Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-06-29
LAND OF CANALS.
HOW THE GOOD PEOPLE OF
HOLLAND DO THINGS.
Slow and Tedious Method of Pro-
pelling the Canal Boats-Plenty
of Push Carts-Novel
Drainage System.
hundreds of canals in
Amsterdam, writes corre-

SpOnueub OF Une washington
Star, furnish cheap and COM
modious avenues for the transport of
every conceivable article of commerce
and from all parts of Holland. 1t
would be extremely interesting to
know the cargoes and starting places
of the vessels which are pushed along
these canals-literally pushed-for
tug service is expensive, and the re-
stricted possibilities for tacking rem
ders the sails useless. The boatman
walks to the bow of his boat, thrusts
long pole in the water, then facing
the stern and with his shoulder against
the free end of the pole he literally
kicks the boat from under himself rs
be apparently walks toward the stern.
When he risks walking overheard he
withdraws the pole and repeats the
process, going first on one side of the
boat then on the other for the purpose
of steering. 1t is q slow and tedious
process. Here everything, nearly, is
pushed, and the number of push carts
is far in excess of the number of
vehicles for horses. The delivery
carts are pushed; small peripatetic
shops seem impelled by magic power
but there is man behind, or wo-
man.
1t is also astonishing to note the
variety of goods which are offered for
sale from these carts, hardware and
tinware, even including stoves, books,
day books and ledgers, stationery of
oil kinds, glassware, lamp chimneys,
cups and saucers, shoes, hats, clothes,
old and new, and, in fact, the only
thing omitted is coffins Then the
dealers in "rags, bones and old iron"
pick up every imaginable bit of rub
bish, and after deciphering it's use and
brushing it up little, offer it for sale
on the market square or in trade with
some brother peddler.
The margin of profit is SO small in
Amsterdam that shopkeeping can be
only incidental, and hence but small
part of the house is given up for the
store-so small, in fact, that when the
merchant desiresto measure off piece
of oil cloth it is necessary for him to
use the sidewalk for his counter. This
does not discommode the passersby;
they walk in the street.
But to return to the canals. There
are canals everywhere, canals large
enough to float an ocean steamer, and
canals so small that they barely admit
the boat in which the milkmaid goes
out to milk, but have never seen o
canal too large or too small for the
fisherman's line. Along the banks of
every one small boys and large boys
may be seen waiting for bite. 1 have
watched hundreds of persons thus en-
gagged, and I have seen as many fish IN
duly authenticated baskets, but have
never yet seen a fish caught.
First and foremost, the canals are
drains, except in rare instances; the
traffic carrying is incidental. In the
country, since the land is all below the
level OF the sea, IN order to cultivate
the soil it must be drained. bitches
are dug, into which the water runs,
then as these bitches become full the
water is pumped into others having
higher banks, then from the latter in :
TO othersgstill higher, until finally sea
level is reached, and the outfowing
tide carries the water oceanw ards. In
the early steps the water is lifted by
wind power, but soonIthe volume be-
comes SO great and such large area
of land is interested in its prompt
handling that the State erects pump
ing station, and trusted official sees
to it that the water in his canal does
not remain.above its assigned level.
Thus it is that these drains become
waterways. Their banks, made of
sandy earth, require reinforcement !;
they must be faced with stone or for
titled by piles, large or small. In the
case of the larger streams these banks
become dykes. and both stone and
piles are needed in order to keep the
water within its bounds. There is not
stone quarry in Holland, yet it has
more stone work to the square mile
than any other country in the world.
Its forests are not sufficient to furnish
the inhabitants. still it has millions of
trees wholly underground, driven in
to serve as building foundations or hold
in check the washing waters. The
great dykes along the North Sea, on
both sides of the River Mas, skirting
the Rhine and the Zuider Sea, arc
faced with piles as close together as
they can be driven, each one of which
cost 81 to put in place, and backed up
by dressed German bassalt or Nor
wegian granite. If Napoleon claimed
Holland because it was formed of de-
tritus carried down by the Meuse and
the Rhine, Norway and Germany
might demand reward for anchor.
ing it.
CuriOus SnecimeuS of Plant Life.