The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-08-05
WINTER ON THE CANAL,
How the Men Pass Their Time
During the Season.
"A Mode of Living That Has But Few
Attractions Whole Lives
Spent Aboard the Cheer
less Boats.

How do canal men spend the winter?
IS a question many people are prompted
to ask at this time when the snow is
beginning to fly and the boats are hur-
rylng to their various destinations.
People are interested in canal boa :lnen
and the hardy lives they live because
they are out of the usual run and their
slow method of doing business savors
OF the past, for canal boats moved Just
as rapidly many years ago as they do
now. Then the canal man is becoming
like the stage driver, scarcer each year,
and there is a tinge of the romantic
about his mode of living. In the sum-
mer and during the open season the ro-
nance is never seen, for it's all hard
work then, and even in its more restful
features cana.ing is like other occupa-
tlons-something of grind
AS for the time of rest, a canal man
2 the other morning related his eX-
perience in that line. He was past so
and ever since boyhood had followed
the life of a canaler. In his younger
days he may have given promise of a
Garfield, as even last night his first
question was for some good reading for
his wife during the winter. He ex-
planned that something entertaining
would do, as his wife had so much leis-
ure time during the long winter nights
while he and the boys were playing
poker.
I'm making heavy pull to get to
Troy before the water runs out, and |
guess [ will make it all right" said he.
Yes, [ was stuck one time. but boat
man never gets stuck twice. 1t was 13
years ago. We had a week to make
Troy and were taking it easy when we
were froze hard and fast at the Four
Mile grocery just below here. Those
were the days we had cold weather. and
we didn't float again until the spring.
We hadn't a heavy cargo. so it didn't
matter much. Yes, there's some of
them ties up along the route, but most
of them go to Troy or Buffalo or down
to New York. They stay there all win
ter, knocking about the harbor. the
boys going to dances and the old folks
staying at home. Work during the
winter? Well, I never have, but some
OF them do, but for the most part the
boys rest.
''You see, in the winter the cabin of
a boat is the snuggest place on earth
It's IS by IA feet, and you live, eat, and
sleep in there. Down in the ditch the
wind don't catch you and the boat is
alright with two feet of dead air be-
tween the sides ard the cabin to keep
out cold. It's made of match boards
inside and out and the roof is four
inches thick SO that little stove makes
the cabin warm.
Me and my wife have been on the
canal since we were boys and girls and
[ haven't seen any of the country ex-
cept that to be seen from the boat on
its way from Buffalo to New York for
30 years. We winter at Troy. AS soon
as we get there we take our horses and
drive them to place where with about
200 others they are collected by farm
er and taken to winter quarters. There
are farmers all along the route that
winter horses. Ours go to Fort Ed
ward, about % miles north of Troy.
where they are turned loose in the
fields. Kirkland is our mans name,
and he winters from 300 to $50. There
are sheds and hay and strawstacks in
the fields and the horses eat hay all
winter and sleep on clean straw in the
sheds at night. About March 1 they be-
GIN to feed them grain, three quarts
day, and keep it up until the season
opens. That is, we pay 90 cents head
every week for that, but | don't know
as they get it, because I don't stay there
to see.
''Now, young fellow, when you ask
if a man can live and keep his family
all winter on what he makes in sum-
mer, you must know that he can't now
adays if he goes to many dances or gets
many drunks. We manage to scrape
along on bacon and pancakes for break
fast, meat three times week for din
ner, a chicken on Sunday now and then,
and at supper we generally eat what's
left. I've never saved anything, but l
would have if the trade kept up as it
was 80 years ago. Why, in rs think
it was, I hauled wheat from Buffalo to
New York at 26 cents bushel for
freight. That was living tell you.
If the state instead of deepening the
ditch had built free. elevators at Buf-
falo so we wouldn't have to pay the
railroads for the use of theirs it would
have done US some good, but there amt
living now as there used to be-
Utica On. W Press.