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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 1906)
WHEN A PILOT WAS KING. Horjr of a Great Stnmboat Race oa the Mississippi. "The Girardeau's hlttin a good lick to-night" "Huh! Twelve miles an hour at the best And down stream at that. They don't make boats to run these days." A long train of freight cars crawled noisily along the crest of the stone levee. The man who had referred to the steamer turned and looked fiercely at the snorting locomotive. "What's the use?" he asked. Indicat ing the remorseless rival of the river. "None on earth," returned the other. "But in its day the Robert E. Lee was the swiftest thing that ever cut through the 'daddy of waters.' Ah! There was a boat! Six high-pressure boilers, triple steel engines, a tiller that obeyed a whisper and a prow like an eagle! Nothing that moved could throw moke on her deck!" Two ancient mariners were standing Just outside the engine-room of the Sidney street ferry Florence. The sub ject was Introduced by the passage of the steamer Cape Girardeau on her southern trip. The first speaker was Oliver G. Elchey, head engineer of the Florence. The second man was Cap tain Jesse T. Jamison, aged 74. retired river man. Captain Jamison was chief pilot on the Robert E. Lee from Cairo to St. Louis In her spectacular race THE RIVER STEAMER with the Natchez, July 3-4, 1870. ne Is sturidly built, alert eagle-eyed a typical rlverman of the old days. His Initial appearance In a wheelhouse was made on the Sallie West in 1845. He quit the river eight years ago because of an injury received on land. Rlchey Is a stall, smooth-shaven man, whose 08 years hang lightly on his stalwart frame. He has absorbed health from the American Nile, by way of the marine engine room, for fifty three years. Every old engineer, pilot and captain on the lower Mississippi is a thumb-marked book to these gray veterans. There was a clash of Bmnll bells In the center' of the room and Rlchey Jumped to the polished wheel that sends the steam Into the Florence's cylinders. The big wheel astern began making cataracts and snow showers as the ferry's nose bumped against the current. "If the Natchez people had put John Bennett In the engine room," said Rlchey, after he had things going right to make the crossing, "you folks couldn't kept In sight of the Natchez' stern lights. Bennett could have got more out of ber engines than the build ers believed was In them. There wasn't bis equal on the river at any time, but he was as fretful as a mud turtle In a fryln' pan. Guphs that's why they didn't take him along." "Andy Fauly was all right," said the old pilot, "and he knew his machinery like a good little boy does his Sunday school lesson, but he didn't like to take chances. He was careful." "That s Just what beat 'em. When a man takes a band In a boat race he wants to keep movln' and leave the consequences to rrovldence." "You bet; we'd 'a'run that fog If we'd 'a' known Uncle Charon was waltln' for us midway," said Jamison grimly. "When It began dropping down on us as we shot by Davll's Isl and, Enoch my pard In the wheel- house, Enoch King turned to me and said: " 'We'll cut right through It, Jesse?1 V 'Of course,' I said. "You could have knocked me down with the wing of a butterfly when I heard the other fellows had tied up. They had been holding on like a bull dog to a book agent clear up to Cairo, ' and when Enoch and I were wafted out Into midstream on a coal scow to hoot easy water for the Robert L. Into St Louis we could look down the bend and see the Natchez' smoke filling the. air like the battle of Waterloo. The river then between Cairo and St L. comprised about 200 miles of the toughest piloting you ever saw around these parts anywhere. There wasn't a light house from end to end' of the run and there were snags, bars and operbanging trees enough to discour age a pilgrim ghost Jim rell and West Conners, who bad steered all the way out of New Orleans, were as tickled as schoolboys to see us. You see they had only studied the river to Louisville and were sent down by rail to take the racer Into the terminal. "Captain William Holllday of Cairo had telegraph orders from Memphis to meet the Lee at Bird's point, at the mouth of the Ohio, with a couple of barges of coal. A tug was attached to each barge and the fuel supply was unloaded bn each side of the big steam er on the fly. The Louisville passen gers had to walk the gangplank on to the Jumpin coal flats. It was a bit In terest In' for the ladles, who regarded It as very ungallant, but the Lee didn't have time to be polite that day. "I never snw two barges emptied quicker. The coal heavers swarmed over them like ants and the coal melt ed away