davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09

with his family and four mules to care for
till the season opens up again.
What do we do during winter? Just the
best We can. A few of us come to George
town and find work as laborers, living in
our cabins and saving house rent in this
way. 1 believe most of the boatmen who
spend the winter here get jobs as stable
men or teamsters. One thrifty canal man
who owns his boat has a wagon and does
hauling. In this way he makes his mules
pay for their feed all the year. Others
have tried this, but there is sharp compe-
utfon in hauling during the winter months,
there being little in that line to do, and
many to do it. By far the greater number
of boatmen spend the winter with farmers
along the canal. This is a cheap way of
living. They do their share of such farm
work as goes on in cold weather, chopping
and hauling wood, clearing land, building
fences, ditching, etc. Their mules get a lit
tie fodder and hay and are in pretty good
shape for towing when boating begins The
children of the boatmen get all their school,
ing between seasons and it is to give the
children the best schooling possible that
quite a number of the men lay up in
Georgetown. Some spend the closed season
at Cumberland. Hancock Seneca and other
towns, so that their children may go to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09

Smoke rises from the black tin stacks, and
from thu cabins in the morning and the
evening comes the scent of frying bacon
AT noon there i The Odor of boiling food.
Well said the man on the towpath,
eve live about The same other poor peo-
pie. Other people don't seem to know
much about us We kind of go along the
edge of the world. instead of through it"
The man who made this observation was
a type of the canal boatman, whom The
Star man met in a stroll He had been
tOugheued by long exposure to the weather.
His face and his hands were as rough as
his clothing. and his muscles as strong as
the pipe he smoked He had been plying
between Cumberland and Washington so
long that he could nos recall the year when
he made his first trip, though it was he
said. before the war. Like most of his fell
lows he appeared part mariner and miner
part citizen and rustic. part farmer and
stOckman. each Of these qualities being
unctured with gypsy flavor.
always n Boatman."
80 YOU want TO know about boating?"
he said Some Of us are better off than
others, some work harder than others, some
drink harder than others. some spend more
than others. some save more than others
and some have more than others. There
are good many Of the ways of the world
In canal boating. Some of us are born in
the business, grow old. and die in it. Some
come into the business because they can't
find anything better to do, and some leave
II because they do find something better to
do. but the rule is once a boatman, always
a boatmdn.' Many of our fellows get fits
Of blues when things go wrong or freights
get low, and complain that boating is not
what it Was. or what it ought to be, but
dyspepsia isn't confined TO those men who
travel on canals. There are lots of lawyers
who think they would like to be doctors
and some newspaper men who think they
were born u be statesmen. l think We boat
men live as long. get as many meals and
wear as good clothes as laborers who don't
move about We DO.
The ariStocrats OF the canal are those
who own their own boats They make
good living boating grain, hay and general
merchandise, and those who are shrewd do
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09

States Fish Commissions Bulletin for 900
Illustrated. Washington: Government Print
ing Office.
INTRODUCTORY LESSONS IN ENGLISH LITER
AZURE: for High Schools and Academies. nv
Q: Mcneil, president OF the Seventh Wis
consin State Normal School. and y A. Lynch
teacher Of English in he Central High School,
superior, Wis. New York: American Book
Company.
A LITTLE GRAY SHEEP; Novel Rv Mrs
hugh Fraser, author of The Splendid pnr-
SIENNA etc. Philadelphia: J. Il. Lippincott
Co. washington: William Ballantyne & Sons
IN SPITE OF FOES: or. Ten Years Trial. Nv
Gen Charles King. Z. S. V. Philadelphia: j.
~ Appincott Co. Washington: William Bal
lantyne d Sons
DAUNA1'S TOWER: a Novel. By Adeline Ser
geant author Of "A Rise I'm the World &c
New York: f. NJ. Buckles & Co. Washington:
Brentanos.
NEW CENTURY PRIMER OF HYGIENE; First
BOOK Tor Pupils Use. by Mrs. Jeanette Win
pany. ''A ''iH
a CABINET SECRET; a Novel BY GUY Rootbbv
Illustrated Philadelphia: ]. b. L,ppjocpit
Co. Washington: William Ballantyne a Sons
THE SHADOW OF MAN; a Novel. Ry T. "
Iiofnung- New York: Charles Scrihncrrs S,ns
Washington: William Bsilantyne sons
THE LEAVEN OF LOVE; a Novel nv R.rvI
Goidle London: George Routledpe A. a.
washington: Brentano's.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09
What the Boatmen Do When Naviga-
ton Ceases.
WINTER IN The GEORGETOWN LEVEL
Profits in the Business Are Never
Very Large.
PLENTY OF HARD WORK

