Bridgeton pioneer., 1905-12-14

THIS FELLOW
MOVES ABOUT

The Philadelphia Record Sunday
printed the following interesting story
from Bridgeton:
Bridgeton. N. j., Dec. 9.-No pesky
landlord bothers Charles Simpkins. a
native OF this city, though he moves
oftener, perhaps, than any man in the
State. Nor is he bothered about get.
ting the ashes out of the cellar for the
regular collection days, nor with
shovellng snow off the sidewalk.
nor with sweeping unwelcome adver.
tising matter out of the front vesti.
bule. When he wearies of neighbor.
hood he moves, and he doesn't have to
hunt up a furniture van, nor take
down the parIor pictures, nor unloint
stubborn and sooty stovepipe. He
just moves, and there's no broken
crockery, nor split furniture, nor lost
pieces of bric-a. .brac and no trouble
putting the beds together. And, above
all. he doesn't have to watch for the
tax collector
Simpkins' home is the unique abid-
ing place of South Jersey, home that
has attracted considerable attention
since it was first constructed, and that
presents many novel features. 1t has
recently located along the Cohansey
banks, in the vicinity of Buena Vista,
and there established winter quarters,
near the oyster beds. with their prom
lse of winter occupation.
When the owner obtained an aban-
donad mud scow for small sum about
year ago, and began to build his
house upon it, his friends laughed at
his announcement that he intended to
live rent free for the remainder of his
life. and live in different town every
year. Recent developments show that
his day dreams had solid foundation
(what could possibly be more solid.
by the way, than great. clumsy mud
scow?), and many fishermen and oys-
termen along the Cohansey have>since
looked enviously upon the novel home.
Upon this sure foundation clumsy,
but roomy, house has been construct
eG. two stories in height, with four
large rooms and a little outside
kitchen, which is simply rooted over
with canvas in the summer. The old
mud scow is sufficiently large TO allow
generous space for walking around
the house. with small porch in the
front and large one at the back,
which is used as the summer kitchen.
When first constructed. his unique
houseboat was stationed at the old
Buena Vista wharf, where the owner
was engaged in shipbuilding during
the spring and summer, there being a
small shipbuilding plant at the old
oyster wharves, where the oyster boats
are kept in repair and new ones built.
At the opening of the tomato can
ming season, in the late>summer, Simp.
kins had an offer of higher wages at a
Bridgeton canning house; then, with
out the slightest assistance from tug
boats or sails, and without expense of
any sort. the clumsy house boat made
a stately move from Buena Vista to
Bridgeton, distance of many miles
along the winding creek. The anchor
was lifted and stakes Ioosened one
morning when tides were favorable,
the clumsy craft was pushed from
shore into mid-stream and it moved
slowly up the Cohansey Greek toward
Bridgeton.
1t was slow moving. but sure. The
house boat made considerable progress
during singleTtide. At.the turn of
the tide the home was anchored to
keep it from drifting back. Thus.
with the uninterrupted home life 60
ing quietly on, the novel moving con.
tinued until Bridgeton was reached,
and again permanent anchorage was
established for the canning seasoD.
This fall the oyster districts on the
Cohansey have improved attractive
and sufficiently remunerative to call for
another move for winter quarters.
When work proves slack here in the
spring it will be simple matter to
again "pulI up stakes and move to
another town, without expense. A
small rowboat attached to the front. of
the house boat is convenient for short
trips on the creek, while the home is
at anchor, and plank walk leads from
the house boat to the shore.