The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-04-28
ON az NEW ORLEANS sLEYE q
Dimculties q Ensagins NeEI1slll
Crew for = Trip U
WEI the River.

~ The negroes move ontinually at .
jog trot, and as there are some thou
sands on the levee the scene is most
busy enc. Every here and there on thu
edge Of the wharf stand barrels of river
water, and by each barrel two or three
tin cans, which are in constant requixi-
ton by some Of the numerous workers
who seem to be ever thirsty and drink
ing. ISIS .g5sz
The steamer has received all her
freight; she is only waiting now for
her working crew Of so or 60 hands.
who will unload and load her at each
stopping place up the river. Thesa
hands are negroes who between tho
landing places have nothing to do but
to eat and sleep; at each place, Etw-
| ever, where the boat stops they must be-
quick and ergetic-"always on tina
jump" as they say in river vernacular.
1t IS the business of the mate to hire
them, direct them, make them work,
even to the extent of using some terri
bly, strong language and emphasizing
the same with his stout walking stick
if occasion should demand. The ne
grces know this and expect it; it is a
part of river life which could not be dis
pensed with. When he is ready to en-
ploy them the mate takes as many yell
low cards in his hand as he needs me-
groes and goes on the wharf at the end
of his gangplank and waits. The steam77
CT then blows her whistle in particu-
lar manner, which means eve want q
crew." presently the hundreds of ne7
groes within hearing collect about the
| mite.
Come on, boys" he says; "whQ
wishes to go with us?''
"What yo' gwine glib us?'' r
Seventy a month" !,
There is not an answer; seventy q
month means at that rate; but trip
lasts about week, and the hands ara
paid off at the end of each trip. When
in IL hours the boat is ready to start
again there is a repetition of the same
trouble-for the average negro will not
work as long as he has little money!
in his pocket; it is only when he is
''done dead broke" that he is ready to
ship again-which will give him four
square meals day in addition to these
large wages. The busy season on the
river being also the time of demand
upon the sugar plantations and in the
cotton fields for hands, the negro
knows his power and uses it. Not one
accepts the offer of $40. The mate
waits; at last man says:
snake it eighty an Yves wild YOU"
The mate does not hesitate moment.
but calls out: ''Pile aboard; We'll give
it, But the negro has craft and no
principles; not one moves. a
The mate says: "Eighty-fve!" Still
silence and inaction.
'Well, ninety, then" Still not a
movement. -
In a minute burly negro calls out:
Say $500, man; we got yo' on de hip,
an we won't go for less dan dat.''
The mate has to acquiesce; his ship
is laden and the goods must be delivered
on time or the company will suffer; so
"the hands" have it all their own way.
A rush is made to secure place at the
coveted price; but first come, first
served" The 60 cards are soon distrib-
uted; the happy possessors file on
board; the cable is slipped, the wheel
revolves, the steamer is off and away
on her trip up this most wonderful of
streams, the Mississippi. - Leslie'a
Weekly.