Boating is hard work and poor pay, but
times is better than they was" said a man
who sat on the towpath near Georgetown
yesterday.
He was one Of a colony of boatmen who,
with their families. have wintered in the
Georgetown level OF the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal. Ten boats are strung along
that level between the Aqueduct bridge and
the junction of the Conduit and River
roads at the foot of Foxhall Hill. Till
few days ago the bottoms of these boats
rested In the yellow mud. the water having
been Withdrawn that the canal between
the Georgetown 'ock and that above might
be cleaned. Because of inequalities in the
bed of the canal each of these boats was
listed either to one side or the other, max
ing a ragged. inharmonious picture. The
water has since been let in and the scene
improved.
Rough hawseTs, chafed and knotted, run
from the wooden cleats on these clumsy
craft to thOrny locust trees on the south
bank or to stakes driven in the towpath.
Planks reach from decks to shore.
Though the tide of travel the Conduit
road moves up and down within few feet
of these boats. and the dust of the high
way sweeps over them, they appear far re-
moved from the activities of life. It's
pretty close" said the man on the tow
path. but it's pretty far; you have to go
long way up or a long way down to get
across. Few people know about the Gull
vert under the canal, where Foundry
branch runs through -
Tranquil Scenes.
There are tranquil scenes along the tow
path. Groups OF the boatmens children
play there. Shaggy mules stand. about
avoiding wha; wind and seeking what sun
they can. Fowls fly between the mule
houses and the ;owpath where they crow,
scratch and cackle. Clothes lines hung
with the weeks washing are strung over
the boats from end to end. Red flannel
lends a touch of color here and there
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09
Turning Point i'm Hi. Career

From the Chicago Tribune.
The third magazine publisher to whom he
had sent an article entitled "Recollections
of Phrygia, with Some Facts Concerning
the Slave Trade in Athens" having declined
1t with thanks, Aesop threw the manuscript
into the fire.
Truth may be stranger than fiction"
he said, "but there isn't any money In It,"
So he began writing fiction, and shortly
afterward as you remember, he had lied
himself into a soft place at the court OF
Croesus.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09

a good deal Of trading on their own ac-
count, buying and selling live stock. gro
ceries. etc. The cOal-carrying boats are all
owned by one or the other of the coal COM
panies. the bOatmen as a rule owning the
teams. The coal freighters are paid a fixed
sum per ton. This varies from year to
year. The freight rate last season was 65
cents ton, and L have heard 1t said that
the rate for the coming season will be 10
cents The average boat will carry 12i
tons. and man with good luck may make
the round trip in fifteen or sixteen days
six days down. six days up and three or
four days for loading and discharging.
Small Profits.
"At last years rates he would make S.
a day He would have to travel day and
night to do this. feed four mules and pay
at least one helper. though 1t would he
very hard 10 make a trip like that with
less than two helpers. These men would
cost him Sl5 month and board He has
no rent to pay. but his grocery bill and
. feed bill must be looked out for Then
not many men ever make the round trip in
sixteen days Twenty days would be near
er the average So you see that would re-
duce his profits considerably. And when
the season closes down he is out OF a y
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09
Mules Better Than Horses.