almost while the passengers and baggage were being rushed across the planks. "That was on the morning of the 3d. ftOBERT E. LEE. Enoch and I never saw a bed until noon the next day. The fog shook hands with, us at Devil's Island. We supposed as a matter of course the Natchez would tackle It, and we never thought of doing anything else. At that stage of the game a blowup wouldn't have been worse than to have trailed In behind. "The uncertainty of that night turn ed my hair gray. We hadn't a ghost of an Idea where the other boat was and dreaded every moment that we'd hear her plowing through the gloom ahead of us." "That's what you'd "'a' heard If J. Bennett had been there," said Rlchey, as he looked out the side window to see how close they were getting to the St Clair wharf. "He'd a made you ducks look like roustabounts on a sand flat Jack was an engineer, a born en gineer, but he was the crossest man I ever saw. When ho got in dead earn est his room was hot enough to run the engines without the boilers." "Andy Tauly, wasn't slow," Insisted the other steersman, "but he was safe. Still, we thought he'd run that fog and we kept a-goln upstream, cuttln' the current In long, oblique slices same's if the devil was chasin' us. We were drawing six feet and kept the leads men on the for'cas'le all through the night. When the fog lifted toward mornin' and there wasn't any Natchez In sight we began to breathe. The old boat was keepin' up her gait beauti fully and we knew nothing that wades could beat us Into St. Louie." "The Natchez was the best boat," said Rlchey, as he closed down the steam In obedience to the excitement of the bells. "Why didn't she beat then?" "I told you why." "Humph! Guess you think the en gineer's the whole tiling." "He Is in a boat race." "Much racing be could do If we didn't hunt easy water for him. About fifteen miles below town we sighted a fleet of steamers and tugs that had come down to meet us. There was the Harry Johnson, the Eagles and every crack boat that happened to be at the St Louie wharf at the time. Before we got back up the river with every we got to them they turned around and headed back up the river with every ounce of steam they could carry. We beat 'em to town everyone of 'em o far we lost sight of 'em." "That was the Fourth of July?" re marked the engineer. "The Fourth of July, 1870," replied the pilot, solemnly. "On a celebration day a man's eye sight ain't always good." "I didn't have a drop that day!" said the steersman, Indignantly.. "No! Well, let's liquidate now. The Lee was a good boat a bully good boat. Here's to her memory. And here's to the Natchez the peer of 'em all!" The race between the Lee and the Natchez from New Orleans to St. Louis created the most Intense excitement in the Mississippi Valley. Bonfires blazed from the river banks by night and can non thundered by day along the entire course. The boats were apparently well matched and the rivalry had been keen for a long time. At last It hap pened both were scheduled to leave New Orleans at the same time and their captains agreed on a race to St Louts. The following, paragraph Is frorn Mark Twain's "Life on the Mississip pi:" The steamer left the wharf 'of the southern city at 4:53 p. m. June 30, 1870. The Lee arrived In St. Louis at 11:25 a. m., July 4, three days, eighteen hours and fourteen minutes out of New Orleans, six hours and thirty-six min utes ahead of the Natchez. The officers of the Natchez claimed seven hours and one minute stoppage on account of f"g end for rpnlrlng machinery. The Lee was commanded by Captain John W. Cananon and the Natchez was In charge of that veteran southern boat man, Captain Thomas P. Leathers. It's a little singular that the result of the race never changed the minds of the Natchez's friends as to her capa bilities. They sturdily Insisted that she could beat the Lee In a walk If she had "a fair show." Captains Cannon and Leathers and Mot Enoch King are dead. Jamison, King's comrade in the Lee's wheel house from Cairo to St. Louis, lives at 3750 Easton avenue, this city. Both Jamison and Richey run the river when Mark Twain was a pilot and au thor, with whom they were well ac quainted. St. Louis correspondence Chicago Chronicle. SECRETARY ROOT'S HOME. Attractive Mansion in the Qalet, Cultured Village of Clinton. The visitor to Clinton, N. Y., who climbs the hill which leads to the far famed Hamilton College, passes many delightful homes. There are no great mansions, no pretentious edifices which bespeak large wealth, but the residences are attractive In their arch itecture, some of them are spacious and all have the outward appearance of unusual comfort and culture with in. Half hidden among trees and sur rounded by closely