The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-05
MIDNIGHT ON THE DOCKS,
SHADOWS COME AND VANISH LIKE
GHOSTS IN THE DARKNESS.

The Lonely Life Of Dock watchmen and
the Queer WAYS OF h Remarkable
Characters Who Frequent the Docks
After Dark.
A sharp nor'wester had driven the watch
men of the North river docks to their stoves
and shelter, while q pale moon illuminated
the desolate scene outside, deepening the
somber shadows around. On the pier at the
foot of West Twenty-sixth street a reporter
approached the wharf buildings, and peered
in at a window through which a light was
shining. In the room, seated in an arm
chair. uniformed, his cap Oh his head, a Ian
tern close beside him, was the Waterman.
A sharp rap on the door startled him, and
instinctively he seized the lantern and came
out.
As the reporter withdrew the Waterman
held his lantern high up in the air and peered
around at the mass Of timber and rubbish,
then closed the door and returned to his
shelter.
At all adjoining wharf u canal barge
swayed gently IN the waves. Attracted by
C. cheerful light which shone from its cabin
window, the reporter went toward II. Tho
| IOOUl WIS IeioltluitI "a iii'h,A WV IL "a
nary comforts Of a chamber. 1t was a suite
of apartments gathered together in a space
about nine feet square. X kettle boiled
cheerily on the small stove in one corner, u
mirror in gilt frame hung from the ceiling,
marine chromos decorated the walls, little
white curtains adorned the windows, and a
canary iluttered about In a cage hanging IN
the center of the cabin.
The reporter tapped ON the window, and u
thin. lanky boy who was whiting beside the
stove got zap, thrust his nose against the win
dow pane, then climbing the companion way
raised the hatch and appeared head and
shoulders above the cabin. \ few inquiries
&. velopei the fact that the barge was named
Mary Jane, ana that she carried lumber up
the Erie canal.
Are YOU all alone Oh board lie replied
with a slow nod of ths head
Are you the captain
Nav, dads gone ashoor he answered
slowly. Just then the head Of IA wonan ap-
peared beside the boy and a whispered con
ference ensuc1.
Arc YOU the csptain'i wife, madamT
asked the reporter.
II reckon SO. replied the woman angrily,
'but what 10 yod want 70 know fora Sdth-
ms wrong. | gdeS, and a panied expression
pas5el over her face "a she looked with long
ing eycitoward the lights and the city IN the
distance. Ia spite oi a~"slgances her anxiety
aroused ~ fIe questions asA-i became
Grt1ter.
"Now if suthin's wrong, why don't ye tell
n.cf she picld-t Il know sathin's tho mat
to-. In SURF Oh IT, Why don't We tell me''
What IL wrong = asked the reporter.
"Ncll.ye see my husband went ashore this
mornia' specting to return at noon, and he
ain't back yet"
1t was uslcss to ask further questions; the
woman was inconsolable, and refused to an
swcr any. The reporter withdrew, leaving
the two figures outlined against the sky-the
wife looking anNiously toward the city, the
boy watching the lights on the river, while
the cabin within was desolate.
On the Wilson line steamship docks a little
man leaned lazily up against Il post, putting
| huge clouds oil tobacco from d pipe and gaz-
ing solennly at the boards.
Pretty quiet around heref' said the re-
porter.
YES. Somethin' like a graveyard to
night replied the man in a deep, sepulchrai
voice, his eyes st!ll fixed on the ground. II
WAS watchin' the rats scamperin' about there.
Him. They're hayini a high old time to
lisht none Of the mems workin' &c see, and
they ~ undisturbei
4 stout, muscular man clothed In pea
iacket and sou'Nester, sauntered slowly up
and down the dock. humming the Girl left
behind me- Ia a graft, uninusical voice.
..Wuz that two bells, mater he inquired Of
the solemn individual
zone bell 81 replied the watchman.
Good night for suicides" suggested the
reporter.
Yes, or even a murder continued the
Waterman. ~gloomily. There's been many
an accident and mush loss OF life happened
around here night times"
"Do YOU generally attempt u rescuef'
''Of course We DO. Who else would if we
didn't You see we're 50 used to it that We
understand all the s0ands and noises around
here. We can tell the difference between o
dash Of ths wave and the splash Of a suicide.
Why, / could detect the slightest footstcp iii
any part Of this dock. Do you hear that"
4 low, plaintive sound like the moan Of
some one ia distress echoed near by. Now,
that sounds like a groan, but it amt, its the
wind. There, hear thats That's the side Of
some ship scratchin' alongside the wharf.
Some time ago a soloon keeper had trouble
with his wife. He took a duckin', and when
We lished him out he thanked US, took a car
and went home. No one was the wiser 'cept-
ing ourselves. Pretty women-tramps, broken
down bankers, lovers, buns, all kinds, drops
over the side here into the river at night, and
we generally fishes 'ern out"
Don't you report these cases to the
policef
I'VE amt obliged to, cause we amt officers
Of the law. Then We don't often see q police
man above Fourteenth street. Its too quiet
for EN-, / guess"
Schooners and small craft were anchored
alongside the wharves, while lights shone
from the cabin windows aud their columns
OF smoke poured from the small chimneys on
the barges. Attracted by a light which hung
from q Short mast drifting about in the wind
the reporter walked to the end OF a wharf
and found a canal boat lying a few yards