Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-19

try. led TO an Investigation, "hlOn 80
closed even a more unique style Vi 49, 49,,
boat. which comprises the most ,,.s-sti,,
class OF such craft. There are n'e' .1,.'',
hundreds of little households, Delohsli.s
TO fishermen, now In Winter p"a'
ters I'm the streams along the IlNe' -,
bay, and most OF them are being .a". ~
painted. and put to rights J'7'
ready for their annual migration
picturesque group Of seyerai oi u.s.
around which was the hustle anu iiiuu ..,
try OF the opening season, was lOu'u
along the Schuylkill beyond -DaI, a." ~
Park. They seem 10 vary but niue >"
general plan. The foundation II GEM
rally Nat scow. with a step-hke s''ip
Of deck at each end and low caD'n -.
the middle One OF the group was DIE ~
with new paint another whlte"aS"et -
third with walls aged ana "ed'n
stained but otherwise as crude anu vi
decorated as when built. The interior ,
disclosed a single window. shai eooA
stove. folding table. two Chau9' 60
across one end pair or pertnS' ~
above the other. after the manner
steamers state-rOom, which "eiV vic
beds Of the fishermen. The door Is 50
low that one has 10 stoop when entering
from the strip Of deck, but the moor Oh
the cabin almost corresponds Win inc
bottom Of a boat so that there Is plenty
OF Roadway I'm the Interior
When the shad appear at the mouth
Of the bay, and begin their annual MI
grafton to fresh water TO spawn lne
owners Of these households tow tnehi
down stream with the aid OF their hsh-
ing-slOops, and into the mouth OF some
Of the numerous streams penetrating the
salt marshes near the fishing-grounds.
The next tide carries the houseboat wen
up the black muddy bank or the
marshes, and here the craft is secured
and propped upon timbers. On the laho-
side the reeds are trampled dowh'
strip Of marsh drained, and emDdhh-
ments thrown up to serve as paths. Here
the fishermen dry their nets and store
their property their boats being moored
in the nearby river. A path is worn
across the marsh TO the nearest main
land, and here the "gill-nes fishermen
live for weeks in primitive simplicity,
but great comfort. even If they do have
to carry everything, from meats and gro
ceries down to drinking water, across the
marshes from the mainand-often
mile away.
The households congregate in tempo
rary villages, and at the height or the
season often a hundred or more OF them
will be found at one spot. As the shad
penetrate further and further up the
stream, however, and the fishing becomes
less remunerative, the Households are
dragged down into the water, one by
one, and are towed away by their own
ers to better fishing grounds. The end
of the shad season finds the marshes as
lonely and deserted as before the ap-
pearance Of the pscatorial deiicacy.
The third class of local houseboats-
those devoted 10 pleasure-are found here
and there in unexpected hooks and cor
ners along some placid rivulet, sandy
beach, or marsh, and their styles vary
quite as much as do their situation and
uses. Few are more elaborate than those
of the migratory day laborers, or FISH,
ermen, just described Some are little
more than cabins, built on rOwboats, and
many, II not al. are built by their own
ers, sturdy young fellows from city and
suburbs, for whom life f. not worth living
without frequent Sundays spent in
"roughing it, along river and bay. Some
are as permanent as a housebOat can
be. are lifted high on timbers, and pro-
vided with a landing for sailboats. Here
the two or three fellows who own the
establishment may be found camping
with cook-stove and rough touches du-
ring the leisure moments from work IN
summer and fa,L Others drift from
place to place or rest on stretches OF
yellow beach, while the owners SAN and
fish. None are so elaborate as the Eng
lish houseboat, but the idea is the same
I'm both and the lOcaf craft afford just
as much pleasure without the same de-
gree of elegance.