The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-30
Incidents Of a Trip Dol1n
Big Alabama Riber from
Montgomery to Mobile DAY
Henrietta an Old Time Servant Talks of the Bellies and Beax
of Former Days-Negroes Still Sing at the Wharves
But Not With the Old Time Joyousness.
BY ANNIE kENDRIck WALKER.

! a still gayer party at Eufaula, and they
all went down to Appalaehaeola Bay.
Wen. the young men were bent upon
having all the fun they could. and they
had It. But the young ladies' got even
with them, and I helped them. After a
dance one evening, and after every one
had said good night. and that always took
up a great deal of time, the young ladies
asked me to slip the young gentlemen's
coats and vests out of their state-rooms.
And, they sat up for hours sewing up
those clothes. They back-stitched them
and sewed them hard and fast, and of all
the laughing they carried on. Then, after
everything was sewed up, and the cabin
boys slipped them quietly back In the
state-rooms."
IAN the young men were late for break
fast the next morning" Henrietta went
on, land You could hear them ripping
out the stitches. They were bribing the
cabin boys for knives and scissors, and
the young ladies had already ordered all
the scissors TO be thrown overheard"
well, it was nearly dinner time before
the last man made his appearance and
they were all so mad that it really fright
ened some of the young ladies'
Henrietta laughed in remembrance Of 1t.
Henrietta admits that while life will
never be as charming as In those days
that a great deal of progress has been
made in the equipment of the boats
"The boats. themselves. have improved
terribly" she said. You know that in
the old days. there was no way of lighting
the wharfs except with the huge iron
baskets holding the fat lightwood. Now,
the boats are lighted with electricity, and
the City of Mobile has her searchlight.
Then, the state-rooms are larger and
more comfortable and, altogether, the
boats are a great Improvement on the
old.
But" said Henrietta. 1.-THE darlies that
load the boats do not sing as they used
to on the Chattahoochee Then it SEEM
ed to me, the river shores were illumln-
ated with their voices. Now. they sing,
of course, but 1t is not what it used to
be-"
Henrietta and I shook our heads. Moth
ing will ever be the same again.
$50 many that l knew in those days
have gone" and about the lines in Hem
rietta's face is little tremor. as she re-
called the names of the captains of the
old boats in the old days. She spoke of
some of the Inflated boats on the Chat
tahoochee as If they were the remains OF
some dear friend, and she said that, after
all. she would not be back upon that ILL
fated river.
And, so we sat together. she in our
white and gold state-room. while our
historic of picturesque rivers a river that
happily is free from tragedy and disas-
tiers.
l have not the heart to suggest to Hen
rietta that it is only that she has grown
old that things seem less gay. or life less
charming. It seems to me that she ought
to know that the plantation songs the ne
groes are singing are full of melody, that
| there was never a November day as per-
a I nj fe OF,
of Henrietta not to know that there is
mild filtration going on right under her
nose.
| I shall not attempt to touch In this let
| ter upon the many historic points along
the river shore, and of the important part
played by the City of Mobile as the con-
Meeting link to the gulf cities. This will
require more time
The Peoples Line of Steamers was the
first to adopt the barge system on the
Alabama river and 1t enables them to
carry more freight at very little expense,
and permits them to continue service with
equal efficiency during low water.
The City of Mobile, with barges has
capacity Of over two thousand bales of
cotton, and is steaming into Mobile har-
Dor loaded with products from the rich
river plantations.
Those who are at all familiar with
southern matters. will recall Captain
Moore, who, for twenty-five years, was one
of the most prominent captains on any
of the southern rivers. He is now gener-
al manager of the Peoples Line, and has
amassed private fortune. One has but
to meet him to realize that he must have
been the ideal river captain. 1t was fire.
quently said of him that he was the very
prince of hosts. in addition to the re-
sponsibilities in his official capacity Al
though he refers to his twenty-five years
Of active service, 1t is difficult to believe
that he classes himself with veteran cap
tains. Those who knew him years ago
declare that he will never grow old. He
tells the cleverest of stories, and there Is
a twinkle in his eyes that tell how dear
he holds those memories.
Captain Moore and his charming wife
have made Montgomery their home for
years, and the river holds no longer any
of its seductive charm.
Captain Quarles of the City of Mobile
was once a conspicuous figure on the
Mississippi river. His vigilance and Won
derful executive ability characterize a
routine that might become monotonous
to one less suited to the arduous task
He has been captain on the Alabama
river for fifteen years, and has countless
friends along the river Shore Captain
Quarles tells clever stories, a quality no
less distinguishing than that which in
spires each passenger with confidence in
his safe policy. Every one on board