The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-21
BOATING ON THE
FATHER OF WATERS
A TRIP MUCH THE SAME NOW
AS IN DICKENS DAY.
Funny Big Steamboats, That Don't
Worry About Schedule Time--The
Roustabouts and the Swearing
Mates --- Pictures and History
Along the Rivers Shifting Banks.

st. Louis Letter in New York Sun.
Even when this country shall have
the same density OF population as GER
many or France and its numbers shall
meet the prediction OF Mr.. Gladstone
for the close of the next century.-sE
hundred millions--there will prooaply
be little change of appearance a'ons
the coast OF the lower Mississippi riV-
er. It will require closer crowdinS 90
make any great impression on the Z,OOo
miles of mostly lowlands, subJe L 10
annual overflows, that carry away ca
bins and chicken coops and leave thei
microbes of malaria to find their Vlctlms
in returning natives. The few people
whose homes dot the shifting margins
of the tortuous stream at the lowest
points have lived there simply because
they were born there, as their fathers
were. and consider overflows and ague
to be, like hunger, among the natural
and unavoidable Affections of human
life
1t is almost safe to predict, too, that
the Mississippi river steamboats, at the
close of the next century will be what
they are now and what they have peeh
for the last sixty years. Whatever
changes time and inventive skill and
the necessities Of a more crowded ex-
istence may impose upon other regions,
the Americans of the distant future VIII
see the same scenes and have the same
experiences at his ancestor when ne
takes a river journey for pleasure or
rest. The stream itself is constantly
shifting its course, annually swallow
ing acres of its shore lands. For miles
back of it's banks, except where there
are bluffs, the dangers of overflow are
too great to encourage immigration.
FEW CHANGES.
The changes in the steamboats, since
the days when they were the chief
means of transportation are few. In
deed, they comprise chiefly the use of
a donkey engine to swing the gang
plank, and an ace light instead of the
iron cage of pine pitch and search
light. There are fewer boats and their
captains are Of less Importance save
in the smaller towns, but in structure,
appearance and methods they are Vir-
tually the same as when Dickens de-
scribed them.
It is a rest to the soul of the civili-
zation-tired man to ride on q boat
which makes no effort to cover sched-
ule time, a hoat on which nobody in
authority worries when it is two days
behind. 1t is grateful to find trans
portation company that makes no ef-
fort to obtain business, but considers
it favor TO shippers to accept such as
comes 10 it. that barely advertises the
theoretical time of departure, but is in
no way concerned about getting away
at any particular hour. That is part
of the general permanence of the in
stitution. In the days when the steam
boats had a monopoly of tho carrying
business, before the advent of the
ncrve-straining railroad, it was some
thing of a privilege to get stateroom
or even a berth on a first class boat
The profit was in the cargo then, as
now. There is still freight enough fol
the few large side wheelers, besides the
stern wheel frcightars, that run be
tween st. Louis and New Orleans, and
anyhow, the traditions of the river ara
against appearing to wan1 business. I,
IS only by accident that anybody who
lives far away from the valley learns
that a river Journey in interesting oil
practicable. Usually the discovery i
made through an advertisement of 9
New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration
During the early days of spring, es
pecially in March, enough people from
all parts of the country engage pass
age down to fill all the staterooms.
A TYPE BY ITSELF.
The Mississippi river steamboat il
impressive and as unlike an ocean, LAX
or Hudson river steamer as one car
fancy. After a close inspection, nobody
IS surprised to learn that its inevitabl
fate Is to burn, IL 1t escapes beini
crushed in the ice at the spring break
up. The hull is not visible. the lowe
deck resting apparently on the water
1t is, in effect, a four-story house, eacl
story being shorter than the one below
The lower deck or first floor is opel
at the sides except where the hug
wheel houses or paddle boxes shut il
the engines and furnaces. On this decl
IS slowed the bulk of the cargo, in
cluding live stock. Barrels are rolle'
into the shallow hold. The second o
cabin deck does not extend quite I
the bow. II has q long cabin, wit
hce ana bar. Above the cabin is tn
texas--a shorter house with a char
room and the staterooms Of the Off
GERS. The whole is crowned with
large pilot house, open to dozen ia
vored passengers at a time. The Who'll
structure is possible only because ther
are no waves to encounter, and 1t ca
be tied up anywhere in q storm.
;C i,,
of wood. The partitions are not muc
thicker than paste board. The cabi
runs the full length of the deck, exceI
a space forward, where, in an emel
gency, is hoistea freight of an awI
ward nature. such as wagons or cal
riages. 1t is furnished with the u!
ual tables, sofas, chairs, tuneless plan
CRATE stoves and the like, and is elat
orately decorated on a ground of whit
The forward part is used as a dinin
room. OF the after-part, or ladie
cabin, the state rooms are larger tina
those of the FAN River and Albar
steamers and have the furniture of a
ordinary hotel room. The forwaI
state rooms have simple berths
hunks The furnishings are nothir
like those of the Eastern boats in r.
spect to cost.
THE CAPTAIN.
To the people who live in the riv,
towns, the captain Of q first-class sid
wheeler is little greater than a Uni
ed States senator, wnile the pilot
their ideal Of genius. The first clei
is to the womankind OF the vall'
what the military hero is TO the won
ankind of other regions. He is Il
only man outside of Mexico who wea