Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-09-23
ETEAMERGRAyEYARD
Nsw Jersey Town Where Many Old
Eastern Vessels Lie.
w.n-Known River Craft That Have
Become Worn Out Find a Rest
ing Place on the Raritan'a
IS Hanks.

II appears TO have been left for the
residents Of the little town Of Perth
Amboy to prove that the Hindoo BELIEF
An the transmigration Of souls is a re-
Atty, at least, as far as boats are con-
cerned, says the St. Lous Republic.
Steam craft which in years gone By
made great records in the local waters
and later were dragged out OF the
busy swirl tired Of the struggle are
to-day so much a part Of the Rarltan
river town that their names are house
hold words there.
The graveyard Of old vessels q haa
q day Of resurrection.
The valiant spirit Of each has left
cold boiler and paralyzed engine TO
take ND its abode in dwellings, decora-
lions and the hundred and one things
into which its dismembered but resur-
rected body has been transformed
During the last few years many we'll
known boats have been brought to-
rether on the shelving banks Of the
Raritan river, where the junkman de-
cides their destiny.
The giantess Of them all is the
famous old Albany boat Drew.
Close beside her are the fre-ravaged
bulls of the ferryboats Elizabeth and
Plainfeld.
The WORKOUT ferryboat Central and
the Inflated Mortified are rubbing
their noses in a friendly way with the
rise and fall of the tide against the
n-.wss mort ouartPr.
The h~alf-burned Thomas MeManus
keeps well under water on the r1ver
eide Of the feet
The side-wheel steamer Colonia, OF
Philadelphia, which was condemned as
unseaworthy after the last information
al Yacht races, and the famous old
ferryboat Chancellor, the only craftto
cross the bay during the blizzard OF
1888, have both settled high up In the
sands.
These boats represent more than
$1,000 900 in original cost, and are IN
all stages of dismantlement.
Probably one Of the greatest boons
that ever came to Perth ANNOY was
the steamer Drew.
she WAS lOMEQ " hNA EAN~
little more than a year ago.
From the outside she appeared to
be a great unw1eldy hulk OF little
value. but within she has proved to be
a veritable treasure ship.
Houses have been built from the
w~eI-seasoned planking Of her super
structure.
The panel work and rich carvings o.
her 400 and more staterooms have beel
used for interior decorations, and TIL
sSaterooms themselves for store
houses.
There is one stateroom which ha
been left just where it was when tn
old river boat made her last trip.
Money cannot buy it from the junk
man.
The pleasant memories Of his hon
eymoon still linger with it.
From one end of the craftto the 9th
eri It is the only spotwhich will not fee
the sharp edge Of the wreckers tool
With the exception Of that part
the Drew which has been used by tn
iunkman himself in the constructio
Of living quarters for his men and
combination Office and ~storehouse, ]
h heart Of the town, all the materii
has been sold at a good price.
An elderly widow is the proud own'
of a comfortable home made entire.
from the Drew.
Her dog and chickens are also snug
housed within a portion of the resu
rected craft.
So extravagant were the builders
the boat in the selection Of materla
used for her construction that earpe
ters and decorators Of the town ha'
purchased almost the entire suPe
structure, although it is as yet n
more than half dismantled.
In the building trade there is Il q
mand for drew timber" and amo1
decorators a call for drew tril
mings."
The foregoing is the spirit OF I
Drew made manifest In Perth Amboy
1t is not confined there alone, no
ever, for all over the country there
a demand for some part OF her g
struction.
The giant parts Of her engines NJ
already gone to the steel works
Pennsylvania and Connecticut to
fashinoed into car wheels, axles
huiidiup material.