trimmed lawns, they suggest themselves as retreats of poets and lovers of nature. Any one of a dozen of them would excite envy in one accustomed to good things. These are the homes, for the most part, of tutors In the college further up the hill. It Is amid such environment that the home of Ellhu Root, Secretary of State, Is to be found. Hither he comes when the strain of great burdens de mands a bit of relief and here, nmld the scenes of his boyhood, he is reju- llOMU OF EL111U KOOT. venated. Within a stone's throw of this place he was born. It is an at mosphere of beauty, but It Is also an atmosphere of work, and It Is from this that he drew that "Joy of the working" which keeps hlra so steadily employed and which causes him to be regarded as a marvel among public men. . The surroundings of youth were calculated to make him a lover of nature, but his bent was for mathe matics and devotion to the exact sci ences, though heredity should have re lieved this by an affection for out doors. The splendor of the Oneida hills and the Orlskany valley was not wholly lost upon, him, however, even amid the busy scenes of a metropolis throbbing with varied activities and the charm of a capital where intellect Is supreme, and thus it was that In the years of his greatest achievements he returned to Clinton and purchased an estate which adjoins the bid home stead. Here he has a fine farm and here, with his family, he spends as much time as he can spare from his official and professional duties. Hard Hit. "I first struck this town," said the Alderman, "ten years ago." "And It was a blow," continued the reformer,' "from which the town has never recovered." Cleveland Leader. Of course, it's tue proper thing for a man to have a backbone, but he should remember that it Is Jointed, e pnwrDMfiD A uuvumuii Makes Use of His Family fwn CAPITOL BUILDING, Pernna is known from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Letters of coneratula- tioh and commendation testifying to the merits of Peruna as a catarrh rem edy are pouring in from every state in the Union. Dr. Ilartman is receiving hundreds of such letters daily. All classes write these letters, from the highest to the lowest. lhe outdoor laborer, the indoor arti san, the clerk, the editor, the states man, the preacher all agree that Peruna is the catarrh remedy of the age. The staee and rostrum, recogniz ing catarrh as their greatest enemt, are especially enthuiBastic in their praise and testimonv. Any man who wishes perfect heal'li must be entirely free from catarrh. Catanh is well nigh universal. Aru na is the beet safeguard known. Ask Your Druggist for Free Fish that Change Color. Among the curious observations made by students at the Bermuda Bio logical Station Is that some of the In habitants of the water there are able to imitate the color of the rocks and reers among which they swim. The common fish called the grouper pos sess this power. Its chromatic varia bility runs through a considerable range of colors. A specimen of the octopus vulgaris, after Jerking an oar from the hand of an Inquisitive nat uralist, escaped pursuit by its nbillty to Imitate the exact shade of any brown or gray neck on which it rest ed. A LiKut Uemedy. A quack doctor, whose treatment had evidently led to the death of his patient, was examined sternly by the coroner. What did you give the poor fellow? asked the coroner. "Ipecacuanha, sir." "You might just as well have given him the aurora borealis," said the coro ner. "Well, sir, that's just what I was go ing to give him when he died." A New One Needed. Mr. Nagget A man is as old as lie feels, they say, and I assure you your extravagant ideas make me feel Mrs. Naugett And a woman Is as old as she looks. But, thank goodness, I can never be as old as this bonnet of mine looks. Philadelphia Press. T1nnfr tnalrA inil iffArant naitpi and at. pect your children to be healthy. 7 BLOOD POISON The black flag is an emblem of horror and dread. When it is hoisted by an army, the order has gone forth that " no quarter " will be given, ev erything must be destroyed. Helpless women and children, as well as oppos ing soldiers, meet the same fate, and a trail of desolation, suffering and death is left behind. Contagious Blood Poison is the black flag of the great army of disease. This vile disorder is known as the blackest and most hide ous of all human afflictions, overthrowing its victims and crushing out the) life. It is no respecter of persons ; no matter how pure the blood may ba or how innocently the disease is contracted, when this awful virus enters the) circulation the hideous, hateful and humiliating symptoms begin to appear, and the sufferer feels that his very presence is polluting and contaminating. Usually