Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-09-02

Western waters, the excitement is fully
equal to the departure OF Liverpool
packet. About 10 o'clock A. M. the
ill-fated steamer pushed off upon the
turbid current of the Mississippi as a
swan upon the waters. In a few min
utes she was under weigh, tossing high
in the air bright and snowy clouds OF
steam at every revolution Of her engine.
Talk not ofyour northern steamboats,.
A Mississippi steamer Of 700 tuns bur-
then, with adequate machinery; is one
Of the sublimities Of poetry.
On Tuesday evening, the 9th Of May,
1887, the steamboat Prairie, on her way
to St. Louis bore hard upon the Ben
Sherrod. 1t was necessary for the lat
ter to stop at Fort Adams, during which
the Prairie passed her. Great vexation
was manifested by some passengers
that the Prairie should get to Natchez
first. This subject formed the theme
for conversation for two or three hours,
the Capt. informing them that he would
beat her any how.
The Prairie is very fast boat, and un-
der equal chances would have beaten
the Sherrod. So soon as the busi-
ness was transacted at Fort Adams,
for which she stopped, orders were CIV
en- to the men to keep up the fires to the
extent. II was now little past IL P.
M. The Captain retired to his berth
with his clothes on, and left the deck in
charge of an officer. During the evening
a barrel Of whiskey had been turned out,
and permission given to the hands to do
as they pleased. As may be supposed,
they drew upon the barrel quite liberal
ly. 1t is the custom of all the boats to
furnish the firemen with liquor, though a
difference exists as to the mode. But it
is due 10 the many worthy Captains
now on the Misslssippl to state, that the
practice OF furnishing spirits is gradually
dying away, and where they are given
il is only in moderation.
AS the Sherrod passed On above Fort
Adams towards the mouth of the HON.
chitta, the wood piled up in the front of
the furnaces several times caught fire,
and was once or twice imperfectly ex-
tinguished by the drunken hands. 1t
must be understood by those OF my rca-
ders who have never seen a Western
steamboat that the boilers are entirely
above the first deck, and when the fires
are well kept up for any length of time
the heat is almost iusupportable. Were
it not for the draft occasoned by the
speed of the boat, it would be very diff
cult to attend the fire.
AS the boat was coming along through
thk water close in the shore, for in as
cending the river boats 60 as close as
can to avoid the current, negro from
the beach called to the firemen that the
wood was on fire. The reply was, "go
to hell and mind your own business" !"
"Oh Massa if you don't take care you
will be in hell before | will" Answer
ed the negro. On, on, on, went the boat,
at a tremendous rate, trembling and
quivering in all her length at every rev.
olution Of the wheels. The steam crea-
ted so fast that it continued to escape
through the safety valve, and by its
sharp Kissing told tale that every pru-
dent captain would have understood. Az
the vessel rounded at the bar that makes
off the Homchitta, being compelled to
stand out into the middle of the river in
consequence,the flames, was discovered.
1t was about one o'clock in the morning.
A passenger had got up previously, and
was standing upon the boiler deck,
when to his astonishment the fire broke
from the pile Of wood. A little presence
ofmind, and set Of men unintoxicated,
could have saved the vessel. The pas
sanger seized bucket, andlwas about to
plunge it overheard for water, when he
found it was locked. An instant more,
and the flames increased to volume.
The captain was now awakened-he
saw the fire had reached the deck-he
ran aft and announced the ill tidings.
No sooner were the words out of his
mouth, than the shrieks Of mothers, sis
ters, and babes, resounded through the
hitherto silent cabin in the widest con-
fusion. Men were aroused from their
dreaming cots TO experience the hot air
ofapproaching fire. The pilot being ell
evated on the hurricane deck at the in
slant Of preceiving the flames, put the
head Of the boat shoreward. She had
70. .