Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-16
4 GROUP OF CABINS.


GROUP OF CABINS.
There IL no stock to be seen. Mules are al
scarce as roses in December. There was
time when nearly every boat was provided
with from four to six good stout mules. cost
| ing anywhere from $3.50 to $3.50 apiece. but
they have been sold as the time has flown by
i to make the means for the purchase of bread
and fuel and to pay the doctors bills, which
have been items of great moment in this com
munity during the past two winters. Some Of
| the stock died. and this was one of the
worst things that the poor fellows of the
boats had to bear, as they grow to be fond OF
the animals, and especially at such a time OF
| hardship, when each one means the funds OF
| winter. One by one they have been sold at
/ great sacrifices and their vacant stalls in the
| little cabins have fallen into decay. Here and
there the harness of some mule that has died
may be leen through the windowless apertures
| IN the sides OF these cabins hanging on the
walls. to be sold If the owner can but find a
purchaser.
There has been one redeeming feature of the
stranding and that is that the occupants OF
these boats have had to pay no rent for their
domieiles and thus they have been enabled to
live In great economy. The drift wood picked
up on the banks of the rive< and the canal fur
| nished fuel and the only trouble was in the
matter of getting bread for the hungry ones.
colony winter before last and again last win ter
induced, no doubt, by the presence OF bad
water in the holds Of the boats, and number
| Of children and some grown folks died of
diphtheriA- There was quite Q scourge for a
while.
There is . sort of society among these people
and there are calls made and visits paid, and
courtesies exchanged, and various other little
neighborly amenities, and the entire commu-
nifty seems to be bound together by the common
misfortune. And there are small differences,
just as in normal neighborhoods and sometimes
quarrels that lead to further trouble. There is
love-naking, too, on the towpath and many
| a sweet-faced young girl bushes at the call OF
| some boatman as he tramps along the side OF
the canal to make his evening obeisance at the
feet Of his idol.
1t il q curious problem that is presented
here, q sort of overgrown, colossal Rudder
Grange, and the question that naturally arises
Is: How long could such q state of things con-
tinue? The question has its civic phase as well
as its physical and moral sides, and as an eco
attention Of any Of the profound thinkers of
the day.
There are some Doubling Thomases in the
colony who shake their heads over the pros
peet OF the opening Of the canal. and who say
that even if the business is started again il will
not mean much to the boatmen. who make SO
little in the work that they had better 20 at
something else. Yet it can be predicted
that if the chance be but offered the entire
community will accept it. One of these
individuals was found by the reporter, sitting
on box by the side Of the canal, smoking q
pipe, looking meditatively across the swift cur.
| rent of the Potomac. He was inclined to be
sociable and nodded greeting the wanderer
drew near. The old boatman took his pipe
from his mouth and waved his hand ''Howdyi'
he calculated. ''Hot dayr'
The reporter was of the same mind and he
| took the seat profered to him by the old man
on another box that once held tomatoes
ut don't make much difference with u.s." de-
clared the man. prodding his pipe with a straw.
''Freights is 50 low and tolls is so high that
when We do run we make hardly enough to pay
our expenses 1t is u tough pull, tell you. and
L don't like it. 1 have been boatin for
| twenty years, and 1 hain't made
cent of money and 1 hain't drunk
whisky neither. It's as tight a squeeze
| all the time you ever find. No. most of the
boats is not owned by the men themselves.
The capitalists own 'em and the poor fellers as
runs EN- make starvation wages. It's a good
thing for the rich man, but it's mighty hard on
| the poor devil who drives the mules. The canal
| makes lots Of money for the men as wants low
treights and 1t keeps Us hustlin' to make it for
'em.
| NO, you're wrong again. The boats is in
bad order. There lis not boat in the canal, at
this end at least, that could carry three ton OF
coal without sinkin'. Their cracks is wide open
and the calkin' is all out of en- This has been
done BY the sun and the lack OF
water. Every one Of 'em needs to be
hauled out and recalked and some Of 'em
entirely. rebuilt They are workin' on
some OF 'em at one Of the wharves now down the
| canal bit, and he jerked his thumb over his
shoulder toward Washington. "rve been work
IN ON one OF the boats for nine days, but was
iaid on today because they is out Of work and
| tney waits TIL they gets another boat yanked
outen the canal into place for the men I've
| damned my thumb all to pieces, too" and
the member that had done sign board duty a
| momene previous was held up and regarded rue.
fully. "Iheyss . mighty lot Of work to be
done on the canal and don't see how il 9 goin'
| to be done in the time they saw il ia Tbev
may do 1t, but it's mighty doubtful. The
drudges Is too big for the locks and thew has 10
be taken TO pieces ct every jump. and it's goin'
to take sight Of time to git one of EN- to-
gether again.
Yes, theyse sight of water in the boats. >,
The reporter was glad that he had struck a
correct lead at last. Some Of the boats is ful]
| of water and it ID almost as much as one nj
| them II worth to pump it out. But found an
/ easy way the other day. One of the boats iust
there" the battered thumb went pointing 10 !
dark spot beneath the Aquedust bridge, eva.
so full OF water that she rested on the
bottom l went and bought . lot of hose
this ordinary sprinklin' hose, and goi
some iron pipe from shop down street
and siphoned her out. 1 pulled away on The
lower end, that run down to the edge of the
| river, till l got . taste of mighty bad water
and then let her so. She run there for Ions