The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-11-15
SHIPPING IN WINTER.
The Big Schooners do the Bulk oil
the Work Then.
HOLIDAYS END ACTIVE WORK
July and August Are Also Slow Times for
the Masters and Sailors, But the Lat
ter Are Always Ready to Work on Ac-
count Of Necessity.

Now that the winter season Is practl-
cally here the average citizen speculates
rs to the comparative effects Of heat and
cold upon the shipping interests of Prov
idence. There was time. many years
ago, when during the winter season
nearly all of the sailing vessels ply ing be-
tween this port and other points along
the coast would go into winter quarters
about the first of November. In ship
ping circles winter was then dull period
and the dark background had no other
relief than the expectancy Of heavy and
rem lucrative freights during the forth
coming spring and summer.
Many OF the smaller craft tie up now
every winter, and traffic In lumber, sand.
cement. paving stones, curbing, tagging,
logwood, etc, practically ceases from
Nov. 10 to April /.
The weather is usually bad and stormy,
ana Treights. though good, are not suffi.
ciently renumerative for the yentu resome
skipper of the small schooner which re
mains in commission. Nearly all OF the
sklppers ana consignees calculate to have
their freight safely slowed at its destina-
tion before the holidays set IN.
Then, too, the smaller rivers of the
states In the extreme North are frozen
ice, which render navigation dangerous
at their mouths and practically impossi-
bic nearer their sources
BY this class of vessels, however. only
q small proportion of the coastwise
freight is brought TO Providence. Their
captains ana owners lake good profits by
reason OF their light draft and general
availability, and during the season of en-
forced idleness they live on the incomes
from their busy days.
But one OF these vessels of 300 tons
brings coal here and her last trip will be
made next week. Brick is brought here
ali through the winter to Manchester S
Hudson and j. &. Golf. We used to re-
ceive by water considerable brick from
Nayatt Point, which was transported I'm
scows during the summer, but these
scows have now been sold and this brick
is brought by rail. Nayatt creek is frozen
solldly every winter. The largest part of
our brick comes during the winter
months from Fishers Island
Some or the small vessels also bring pig
iron but he large three aud four nasI
vessels bring the bulk OF our winter
freight. No perceptible difference be-
tween their summer and winter cargoes
exists. If their is any preponderance IL is
IN favor OF the winter season from SEN
tenn ber to April
The barRes are run through the winter.
They bring very large proportion of the
coal used here. The B line, whose apent
at thls port /, Capt. McGarr, employs
three tugs and about thirty barges, the
initial letter OF every one being B.
Comparatively little is done in July
ana August. BY general consent these
months are apparently breathing spells
Tor these marine leviathans No diff.
Guilty is ever encountered in securing
crews for these vessels in winter or In
summer. The reason is that the sailors
are forced by their necessities to work
wiuhout long cessation at any season.
They are perhaps the most improvident
set engaged In any vocation. Only "A few
OF the crews ship by the month, all OF
them preferrlng TO hire by the trip
They are discharged with five or six
dollars In their pockets at every port.
This is quickly expended in the grogger-
les anu cheap boarding houses and
JACK" straightway goes to the shipping
agent or commissioner aud applies for
another berth. He does not have long to
walt usually before his pockets are o1ce
more filled and he is again blowing il
IN" on shore.