people looked
beyond it for the ripple Of the waves
that betokened drag at the stern and
foretold ''Crowner's quest. He is
often engaged to drag the river around
the docks for the body Of some missing
person, whose relatives, wild with anx.
iety, stand on the pier and direct his
movements. This branch of his BUSH
ness he has found very lucrative.
A newspaper representative lately
chanced upon ''Hughey" and accepted
an invitation to accompany him upon
one OF his expeditions up the river. In
answer to question referring to the
number Of bodies found now as COM
pared to = few years ago, he said.