Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-23
FEATURES OF FLORIDA LIFE
The Trading Boat is Still Used on the East
Coast.
A Floating General Merchandise Store
Water Ways to Distant Points.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
SEWALL'S POINT,

=
With the opening of the East Coast line
Of railroad to Lake Worth, and the prospect
Of its ultimate extension to the waters of
Biscayne Bay, many of the old institutions.
customs and methods Of the Indian river
country are fast disappearing - some Of
them have already gone forever. But the
tvading-boat Is still in evidence although
not holding its own in the onward march
of civilization on the east coast. Time was
when the settlers depended almost entirely
upon these floating stores for their Supplies.
and there was a fleet Of fully thirty Of them
between Ormond end the Jupiter river.
Now there are only seven Of them. as near
ly as can be learned-two hailing from Mel
bourne, one from Eau Gallie, and one each
from Titusville. Fort Pierce and two differ
ent points on the st. Lucie river.
The trading boats fourished and their
owners made money in the days before the
deepening Of the channel-when there was
not enough water in many places for even
the nghtest-draft steamboats-and when
regularly stocked stores were few and far
between along the river. Then the trading
boats frequently carried merchandise ag-
gregating many thousands OF dollars in
value. and trade was brisk and profits big.
They all had a look somewhat similar
generally sloop-rigged. with a low house
covering nearly everything, and were from
fourteen to twenty tons burden. But the
in most instances distinguish them some
miles away by some little popularity Of
shape color or rig. Their coming was hall
ed with delight. and their captains and
crews were hale fellows, well met with
the people at every settlement.
Today I went aboard one Of these boats
at the pier here. She was a large, roomy
craft-about sixteen tons. I should say-and
hoi la1 al han v1yoo nf
the fiat-iron Pattern, her hull and all her
woodwork painted white, and her rig that
of sloop Below deck she was fitted up
like store-with counter. shelves, scales.
desk etc. Her stock consisted of groceries.
both staple and fancy, coarse clothing, hats.
caps boots and shoes. cloths. dry goods.
notions. stationery. books. hardware. con-
fectionery. powder, shot, fishing tackle.
guns, revolvers and general sporting goods.
Views of q Captain.
do the people along the river buy Of you
as much as formerly" asked the captain
Of the craft.
well, yes," was the reply, in q slightly
doubtful tone, I'VE get rid Of about as much
stock per trip as we used to. but we don't
make as many trips as We did formerly,
you see."
Let me ask you why 1t is that these
people buy Of the trading boats when there
are so many stores and tie means Of trans
Il reckon our prices are just little
lower. and then the country folks get tired
Of selecting goods from the same old stocks
In the home stores. The change is agree
many Of the folks hereabouts prefer to
stick to the old custom. When we hauled
up at Jensen the other day We had all we
could do for four hours serving customers
They came from the settlement and from
far and near in boats. Our sales there
amounted to over 500. and darkness alone
put a stop to the business. The colored
people buy more than they used to- In the
first place, there are more of them, and
nowadays they have more money than
formerly and live better in every way. The
men buy tack-knives. pipes, cigars. tobacco
neckties, fishing tackle and shot; the wo.
men, ribbons, handkerchiefs, hose, belts
aprons. wrappers, scissors, thread and
cheap Jewelry; the children. peanuts and
confectionery. On pleasant Saturday after
moons l have seen as many as thirty boats
of all kinds made fast to this craft, and
our customers would reach as many as q
hundred sometimes But six or eight times
a year Is as often as We go nowadays. II
wouldn't pay to keep the boat going all
the time The novelty of the thing would
wear OF, and the business would peter
out fast. AS 1t is,. the regular traders
manage to work on a good deal OF their
surplus stocks through the trading boats
l reckon you won't see q craft Of this kind
on the Indian river five years from now"
The crew Of an Indian river trading
boat comprises generally from two to four
men-the boss and his assistants. The
latter take turns at cooking. clerking and
manning the boat, and the nights are
always divided into watches There are
always numerous pistols. revolvers and
shotguns on board. for 1t frequently hap
pens that the boss must carry a large
amount Of money along until he gets q
chance to deposit It, A trading boat was
pointed out to me one day last February
whose captain was said to have 5000 in
cash ION him." But, with an express office
every ten or fifteen miles. and banks in
many Of the river towns, this is really no
longer necessary.
The development Of the East Coast coun-
try, under the inspiration Of Mr.. H. NJ
Flagler, is amazing in its rapidity, but II
necessarily drives out many Of the long
established and picturesque features OF
life in that section