Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-21
Great Revolution in the Matter of
Conducting River Excursions
From the Port of Pittsburg.
NO LONGER THE TOUGHEST TIMES.
Now Patronized BY WOrkingmen and Their
Families, Enjoying Their Only
Opportunity Out.
BOAT RIDING ON THE ALLEGHENY
Also Induged in Regularly Every Week by Thousands
Of Pleasure Seekers

Many thousands of Pittsburg people who
work either In the mill, the shop or at the
desk, have enjoyed this season the facilities
offered for a pleasant outing one day in
seven. Excursions, especially on the rivers,
have never before been so popular and never
before so well managed and at so little cost
to the people as during the present summer.
Whatever the character of river excursions
at this port may have been in years past. il
is undeniable that they have this year been
conducted in the most orderly manner, and
afforded the people of all classes an opportu-
nifty for rational enjoyment and recreation
that has been improved to the fullest extent,
and found to be worth many times the cost
in the renewal of exhausted energies. These
excursions on the Ohio and the Monongshela,
with the happy hours spent by their partici-
pants in sailing on the placid waters OF
rambling in shady groves, are so potent in
Emitting the raveled sleeve Of care" as
sleep itself.
CHARACTER OF THE CROWDS.
These statements concerning river excur-
sions are based on the observations made by
a DISPATCH reporter yesterday, who was
detailed to investigate the steamboat excur-
sion business as now conducted. In carry
ing out instructions he boarded the big ex-
cursion steamer Mayfower, and watched the
crowds of pleasure seekers assembling
for a days enjoyment The people
who came on board, and their con-
duct during the trip, proved a revela-
tion to those who knew the time, not SO
very long ago, when an excursion on the
river was term synonymous with tough
time in general In the crowd was the
hardworkipg mill man, with his wife and
children, out for a little quiet enjoyment
after a weeks hard work; clerks, trades
men, mechanics. factory operatives, and in
fact bread-winners representing almost
every occupation composed the crowd, and
all wore prosperous and happy look.
The seven ages of man were all there,
from the mewling infant to its grandparent,
but of course the third age as described by
Shakespeare-the clover signing like a
furnace"-was the most numerously repre-
sented. They were there in force, dressed
in their best and basking in the smiles of
their best girls 1t was good-natured,
democratic crowd of upward of 800, whose
behavior during the afternoon was as Or
derly as that of the people on Fifth avenue
during the same time. The boat went to
Davis Island Dam, then returned to Shin
giss Park, where the people spent two hours
very pleasantly in the grove.
GREAT INvIGoRAToR.
The weather was delightful, and was not
the least important feature of the days en-
joyment Most of the people on the trip
will certainly go to work this morning
greatly invigorated by their half days out
ing in the fresh air.
Asked for an explanation of this great
change in the character of excursions, Mr..
L. 2. Birmingham. clerk of the boat, said:
''It is easily explained. Not a drop of
liquor is sold on the boat, and we don't
allow a passenger who has liquor with him
to go aboard if we know it. Only to-day a
party came down with basket of beer, and
we said they could not go aboard unless the
goods were placed in our charge, to be re-
turned to the owners when they got off the
boat They went back up street. By this
course we secure a good class of people, who
do not want to drink themselves and
sion where the practice is in
dulged in. We have carried $4,000
people since the season opened, May 1,
without an accident to one of them, and you
can imagine the pleasure that has been de-
rived through this source. We claim to be
doing public good, while making little
money ourselves. AT first we had to en-
ploy a lot OF police to keep order, and they
had their hands full. We still employ
few, as mere preeaution, but it is not neces-
sary as they have nothing to do. You will
see as good order on every occasion as you
see to-day.
In mingling with the crowd the reporter
caught snatches of conversation that showed
the character of the people on board. Here
were two mill men who work at different
places, and their talk was about the scale,
turns, heats, strikes, etc., and the boss of
one of them came in for good turning over,
too. Here are two women who have not
seen each other for a whole week, and they
settle down for a good chat One discon-
nected but very earnest remark by one of
them was, why, those three carpets cost
me over 500.
OPEN FOR ARGUMENT.
Here is an Alleghenian who has met q
Pittsburg friend, and, drifting into munich
pal matters, the latter said: Wasn't that
8 rather misft speech George Elphinstone
made at your great Semi-Centennial blow
out Thursday"
that Pittsburg is as he described it, do
you?"
And then they went at 1t, giving each
other some pretty hard hits about the short
comings or the merits of the two cities, as
their preferences prompted.
Here come two little girls about ID wears
of age, and one exclaims: "Why, there's
Mary, ,nowP' and off they run to greet Mary,
who was Just little tardy in filling her
promise to meet them there. 1t was de-
lightful to see the innocent enjoyment these
three fast friends had during the afternoon
They doubtless slept too sound last night to
dream of the days pleasures, for after their
two hours ramble in the woods they went
home too tired and happy to have restless,
dresm-provoking slumber.
Here are two men deeply interested in
something in The DISPATCH. They were
seen an hour later, sitting in the same place,
still discussing the contents of the paper
They found food for thought, discussion and
interchange of opinion that could not but be
mutually beneficial.
NOTHING BUT GOOD FEELING.
And so it went all the afternoon. The
people on the boat were not the class who
make pleasure their business, hence a day
ont once in a week or so has some meaning
for them. A strictly impartial and careful
observation of the crowd and manner in
,-b;ab tbav nassed the few hours ont of the