The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-12-07

Nv ENh g OIheu NS 1E
They Were tho Cholera.
Ofttimcs by night, when tho twin cities
are wrapped in slumber, whom only tho
might owls arc out, and every sound
can bo heard with greater oaso than in tho
daytime, Il close observer, stationed OH ono
of tho many bridges that cross the Allie
9hany river from city to city, might dotcct
a small craft, perhaps n skiff, going down
tho river. If an attempt were mado to
learn moro about tho BOAT and its occr-
pants or cargo, it is probable that tho self
appointed Investigator would Mt once DO
rcpulsed.
From tho mysterious actions of this
crafts crew any ordinary mortal would
quito innoccntly and naturally suppose
that it would be u fit subject for police in
vcstigation. The observer could call up
stories he may have read of tho "rivcr rats
of London" who frcqucntcd the old piers
of tho historic London bridge, that has
been falling down in the songs of child
hood for many decades, but which still
sustains tho weight of tramping multi
tudcs. The Thames river is yet so irfcst-
cd with river thieves that Il separate and
peculiar system OF police service patrols its
waters nightly and explores its secret
places, when they may be discovered.
However, the Allegheny river does not
compare i'll any way with the Shiny and
i'll famed Thames, neither are the cities of
Pittsburg and Allegheny infested with the
parasites known us"rivcr rats - the worst
of all thieves and thugs. The man that
may bo i'll the little boat and keeps so
strangely way from all things animate
or inanimntc is not employed in any ques-
tionublc work. but, on the contrary, is en-
gagged in II calling that is most strictly
honest and terribly dangerous. The curl
Gus observer, whose inquisitivcncss might
be aroused, would, if he knew the business
of this exclusive individual, give him a
wide berth and hcavc Il great sigh of relief
when no Disappeared.
1t is quito possible, and, moro than DOS
siblc, it is probable that the thousands of
slccpors in the down town districts of the
two cities and the hundreds of night toll
ers and idlcrs may some night DO awak-
cncd 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 it be tho
remains of II few spans of several bridges,
for these mon who slip through so silently
and unobtrusivcly III the waterway be-
tween tho shores of Pittsburg and Allie
ghany are engaged in carrying that dread
cd explosive, nitroglyccrin, from where it
Is mndc up tho Allegheny river to places
down tho 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
substance, and who have had bred in them
n contempt or carclcsSncss for its dangcrs
can DO induced to take it, for even II short
distance, in wagons fitted with tho incest
adjustment and safest springs. Thus the
placid waterways arc perhaps the safest
t,,l xyn ,- rl,n,,1, lit. $1,000.
substance can be transported.
Half II dozen or perhaps moro men are
engaged i'll this pcrilous occupation. They
go past large places like Pittsburg in tho
nighttime, when they will count very
little traffic, and when the waters arc Mt
rest. They arc the tcrrors of rivcrmen.
No matter how anxious n pilot may be to
reach port, tho sight OF the little red flag
shown by these wanderers of the water
ways is more than sufficient for him tc
nave tho engine stop to let the boats glide
past each other with us little agitation Oh
tho aqueous rs possible.
n year or more ago the towboat Pacific
left Pittsburg for Cincinnati. 1t had not
gone down tho Ohio very far when II lono
boat asked for II lift. 1t is customary Oh
the river for Il man who may DO out in 4
skiif to tie to u 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 ont and
Keep his skin away from the bargcs ard
WAS altogether very solicitous regarding
It's welfare. This strange caution and the
strained manners of the lone traveller OK
cited the suspicious of the captain and
crew, and it was demanded of him what
the boat contained, to which he rcplicd
that he was taking Il load OF glycerin TO be
shot in the oil and gas wells of Indiana.
This information hlanchcd The faces of tho
crew, who recognized that they were har-
boring instant death, and they gave him
two minutes 10 cut loose and get away.
fio uid not, and the captain very gingcrly
helped push the boat away. so that it
would not accidentally bump against tho
bargcs.
y witness to tho terrible explosion out
III the river from Parkcrsburg several
weeks ago, during tho hot spell early in
June, told II lcader man that the cxplo-
sion was probably due tn tho excessive
heat or Il sudden change of temperature.
lio said he saw tho maj wet II blanket
ana lay II over something rs if to protect
1t from the sun The next instant he heard
II mighty defamation and saw the flash OF
tho awful explosion.
Many steamboat men arc of the opinion
that tho steamer Cargo, which blow UP in
the Allegheny river opposite Eleventh
street seven years ago, was blown up by
nitroglyccrin. 1t is thought that u can
had somehow been dropped into the river
and washed to the city, where tho boat
struck it. A big hole in the river bottom
after the explosion made this theory very
plausible.
These men arc ostraci2cd just about as
much rs they ostracizc other people for