the first sign of the disease is a little sore or ulcer, but as the blood becomes more deeply poisoned the severer symptoms are manifested, tha mouth and throat ulcerate, the glands in the groins swell, a red rash breaks out on the body, the hair and eyebrows come out, and often the body is cov ered with copper-colored spots, pustular eruptions and sores. In its worst stages the disease affects the nerves, attacks the bones and sometimes causes tumors to form on the brain, produc ing insanity and deMth. Not only those who contract the poison suffer, but unless the virus is driven from the blood the awful taint is handed down to offspring, and they are its innocent victims. Blood Poison is in deed a "black flag." Mercury and Potash, so often used, never can cure the trouble. These minerals merely drive the symptoms away for awhile and shut the disease n p in the system, and when they are left off it returns worse than before.- This treatment hot only fails to cure blood poison but eats out the delicate lining of the Stomach and bowels, produces chronic dyspepsia, loosens the teeth and fre quently causes mercurial rheumatism to add to the patient's suffering. S. S. S. , the great vegetable medicine, is the conqueror of this vile disease. It goes down to the very root of the trouble and cures by cleansing the blood of every particle of the poison S. S. S. does not hide c cover up anything frQ $m (m PURELY VEGETABLE. great remedy the symptoms all pass away and no sign of the disease is ever seen again ; nor is there left the least trace to be handed down to posterity. Special book with instructions for self-treatment and any medical advice de tixed will be sent without charge to all who write. OF OREGON iPe-ru-na in M For Co.ds mmmm mil. SALEM, OREGON A Letter From the Ex-Governor of Oregon. The ex-governor of Oregon is an ar dent admirer of Peurna. He keeps it continually in the house. In a letter to Dr. Hartman, he says: State of Oregon, fciecmtive Department. Tile Pernna Medicine Co., Columbus, 0.: Deer Sirs I have had occasion to use your Peruna medicine in my family for colds, and it proved to be an excellent remedy. I have not had occasion to us it for other ailments. Yours very truly, W. M. Lord. It will be noticed that the governor cays he has not had occasion to use Peruna for other ailments. The reason for this is, most other ailments begin with a cold. Peruna Almanac for 1906. According to Instructions A British officer, in his expense list on government service, put down: , . "Porter, twopence." The officer was requested to re port to the war office and receive tho following explanation: "While executing public duty re freshments are not chargeable to the nation." "The item does not represent re freshments," replied the officer, "but a fee to a carrier." "You should have said porterage," was then explained to him. When the officer had occasion to take i a hansom, remembering Instructions, ! he wrote In his account: "Cabbage, 2 shillings." Philadelphia Fublic Ledger. Good Advice to a Tramp. The autumn night was chill. There was a hint of frost In the air. The tramp's collar was turned up aud his nose blue with cold. I "I have here 0 cents," be said. "If you will give me one more penny, sir, ! I can get a bed all to myself." ' "No, I can't do that," said the stran ger. "But I advise you to ask the gen- I tleman you are to sleep with for an additional penny. He should give it to you gladly." Minneapolis Journal. The Baltic tea has more wrecks thin any other place In the world, the aver age being one wreck a day the year round. THE BLACK FLAG Several veara ao-o I had blood notion and my fleh was in an awful condition. Great aorea would break out and noth jng-1 put on tnem would do any good. py nair ana eyeorowsieuout ana i. waa " a fright." sly mouth was ao or I bad to live on milk and -water. I took Mercury for a long- time and initead oj getting- better I oontinued to grow worn and my arms and hands became, olid aorea. My lega were drawn ao I could not walk and I felt that my time waa ahort bore if I did not get aome re lief. I began to use your 8. S. S. and it helped mo from the start. After taking) It awhile the aorea all healed, my rheu matism waa cured and to-day I am a strong, well man. It got all the meri oury out of my aystem and it cured ma sound and well. ADAM SCHNABEL Evansvllle, Ind. No. 11 Mary St, dui clears me enure circulation of the virus and puts the system in good healthy condition. It cures safely as well as certainly, because there is not a particle of mineral in it. We offer a re ward of $1,000.00 for proof that S. S. S. is not purely vegetable. When the blood is purified and strengthened with this wm THE SWIFT SPECIFIC CO- ATLANTA