The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-03-24

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FISHING WITH DYNAMITE.
Potomac palisades, These little build
lngs, like whtcnCd sentinels, mark the
location of the several quarry plants.
They each contain from few sticks to
ton of dynamite, enough, in the ag-
pregatc, should 1t explode, to disHgure
the upper Potomac, and deluge George
town with masses OF rock and debris.
For blasting purposes, however, only a
few ounces Of dynamite are used at a
time.
From these wooden magazines along
the shores, wherein the awful eXpIo-
sives are stored, certain fishermen, who
cannot under the law employ gill nets,
have been stealing sticks of dynamite
and fuses, and nearly every night they
go out into the stream, aud eN-
plode the stuff under the surface Of
the water, thus killing vast num-
bcrs of fish by conclusion. The
sticks are Weighted, a lighted wa
ter-proof fuse applied, and they are
sunk. The fishermen quickly row
away from the spot. In a few mo-
ments there is a suppressed sound, like
distant thunder, and a great Dillow Of
foaming water rises above the sur
face.
Then the aquatic poachers return to
the center of the river and gather in
the dead and dying fish, which float to
the surface in large numbers.
Il have heard the yarn Of the fellow
who stole thunder and grabbed
at lightning" said a Georgetown po-
licemau, but these fishermen who steal
dynamite will compare with him in
point of nerve" Commodore Sutton
with the police steamer Joe Black
burn" has been vaiuly trying to catch
the fishermen who are depopulating the
waters of the upper river of their game
fish by means of stolen dynamite.
The men who work about dynamite
houses are cautioned to use great care
in handling the treacherous stuff. Sew
cral fatal explosions have already &C.
Cured and a deep hole in the earth OPP
posite the island called Three Sisters"
marks the spot where one of the SUI
perintendents of blasting lost his life
last year. He was warming chilled
dynamite at bonfire, when stick of
the giant explosive ignited, blowing
him sllyward and decorating him in a
horrible manner.
The men engaged in blasting at the
site of the Union depot in Georgetown
are only allowed to bring dynamite
ON the Virginia side sufficient for one
days work. This is temporarily stored,
until used, in the old Key mansion, on
NJ street, near the Aqueduct bridge, the
house formerly occupied by Francis
Scott Key, author of the "Star Span
gIed Banner" They used to have lib
erty to bring as much dynamite over
TO the Georgetown side of the river as
the contractors desired. But not long
ago there was runaway team in
Georgetown which scared all of the
people almost out of their wits. The
wagon was loaded with dynamite.
The street was paved with cobbestones.
The horses ran furiously and it seemed
miraculous that no explosion occurred.
The driver jumped from the wagon and
was badly hurt, but he was glad to get
away from his dangerous load. The
horses ran fully half a mile and stopped
of their own volition on the Aqueduct .
bridge. As they ran around the angle .
from the street to the bridge the wagon
bumped against the iron railing. An
explosion at that point would have
wrecked the bridge and killed many
people.
There has probably never been a ses-
sion Of congress that has given greater
emphasis TO the assertion that it is i'm
possible 10 collect even a just claim
against the government than the one
row approaching o close. A few pen
sion bills have been Struggled through
ct odd times, and an extremely limited
number of relief measures, each carry
Hg a small sum of money, have been
pushed along under protest, but all of
hose claims which might perceptibly
Increase the total appropriations for
his congress have been persstently
to the rear.
D suCu an extent mas tNls UDllCJ OF
gnoring the obligations of the govern
nent been carried that judgments of
he court Of claims are no longer paid.
hat judicial adjunct of tine govern
nent was created for the express pur-
pose Of ascertaining the merits of Ger
ain claims and to report to congress
whether they should be paid or re-
Judiated. But the policy of the man
igers Of the house has been 10 mini
nize appropriations and make every
hing subservient to record for econ
1my. As a consequence those who are
enough to be creditors of
he United States must either abandon
neir just claims or expect TO begin a
]eriod Of lobbying and waiting which
nay continue indefinitely.
Some congressman have persistently
,alled attention TO the delinquency of
he government, but the rank and file