Phoenix weekly herald., 1896-07-23
CANAL BOAT LIFE.
As Seer, by an Arizonan On the Erie
Canal.


Canal.
It was my good fortune TO spend a
few days With 8 friend in Whitesboro.
n. Y, who keeps trading post on the
bank of the EeIs canal, in the same
place his father before him kept.
He does t. MICS little business with
the canal boats as they pass, but, as he
told NE, ths business is not what it
used to DO. The time was when is was
very profitable and my friend has sue
ceeded in masking himself comfortable
home, besides laying by snug sum for
a raiay day.
While there l became very much in
terested in canal boat life as saw it
passing up and down the canal. At
the present time there are some 1000 or
more Of them engaged in carrying grain
and lumber fron Buffalo to Albuny and
New York, via the Erie canal and the
Hudson river. Between Buffalo and
Albany the motive power is-the ancient
aud time honored male, Who. in this aga
Of steam and electricity, is fast becom-
ing a relic of the past. From Albany
they are sowed down the Hudson river
by steam Jugs, carrying forty TO fifty at
q time.
This year they get for down freight
bhyee and one-half cents per oDs huud
red pounds, and for back freight from
forty TO seventy five csnts per ton
when they oan get il, many, however,
return empty.
The carrying capacity Of canal boat
is fifty thousand pounds. TIE bins re-
CURED 50 make the round trip is thirty
days, that is the average, bus taking de-
lays and accidents into consideration,
they are fortunate who cen make five
trips in 4 SEASON, many only make four
For be it known, to ye Inhabitants Of
she land OF sanshine-that the canal is
frozen cold about six months in the
year, WHEN it furn isles elegant skstipg
for the youth of the land.
The boats are handled two together,
being dashed end TO end for The reason
that two thus-arranRed osn be handled
with the same aunl Der OF men as one
alone, and only require two more mules
Ono boat sloas taking four mules, and
the two thus arranged six to haui them.
They carry two driver. or rather one,
for one is always waking ard driving,
aDd two men 10 steer. The men work |
in shifts OF six hours on, aud SIX OF, as
do bhe mules.
TIE boats average about ninety feet I
ong by twenty feet wiae; they are tit-
ed with oaoiu aud stable, the Stable
s il the front end. There 5ae xtra
mules are kept, always being run Out
before those as work are run 10, as toe
table will only hold three a. one tins.
They ere quise accustomed TO their
york und climb in and ou1 OF she cabin
n kind of step ladder, SIS rsadily as
he farm horse walks in and Qua Of his
eal
The people on these boats seem to be
s o0ntented and as we'll to do, es their
ousin the country farmer. They have
0 dockage 80 pay ard weather ia Baf-
llo or Nsw YORK., it waiting 20 a load
r del yed by accident, shey have their :
ome along with them And are un-
or 40 extra expense, for us soon Is
ley resch their daetination al hands
re- discharged, aud new ones mpioyed !
hen ready 80 start again Those who
e fortunate enough TO make their
ye voyages githou5 an accident, at
10 price now paid for hauling viii :
ave a snug sum 90 -haad to carry :
EN- through 5he via ter Aed taose =
a thrifty disposition viii dad work
some OF the many factories chat /
'ound in she ssats, dueing the winter
ontbs, and perhaps seeceed "a lagiag
something for future dsy, tbst +
al towards which 80 are al striving,
alas how few arr abie 20 reach
Ia another chapter / siil Tell S ,as Il
ing of their social life.
ALFALFA.