Traveling Through Time With the Shelby County Historical Society
Feature Article on the canal. Topic: CANAL
Written by Jim Sayre in February, 2000

COMMERCE ON THE CANAL

"On Friday night an old canal boat, which has harbored a pestiferous crowd all winter within the (Sidney) corporation, was the occasion of considerable excitement. Boys and men gathered on the banks of the canal and commenced a vigorous bombardment of the old craft with clubs and stones. The floating palace of the Funderburgs resounded to the promiscuous storm of missiles, and one of the male occupants of the boat fired a shot gun into the crowd. A few shot struck a small boy in the face, but no serious damage was done. As the combat deepened the palace displayed the white flag, and submissively allowed the moorings to be loosened and the craft to be towed out of town. For all the season this boat has been a rendezvous for the lowest characters, both male and female. Scarcely a hen roost in town can be found but that has contributed to its larder, or a wood pile that has not furnished it fuel." (Sidney Journal, Mar. 10, 1882) 

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