Mules Befter Than HOrses.
why do we drive mules instead OF
horses? Well, you see, a poor horse cannot
stand up to the work as well as a common
mule and common mules are cheaper than
gco6 horses. 1t also costs less to feed mule
than a horse. where both animals do the
same work. A horse needs more grain than
a mule. These long-eared propellers of ours
get along very well on rough, long feed.
with a little grain now and then. 1t used
to be that nearly all the day and night
boats between here and Cumberland car
ried a team of six mules. There are only
three or four six-mule boats on the canal
now, most OF the twenty-four-hour' boats
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09
To Maintain the Average.

From the Chicago Tribune.
Raynor-"Confound the daily newspapers!
They devote too much space to discussing
religious matters these days"
Shyne-"They'v got to;edo it, old fellow.
The religious papers have become too secu-
lar"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09

doing with four and the day boats with
two mules. 1 don't know whether this
change has been brought about by the boats
getting lighter or the mules getting heavier
Is drawing what six mules used to draw.
The difference is they don't draw the load
as fast When a loaded boat is travelling
two miles hour she is doing all that can
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09
A Boatmen's Meeting Ba1se.

One of the features of the Georgetown
level of the canal is the boatmen's meeting
house. Religious service is held there on
Sunday, and Sunday school for the
boatmen's children Is conducted by an
elderly woman, whose name. as given to
the reporter by persons living in the neigh
borhood, is Mrs. Saffold The meeting
house is of brick, plastered with limewash
in imitation of red paint. 1t is fourteen feet
front by ten feet deep. The shingles of the
roof are green with moss There is a rude
pavement before the door. laid with brick
bats and flat pieces of Potomac bluestone
The house stands on the river side of the
towpath two hundred feet east of the
Foundry branch culvert. Budding popiars
stretch above 1t, and around it, where
sheltered from north winds; some spring
green, principally garlic and chickweed is
looking up. Nailed over the door is cross
,, painted white, and under It the following
inscription:
Come unto me, all We that labor and are
heavy laden. and 1 will give you rest Mat
thew, 18th chapter, 2Sth verse"
The bluestone foundation of the house is
very old. and the Superstructure is not new
1t rests on part of the foundation walls of
Mason's foundry, which gave to the little
branch which passes under the canal near
by its name. This foundry was famous for
the ordnance cast in 1t. The cannon. after
being turned out, were drawn up the valley
of the branch to the vicinity of the old
picnic ground at Green Springs and there
tested. Philip r. Zier, who lives few
rods north OF the Conduit road where 1t
crosses Foundry branch, while excavating
! for a foundation for new building re-
Gently unearthed broken cannon The
gun had 4-inch bore. and weighed about
six hundred pounds. 1t is set in the Zier
garden ornament
When Mason's foundry passed out of ex-
istence the buildings were converted into
distillery, and the place was long known as
Welsh's distillery One building after an
other fell into decay. Some were permitted
to go to destruction, while one of the larger
was converted into Tenney's mill, and on q
part of the foundry's foundation a brick
watch house was erected. It is this old
house.
Preparations for the opening of the canal
are making. Several of the levels have been
cleaned and repairs made to locks. Coal
men have made ready to receive, and the
mines are ready 20 ship. Navigation will
be resumed. 1t was said yesterday. about
March Is
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09

would you take our darling daughter
from us?" tearfully asked the mother
"Why-er-yes." replied the startled youth
That's my idea. IL really hadn't con-
terminated taking the whole family, you
irs "-Tit-Bits.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND THEIR PEo,
PIE. Record of Personal observation ana
Experience with short summary OF the more
Important Facts in the History of the Archl-
pelago By Dean G. Worcester, assistant pro
lessor Of zoology. University OF Michigan New
York: The Macmillan Co. Washington: Bren-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-09

be expected Of her, but, of course when
she's going back light she will make lit
tie better time.
Yes, sir, l used to boat on this canal
when We toWed across the Aqueduct and
along down to Alexandria. Those were in
the days before the war. / remember when
the government let the water out of the
canal where it crossed the bridge and made
wagon road in the canal bed That was
long before they built those iron spans on
the nierS'
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-14
Mayor Ames, sn1ckersnee.

