Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-19
DAILY LIFE on A HOUsE-BOAT.
Strange Habitation Of Queer
Colony of People.
philadelphia Times)

OF all the strange habitations of men
TO be found in and about a great city
none are probably so picturesque as the
households that are scattered along the
beaches of the Delaware river and bay
between Philadelphia and the sea. They
have not, perhaps, the lustrous paint, the
gay awnings, nor the boxes of blooming
plants that distinguish their English
cousins, and the similar craft in this
country built on the same model. Neither
have they the roominess and clumsiness
of the plodding canal-boats, so much af-
fected of late by artists and would-be
Bohemians during their summer jaunts.
But local households are fully as unique
as any of these. Some are the permanent
homes of their owners, year in and year
out; others are migratory craft of fisher
men, and others still are club-houses and
camping-places of scores of pleasure
seekers from the city.
While trampling along the Jersey shore
of the Delaware, near Gloucester, one
day last week, the writer discovered one
Of the most picturesque specimens of
the genus house-bOat. 1t nestled in the
midst Of a grove of willows, with a
stretch of sandy beach in front and q
vista. of river dotted with craft, and
the towers and spires of the distant
city rising from its mlsts across the
marshes. The other surroundings
savored decidedly OF rural domesticty.
A quantity Of driftwood was piled near
by, a line of clothes were drying in
the sunshine. while curtains hung in
the house windows, smoke issued from
the stove-pipe. which served as a Chin
ney, and about the open door were
shining tins polished to immaculate
brightness. The house-boat itself was
light wooden cabin. one-story in
height, built upon a Hat scow, propped
up on timbers so as to be out of reach
Of the average tides. AS an additional
safeguard against the rising waters, the
boat was secured fore and aft by stout
chains wound around the nearest trees,
while from the platform before the door,
that served as revanda and door
step, a cable held light skiff that could
be used in case Of emergency.
Two of the inhabitants of this queer
domicile were seated on the platform
before the door-a woman well past mid
die age and a yellow dog of mongrel an
cestry that she held on her lap Both
wore a Cook OF prosperity and neatness.
and IL was no surprise TO find the single
room OF the house-boat as immaculate as
the most fastidious housekeeper could
desire. At either side a small window
admitted plenty Of light, and a small
cook-stoye threw out fragrant doors OF
cooking supper. In the end Of the room
opposite the door was an old-fashioned
bed. partly concealed behind a calico
curtain. The other member OF the fami-
ly was her son, who was working on a
neighboring truck-farm. His bed was
couch. partly bench and partly berth.
that was built into the wall in the outer
apartment
"You see," the mother explained, "such
a boat as this is about the best place peo-
ple like as can get to live i'm. One don't
have to own a farm to have such house;
there is no trouble moving as often as
YOU like, and there isn't much worry
about keeping such a small place toy
That's consideration in housekeeping.
My son is a day laborer, and gets lots Of
work among the farmers and I'm the
towns along the river. Now, say he gets
q lob i'm Burlington or Billingsport. ALI
we have to do is TO knock the props out
from under our house, let the next tide
float IL, then unfasten the cables, and
drift out into the river. My son rows
ahead In his skiff. and has no trouble
pulling me. the house, all our furniture,
and Towser, the dog. after him up or
down the stream. When we come TO the
place where my boys work IL, ii Is easy
enough 10 find a stretch of beach near by
for the boat, and there we live as happy
as you please until another job takes him
somewhere else.
why, we've worked all along the river
and bay. One year, when times were
dull, we went down the bay and Joined
the shsd-fshers Another time we got
as high I'D as Trenton where my boy had
a Job I'm a china-factory. Taking 1t all in
ALL / don't believe people like US can
find quite so much comfort as one finds
here"
The woman's reference to Establishing,
and hint she dropped about the domi-
Giles Of the men engaged in that indus