The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-27
STRANGE MARINERS.
eoATmEN WHO PASS THE LARGE CIT
les DURING THE NIGHT.
They Transport the Dreadful Nitrogiycerln.
/ Pilots Have Great Respect For the Boats
with a Little Red Fiag--Avoided as II
They Were the Cholera.


with a Little Red Fiag--Avoided as II
They Were the Cholera.
Outlines by night, when the twin cities
are wrapped In slumber, whcn only the
might owls" are out, and every sound
can loo heard with greater ease than In the
daytime, a close observer, stationed on one
of the many bridges that cross the Allie
'ghany river from city to city, might detect
a small craft, perhaps skiff, going down
the river. II an attempt were made 10
learn more about the boat and its occu-
pants or cargo, IL is probable that the self
appointed investigator would at once be
repulsed.
From the mysterious actions Of this
crafts crew any ordinary mortal would
quite innocently and naturally suppose
that 1t would be fit subject for police in
restigation. The observer could call up
stories he may have read OF the "river rats
of London" who frequented the old piers
of the historic London bridge, that has
been falling down in the songs of child
hood for many decades, but which still
sustains the weight of tramping multi
tudes. The Thames river is yet so infest-
ed with river thieves that a separate and
peculiar system of police service patrols its
waters nightly and explores its secret
places, when they may be discovered.
However, tho Allegheny river does not
compare in Any way with the Shiny and
i'll famed Thames, neithcr are the cities of
Pittsburg and Allegheny Infested with the
parasites known as "river rats, - the worst
of all thieves and thugs. The man that
may be in the little boat and keeps so
strangely away from all things animate
or inanimate Is not employed In any ques-
tionable work. but, on the contrary is en-
gaged in a calling that Is most strictly
honest and terribly dangerous. The curl
ous observer, whose inquisitiveness might
be aroused, would, If be knew the business
OF this exclusive individual, give him
wide berth and heave great sigh Of relief
when he disappeared.
II Is quite possible, and. more than pos
sible, IL is probable that the thousands Of
sleepers in the down town districts of the
two cities and the hundreds OF night toll
ers and idlers may some night be awak-
ened and startled by the noise OF the most
tremendous explosion, such as Will shake
the very foundations of the cities and leave
no trace Of its destruction unless IL be the
remains of few spans Of several bridges,
for these men who slip through SO silently
and unobtrusively on the waterway be-
tween the shores Of Pittsburg and Allie
ghany are engaged in carrying that dread
ed explosive, nitroglycerin, from where IL
Is made up the Allegheny river TO places
down the Ohio and on the Mississippi
and other rivers.
This greasy explosive cannot be trans
ported by railroads for obvious reasons, and
only men who by constant contact with the
...l.e L... I..1 l..oI H.. k,t..
a contempt or carelessness for its dangers,
can be induced to take it, for even short
distance, In wagons fitted with the incest
adjustment and safest springs. Thus the
placid waterways are perhaps the safest
highways whereby this most dangerous
substance can be transported.
Half dozen or perhaps more men arc
engaged in this perilous occupation. They
go past large places like Pittsburg In the
nighttime, when they will encounter very
little traffic, and when the waters are at
rest. They are the terrors OF rivsrsaen.
NO matter how anxious pilot r}ay DO TO
reach port, the sight of the little red flag
shown by these wanderers Of the water
ways Is more than sufficient for him to
have the engines stop to let the boats glide
past each other with as little agitation on
the aqueous as possible.
A year or more ago the towboat Pacific
left Pittsburg for Cincinnati. It had not
gone down the Ohio very far when a lone
boat asked for lift. 1t is customary on
the river for a man who may be out in a
sKiff TO tic to tow, and thus be taken the
length of his journey.
This individual tied up and went along
all day. 1t was noticed that whenever an
other boat passed he would go out and
keep his skiff away from the barges and
was altogether very solicitous regarding
its welfare. This strange caution and the
strained manners of the lone traveller ex-
cited the suspicious of the captain and
crew, and IL was demanded of him what
the boat contained, TO which he replied
that he was taking "a load of glycerin to be
shot I'm the oil and gas wells of Indiana.
This information blanched the faces of the
Grew, who recognized that they were har-
boring instant death, and they gave him
two minutes to cut loose and get away.
He did not, and the captain very gingery
helped push the boat away, so that it
would not accidentally bump against the
oarges.
A witness to the terrible explosion out
I'm the river from Parkersburg several
weeks ago. during the hot spell early in
June told Leader man that the explo-
sion WAS probably due to the excessive
heat or a sudden change Of temperature.
He said he saw the man wet blanket
and lay 1t over something rs IL TO protect
1t from the sun. The next instant he heard
a mighty detonation and saw the flash Of
the awful explosion.
Many steamboat men are of the opinion
that the steamer Cargo which blew up in
the Allegheny river opposite Eleventh
street seven years ago, was blown up by
nitroglycerin. 1t is thought that can
had somehow been dropped into the river
and washed 20 the city, where the boat
struck It. A big hole in the river bottom
after the explosion made this theory very
plausible
These men are ostracized just about as
much as they ostracize other people for
their own safety. When on their trips
their lives hang on the mere possibility Of
their being able TO keep their boat from
being Jared. They are avoided as though
they were the living reality Of Asiatic
cholera a--Pittsburg Leader.