Saltwater Gazette.
Ames was inaugurated mayor of Min
neapolis yesterday. He surprised the
police force CT that city very much, turn
ing the faces to the wall of many who
hadn't a suspicion that they were to rs
thrown out to hustle for themselves. In
fact he ripped them up the back and
knocked the tar out of the force of the
finest. in manner unlocked for. He was
like unto a cyclone and the unfortunates
were dumbfOunded when the list of fortG-
mates was read. The new mayor has
turned out about 50 per cent of the old
force, each nationality getting d taste.
the Irish being more unfortunate than
the others. There are many Republicans
who believe that Ames' dismissals have
brought about a very unfortunate state
of affairs and that the police force IS bad
" demoralized as a result of his whole
sale slaughter of men who were good
Republicans and thoroughly efficient Of
ficers AS above stated, he hit an Irish
head oftener than any other nationality,
thereby removing several of the very
best men in the service There were 2iO
men on the old roster and he cut 1t in
halves, placing LOG on tho outside of the
works. There is much wailing in Mime
apolis and Doc has a lot of trouble to
face.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-14

of congress has never been used, but a
number of important treaties have barely
escaped. In the discussion over the ap-
preparation of the funds to carry out our
treaty with Russia, under which we &C
quired Alaska, certain members of con-
sress had to be given to understand that
this purchase of Alaska was but blind
to cover the payment of money to Rus
STA for aid given us by her fleets during
the darkest hours of our trouble, in COM
pliance with a secret treaty between the
car and the Lincoln government.
American diplomacy is hampered and
vexed because of these restrictions and
the further fact that the representative
bodies are in the habit of demanding the
inspection of all documents and dipio-
matte correspondence, which at once be-
comes public property.
After the late treaty of Paris the world
witnessed the spectacle of two hostile
amies resting on their arms on the hat
tlefeld, as it were, while the senate
by which peace was to be restored.
And, later, we have seen the senate
take the diplomatic bit between its teeth,
and ignoring the executive guidance,
clear ditch and hurdle in its wild de-
sire to reject solemn treaty with
friendly nation
The ineff1ciency of our treaty-making
power is nowhere more clearly demon
strated than in. the history of the con-
ventions entered into under the provisions
of the reciprocity sections of the Dingley
tariff law.
Twelve of these conventions were held
up in the senate full year, because
of the fear that their provisions, if rati-
fed would affect the national election in
some localities And now, that the cleo
ton is over, there is opposition in the
senate to their ratification, because this
local interest or that organization OBJ
jects to this or that provision of the
treaty.
When it comes to the point that the
''Wool Growers association" or the
manufacturers of knit goods can dictate
to the nation the terms of its treaties,
saying what shall be ratified and what
shall not; when a treaty which the best
wisdom of the executive department
deems for the best interest of the coun-
try as whole. can be pigeon-holed in
the senate because the constituents Of
one or two senators are opposed to one of
its provisions it is time for talk of
constitutional amendment to change the
ridiculous procedure.
So uncertain has become the treaty.
making power of the United States, that
it is not worth the while of commercial
nations to spend time negotiating treat
les with a helpless executive department
whose Judgment may be overruled by a
few wool growers in the state of Ohio.
If the United States expects to enter
the field of diplomacy Of independent
nations and to exert a world influence,
this puerile method of dealing with for
eign powers must be abandoned for some
thing more consonant with the stern
duties of matured national manhood.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-14

