Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-21
SAND A VALUED CROP.
How IL t Gathered Periodically From the
Bottom OF Rock Creek,

u
Bottom OF Rock Creek.
Two aged colored men were hoatingfn scov
on the waters of Rock creek near the p street
bridge bright and early yesterday morning.
Their occupation, though not especially Mt
tractive, was picturesque. Each Of them had
an enormous scoop, like an exaggerated iron
dipper, on the end of long pole. With these
implements they were engaged in fetching M
portions Of the bottom Of the stream. deposit
ing the results Of their toll inside of their curl
ons hst-bottomed craft, which was moored 70
the bank by a rope.
''Business am very poor Just now" sail one
of them. pausing in his work b. reply 20 a query
from STAR writer. dis creek has been pooty
much fshed out oh late. Its mo-1v mud an
mighty little sand. Yes. sah sane am what We Il
hshin fer. After n freshet is the time TO git il,
when the water has riZ an brought n from
cherry small stream dat flows into Rock creek.
GOVERN the bottom with deep layer oh stud
That am wuff scoopin' after"
80 the harvest is poor lust nowP"
'les, sab. It's been some time since the last
freshet; the sand has been mos ly done TUX awav
There are about dozen scows in the business
40 that one crop don't go to last very long we's
hopin' fer anudder big rain wotl make the
creek swell TIL it's like 10 bust. Then We n have
good pawn time. You See sab il all depepd.
on the freshets how much We earn. II sand am
plentiful We can make SO week and that's
better wages than pusson can git workin' on
the street. Sand am wuff 30 cents a tsrtlo.d
an cart holds about fifteen bushels It's hard
labor, sab, but that don't make no difference.
The poor man has gotter toll or starye."
But who buys your sandY'
The builders buys it, sab They use IL fer
maxim mortar. You see they've gotter have H.
an they have to git il from way down ths Po-
tomac unless they git II from colored gen linen
IN our line OF business. They can buy it cheaper
from us because there amt no freight 70 nav
Down the ribber, about thirty or forty miles.
big dredging scows fetch up sand from the bot
tom, and when they are loaded they are NDwed
up TO the city. Blu: dat am pooty expensive Of
course. SO whenever sand can be scoopel here
IN the creek You will see the scows out fshiu'
fer il. When the sand has all been TUX away
an there amt nothin' left but mud we uns Is
down on our luck"
That isn't very pretty looking sand Won are
digging out just at present"
mo. sah; that's fact, il amt But it's good
enough fer maxim mortar. IL YOU want fancy
sand you must hire n canal boat an FIJI il by
spadin' IL out from the beaches far down the
Potomac, where the water am salt But it'll
cost you n big price. Rock creek sand is used
for maxim concrete also. and for that purpose
we dig II off n the bars in the stream. such
sand wouldn't do for mortar. because IL = full Of
pebble, but they only make the concrete hetter
Dis am hard business an no mistake but the
poor man has gotter labor awful hard TO make
a livin in dis world. When the rich man wants
anything he don't even have to pay for il. He
jus says charge it, or writes his name on q
check, on that settles the bill. had IN ele-
CANT scuw of nv own once that cost $50, but Il
was smashed up In storm lRst winter. Now I
run dis boat fer annudder gen1men. I've goa
my load now, an I'm goin."
With which final remark the old man cast Oh
his mooring rope and foated away with his
companion in the scow. both Of them using
paddle occasionally TO keep the queer-looking
craft straight with the current