The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-06
TUB BLOCKED THE FERRY.
Sailed our BACKYARD AT LAST But
NOT ON PURPOSE.

Her Name IL tho Columbia, and She was
Hailed with Much viEor by n Boatlond
of Pennsylvania Commuters, Who Missed
Trains by stopping TO Admire Her Lines.
The blunt-nosed. broad-beamed. whale
bellied, patch-sailed. one-rater. cat-riGged
lighter Columbia. bound from New York to
W%eehawken with q deckload OF empty barrels.
and when last seen going in the other direction
stern foremost, attempted TO ram the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad erryboat New Jersey at o'clock
yesterday afternoon with her starboard rail.
causing great loss OF trains and temper among
the railroad commuters. The Columbia was un-
der full sail, making nothing eKceptleeway. but
a great deal OF that directly toward the Penn
s~ylvania slip on the New York side OF the river
when the ferryboat started out. By tho time
the big paddle wheels had revolved half a dozen
times it became evident that there was q COL
lision in prospect unless one OF the boats took
prompt action to avert IL. 1t was up to the
New Jersey TO do the averting. and she did it
by backing. A very wrathful voice from the
vicinity OF the pilot house shouted:
"Scow ahoy ! Where the blazes are you
going ?"
The steersman Of the Columbia leaned grace
fully upon his tiller and cast n meditatlve eye
alolt. where the craZy-quilt that did service as n
sail was tanning the mastto keep 1t from get
ting overheated.
"Scow YOURSELF" he drawled. "wlsht l
knew"
"Wisht you knew. you half baked Coney
Island fiddler crab Why don't you know ?
What are you trying TO navigate that lob-sided
washtub for il you don't know which way the
wind is?'.
oh. 1 know that all right" drawled the
skipper s%erenely. Its dead overhead an
BLOWN down hard. Ireckon," he added. re-
moving his hat to scratch his head. IN come
s%SS g s2yS ec i% i Il don't tic change "nise "D'"es I'll '"0
The Pennsylvania was now retiring shhylyy
coming in on one side and a tug towing, u
barge laden with railroad cars going out on the
SthsEF shns l hsr or M Sfem fHsw The c aE0@%a sne
catching their trains than TO PLAYING nautical
deck exhibiting storm signals and using nauti:
the quiescent lighter in the imperative mood
and with sizzling obJurgattons Others eN-
horted the steersman OF the ferryboat to run
O"Ssihnii the IDIOT. i" shouted a corpglsnt com
muter. wildly raising a CARPET bag; Send him
colS4mmbia ash impsrturba6iie skipper. Besides. It
There was a confused roar from the decks Of
the New. Jersey regarding the necessity OF
Il know. j, know" said the lighters com
aboard an give ye' a lift acrost. but you see
how I'm fixed. Wind dead overhead an nothin'
dom. Reckon l nights well anchor right
here"
There was a jangle of bells on the New Jer-
sey. and as she started slowly forwards strange
thing happened. From somewhere or other
there came n slant OF wind. and the lighter be-
gan to sail dead astern. In vain did the skip
per strive powerfully at the helm, and equally
In vain did his crew OF one man. who had been
chewing tobacco on the port bow. strain at the
patchwork sail. The Columh ia had got started
backward. and backward she continued to go.
Say. howled a joyous wag on the ferryboat.
why don't you change her name TO the Craw-
fish ~,
A wild chorus of jeers assaulted the ears of the
Columbia's skipper and decisively destroyed
his phlegmatic mien. Dashing his hat upon
the deck he stamped upon it, and more fiuently
and devoutly than had the combined wrath of
the commuters done, he devoted his craft to
the uttermost depths Of fiery condemnation.
Meanwhile the ferryboat swert out past the
bow OF the still-retreating. Columbia and
made what speed she might fol. the other
shore. It would have been some relief, doubt
less. to the Captain Of the lighter could he have
witnessed the rage and grief of those who ar
rived in Jersey City Just In. time to see their
trains pulling out: but he had rage and grief
of his own. for when the next ferryboat re-
turned to New York the Columbia was still
conducting doubtful manUuvreS to keep her
rudder free of the ferry racks a few rods fur
Their down stream.