marks the century milestone of religious
progress. And it is not extravagant to
suggest that the end of the twentieth
century will see the civilized world in
one united brotherhood.
To the power of steam and its train of
legitimate attendants the past century
owes its marked physical progress. AS
the crusades tended to the civilization of
Europe by bringing the nations together,
so the humiliation of space by the steam
engine or land and water has given to
each corner of the earth the best of the
whole.
With the dynamic inertia given to the
human race by the achievements of the
nineteenth century what can be expected
of the next hundred years? Are the
vacancies for invention few?'
peculiar thing about inventors is that
their vocation compels them to seek the
unknown-to create vacancies for their
genius. Is there no more territory to ex
plore?" One-half of the earths surface
is not yet known The realm of the air
has not yet been invaded-the sea is un-
explored. The sciences of chemistry, BIZ
ology and geology are still in their infan-
cy-but why enumerate? The twentieth
century will not only "apply the pr.nci
pies which were discovered in the nine
tenth but will pluck for itself ripe
fruit from the tree of knowledge, that
the men of the succeeding century may
be as gods
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-14
THE BASIS OF PROSPERITY.

The report of Mint Director ROBBERS
One of them shows the total stock of
gold in the world in 1S75-$1 200, SOC, SOD
The other shows the stock of gold in
the United States at the present time
81, 036, goo, coo. In other words, there is
nearly as much gold in circulation in the
United States today as the circulation
of the entire world in 1873. There IS more
money ia circulation per capita in the
United States today than at any time
before in the history of our country 1t
is estimated that the stock of gold in the
United States has for some time rast
been increasing at the rate of $6,C00t coo
per month. The money OF the country
is not boarded away in strong boxes and
hid as in years past when want of
confidence prevailed and paralyzed al
business. In view of these facts, tie
argument about the crime of 49, which
reduced the volume of currency by half,
looks as if there wasn't even enough Of
it left for a decent funeral OF course,
no sane man will ask that the admins
tration be credited with all this. The
two maiE factors have been the cnor-
nous output of the gold mines in recent
years and the South African war. How
ever, it does look as if in the face OF
such facts free silver is back number
for all time to come
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-14
CRAVING FOR OFFICE.
How the Scramble Strikes a Minne-
apOliS Newspaper Man.

T.. N. Knappern in the Minneapolis
Journal
If any many contemplates entering
contest for an appointive office he should
first go to the governors ante-room and
watch the anxious groups there gather
ed. Care and high nervous tension is
written on every face. The governor
cannot pass without all eyes following
him nervously to detect some sign Of
favor The seeker of an appointiye office
is a slave and often a cringing slave,
too. He is seeking favors and indorse-
ments on every hand. He hardly dares
to express an opinion on the state of the
weather for fear he will isappoint some
body, and he has committed his happiness
to the keeping of others.
And If, after all, the candidate Is sue
eessfui. 1t is likely to be his ruin. In
his "Recollections of Lincoln" Chitten-
den remarks that in his long experience
he scarcely knows of a man who has
come through the ordeal unscat hed.
Around the Hobbies in st. Paul. fearfully
waiting for some crumb Of political pat
ronage, may be seen men who few
years ago were prosperous. hopeful, self
reliant. resolute and well-groomed. who
are now without regular business dis
courased, irresoiute and unddy. In a
sense suppliants for puAoac assistance. for
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-14
OUR TREATY-MAKING POWER.

The power to conclude treaties has al
ways been one of the prerogatives of
sovereignty. treaty. being a contract
between sovereign nations, is subject
only to the code of international law
and usually carries within itself the
terms of its abrogation. Treaties, Ike
the word of gentlemen, are sometimes
hroken-both are matters Of honor--and
the remedy is force.
The constitution of the United States
says, THE president shall have power,
by and with the advice and consent of
the senate, to make treaties, provided
two-thirds of the senators present cen
cur"
In their fears of centralized power the
trainers of the constitution overreached
themselves in thus limiting the power Of
the executive and entailed upon the ma
ton treaty-mal1ing power which is not
only cumbersome but which often places
the government in a most awkward di-
lemma. To add to the embarrassment Of
the executive power in the exercise of
this function, every treaty. or convention.
the terms of which carry with it an ex-
penditure of money, must not only re-
ceive the sanction of the senate but
must be approved by the house of repre-
sentatives, as that body alone can origi-
nate bills for the appropriation of money.
This veto power OF the popular branch