The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-15
ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS.

BY today very nearly all the cannery-
MN on the Columbia River will have
paid Off their fishermen for their work
during the season just closed A student
of human nature would find most alb
sorbing subject In analyzlng the feelings.
desires, and projects fostsred by these
hardy to4iers when they feel their pockets
well lined with gold, and see seven
months of idl.ness ahead of them. Some
few find the topmost pinnacle of happi-
ness in the prospect of visit to their
old Norwegian, Russian or Finnish
homes, and later, arrayed as comfortable
men OF means, they enjoy the admiration
Of the old folks at home, who look on
Hans with astonishment and on the evil
dences of his wealth and prosperity with
feeding akin to awe. This class Of fish
Srmen are immigration recruits, though
unwsttingly SO, and many a cousin or
brother finds his way to the United
States iured hlther by the wonderful sue
cess Of his relative in the land Of the
free. Ticket agents and representatives
OF steamship lines profit to a considera-
BILE extent through these home visits, and
the men whose thoughts tend in this di-
rsctlon are on the whole most desir-
able and worthy body of citizens. We
can forgive their little showing of pride
and display, for It is laudable weakness,
rendered excusable by reason of the hard
and unremltting toll which has made the
exercise Of 1t possible. They are back
In Astoria with the beginning Of .he year
ready for work once more.
A second class, and one slightly more
numerous, are those who have married
and who have built up homes among
us which nestle in the hills overlooking
the canneries, and seem to cling pictur-
esquely In unexpected places surrounded
by lofty trees and heavy green under
growth. In these little homes are all the
evidences of rude, but genuine and Of
times refined, comfort. Children abound
In all OF them and many can boast OF
flower gardens and enclosures prolific
with vegetables of every kind. TO thsse
homes at the end OF the season come
this second class of fishermen, laden with
the SEASONS spoil which quickly becomes
converted into household supplies bought
In bulk. A new and gaudy dress for the
wife, strong clothes for the children, and
probably few enlarged crayon por-
traits a new parlor bibli, and curtains
for the sitting room are the only dlssi-
pations. The money that is left goes in
to the bank toward fund probably ac-
cumulating for the purchase of home.
The fisherman spends his winter knitting
nyts. entertaining his nelghbors, and
quietly waiting for next years tussle
with the storms and seas to reap fires sh
harvest. He lives decent life, is a good,
provident husband and father, aud alto
gsther an honest citizen.
The third class, very large one em-
braces the waits and strays OF the busl-
ness, the hard working, shiftless, happy
go-ucky men who are mostly good fish,
ermen but lamentably weak minded. The
end OF the season finds them with
plentiful supply of cash, and the electric
lights and gaudy tinsel OF the lower end
OF the city draw thsm irressti5ly into
a whirl OF silly dissipation. From 1t they
will emerge next month without money or
immediate prospects, of getting any
Rudely thrown out Of beer halls ana
gambling dens where all their earnings
have been stolen and cajoled from their
pockets, they have to face "wlater ct
discomfort" Indeed. The parasites who
have helped ITO squeeze them dry know
them no longer after the process is ac-
compiished, and with every other avenue
OF help closed they are forced to erply
TO cannerymen' for provisions to take
them through tin the next season. Gem
orally thsy get them and thereby pile
up heavy debt which 1t takes nearly the
whole OF the following years w,rk to
cancel A dangerous element when In
liquor, and at thsse times prolific source
OF street disturbances and barroom fights,
they are among the most undesirable set
Of men that live In the city. The only
people thsy benefit are a class OF gam
blers and pot-house sharks whose eAlst-
ence In Astoria Is a shame and disgrace
to the city authorities.