The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-07-26

Such was the explosion OF the Moselle
near Cincinnati in 1888. The boat had
left its wharf and gone up stream to
take family on board. AS there was
no running on schedule time in those
Gays :he : Gamers accommodate. ed their
passengers by going out Of their usual
routes on by stopping wherever and
Whenever they We're asked. AS the Mo-
se.lc was q new brag boat" while wait
inS FOR his passengers the captain held
on To all the steam he could create
with the intention, not only OF showini;
off to the best advantage the great
snecd OF his boat as il passed down the
river the entire length Of the city but.
that he might overtake and pass anoth-
err boat which had left the wharf for
Louisville, but n short time previous"
Hardly lad he parted from his moor
lngS, however, before the boilers burst
ThoSe OF the passengers and crew who
were not killed by the explosion were
drowned-some 200 persons i'm all. The
whole performance was n fair sample
of the skill and Intelligence shown in
managing the early river steamers.
THE LIFE OF TIE RIVER MEN.
The enormous traffic which grew upon
the rivers gradually developed IL peclI-
liar people-"the river boatmen." Oblig-
ell to live IN the rudest way on their
RATS and flat beats. away from Their
families. crowded when in towns into
such quarters as the Swamp" in New
Orleans. having few pleasures but
drinking and gambling, these men be-
came toughs Of the most violent typ"
TACrc are many of them whose deeds
were SO dreadful that their Names are
still historic in the Niississ.npi Valley
One curious feature of their business
was that when they had reached New
Orleans they were obliged 10 sell their
boats as they could no: Re got up steam
and to come back on foot horse back
or by steamer. More bought DonicS
of the Chochtaw Indians and came on
horseback in the early days than in
any other way. II is a fact that many
of the horses used by farmers i'm Ohio
and Western Pennsylvania at that date
We're bought from rivermen. The father.
of Howells, the novelist. speaks OF own
ing pony when boy which his father
bought from a returned boatman for
SOS.
The rou&hneSs Of tho life lad cxcap-
tons. Now and then there were boat
men who led very happy. decent lives
on their crafts. This usually was due
TO one or more of them bringing their
wives and children. The dirty ca bins
soon became homc!iiic then. Flowers
appeared, awnings and hammocks were
put up, rocking chairs came out. chill.
dren played up and down the length of
the RATS and the dreary hopeless place
became n cosy floating home.
Very early IN the history Of the rivers
there app AIRED all She various ins..tu.
tons incidental 20 any kind Of organ.
lied living. Store boa:; soid :he river.
men furniture, groceries, oloth,ng. crl
alas! the worst OF bad whisky; churcl,
boats offered them rv:ces on Sunday.
there We're even floating thca;crs.
though rather for the accommodation OF
the towns on the river cnan for The sake
of the rivelmcn. These floating thsa:ers
had many amusing experiences. which
made UP in degr for the hard iinan.
cial luck which usually attended :ly.n.
Among the theater managers VINO tcs;i
COMPANIES down the river on q barc;
was the entertaining Colonel Ea.ema.I.
Though he trip was a. series OF hnanc.sl
makeshf!s, the colonel laid in a s;oc';
OF dinner tabln stories there which Lasted
him all his life. One of the best was tlr
following: