The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-03-25
CANAL eoATMEN.
eonae Of the Reasons why Hls Lot II Not
Happy One.

ssme Of the Reasons why Hls Lot II Not
Happy One.
s'Whoa thar, you 'tarnation brutes!
Have to feed you on the fat o. the land
this blessed winter? You gol burned,
slab-sided. ugly-hello. who're you.
my pretty?"
And the canal-boat Captain turned
from his two drowsy and happy look
ing mules TO the Herald reporter, who
had just clambered down on the deck
from the pier of Old Slip. He was .
hearty old fellow. was the Captain,
with crisp. coal black hair. leathery
skin and rolling movement at the
shoulders which suggested disposition
to occupy as much space as possible.
His legs were protected from the sharp
weather by well worn hickory trousers,
above which swelled out big blue coat
with two rows of polished horn buttons
i On the back of his head was perched.
| or rather hung, brown wooden cap.
'Who re you?" he repeated, land
what n thunder do You mean by
wipin' your feet on my clean shirt?''
Il beg your pardon, Captain, but I
thought it was a mat" explained the
reporter. as he stepped off the red gar
ment which lay spread on the deck be-
side the forward hatehwsy.
The Captain picked up his shirt.
rolled his shoulders threateningly and
kicked one of the mules. The reporter
explained that as the State canals had
been closed for the winter it would be
interesting to know how the season
compared with other seasons
How the season, hey? That's what
You want to know? Wal, the season 8
bin burned bad, n I don't keer who
knows ii. burned, bad, SIR
The Captain hitched his hickory trou-
sers and rolled his shoulders at the mules
as il they We're the cause of all the
trouble. The mules looked troubled and
wagged their ears contentedly.
elf the canals hadn't bin made free
this year. he continued wed had to
give them mp. 1t was the only thing
that saved us from turnin' pirates or
buccaneers, look fat n conf able, do
If Wal, small credit to any one but
myself if / am fat n conf able. I've.
had to work like gallery slave, sir;
just like q gallery slave. What's the
trouble? Ill tell what's the trouble.
Charges is the trouble; that's what the
trouble is, Tarnation, mile high, sock
dolagers charges what ain right n amt
Christian. That's what's the trouble
Look at my two fine canal boats,
trim and steady as>sogers, sir. Look
at these hyar two mules; got Eve
more just as hungry n ngly n expen-
sive, gol dunn them. The hull outfit
cost me more'n $500. I'm capital
ist, that's what am. I'm also workin'
man. that's what am Wall, sir, after
I've worked n perspired and swore n
walloped them mules the hull summer
up and down the old Erie Canal, I've
got $500 left. Isn't that less'n t'other
Captains make? Wall, no faint. It's
good average this year"
These hyar charges begin at Buffalo.
The grain men don't gives us their or
ders, but they let out the hull business
to scalpers. What is scalper9 Wall.
. scalPer's man who scoops you. sir. -
And the Captain reached out his big
hands and grasped at the air in illustra-
ton OF the seooping propensities of the
wicked scalper.
'.He controls the business, and he's
public enemy, that's what he is Wal,
the scalper charges US five per cent of
profit for the cargo he gives us to carry.
How many bushels? Eight thousand
for each boat That makes $50 to the
burned scalper in Buffalo. Then he
gives us 800 on account n we start
out have two steerin' men at 81 q
day each, one driver at S25 month n
two more drivers at $50 a month.
have seven mules. All of them have
thunderin' appetites. ! think the mules
are q leetle ahead on the eatin' bust
ness, but their grub don't cost as much
as the mems But I'm gettin' off the
towpath of facts, sir. When I get nv
Cargo | have to pay 90. Is for every
LOCO bushels to the elevator man in
Buffalo to load my boat. That makes
go more to the elevator man. When
get to New York another slab-sided.
wall-eyed. everlastin' elevator man
charges me half cent for every bushel
ne unloads. That makes $50 to the
elevator man. The elevator man he
keeps the grain in his storehouse for the
merchant free for thirty days. like
his burned impudence. Ion t I have to
pay him for itp It's all wrong to make
US poor boatmen stand the hull racket.
cant talk logic. n amt got no book
larnin, but / know faint right. Let
the merchant take half share in the
expenses.
I'm the winter do nothin'. / amt
tit for nothin' but my boats / live on
one OF them all the year round with
my wife and one Of my children.
Tother ones at school. In the winter
! lodge my boats in the Erie Basin, and
it costs me $40 to keep them there. I've
got to feed n clothe my wife n chill
dren out of the soon I've got to let
these hyar mules fairly gorge them
selves. III never get no richer, l |
guess. n I'll always have to work. Col
durn it, if hadn't these mules here to
swar at n wollop don't think life d be |
worth living. Gee up thar. you ugly |
brutes."
As the reporter left the Captain was
trouncing his two mules and making all |
sorts OF comments on their personal APP
pearance, but thew simDly ate more hay