The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-05-09
FIT, Smelling, April i, 1850.
Ed. PIoNEER:

Ed. PIONEER:
Some attempt was made, week before
last, il the Chronicle, to censure Capt.
Smith. Harris of the DR.. Franklin, No.
9; and the writer very arrogantly as
sumed, that the Captain exposed the
lives ofhimself, his crew and passengers,
in race with the Nominee. Now the
Chronicles structures arc wholly with
out reason, truth or sense. The Frank
lin came to the levcc at Saint Paul,
where the Nominee was lying; she dis
charged all the freight and passengers
that were desired to be discharged, and
then she moved into the channel and ran
to Fort Smelling, the Nominee which had
before then, some minutes, left the levee
and dropped back and waited while,
coming after, as fast as she could
There was no hazard run on the Frank
lin, no danger of blowing up, or Of kill
ing any body. This stuff about the
Franklln's net blowing off steam and not
wetting down her fires, while she was
lying at the levce, only betrays the pit
liable ignorance of the writer; who ought
to know, that if the boilers are plenti-
fully supplied with water, the boat is in
no more danger Of being blown up, while
lying still at the levee, than while run
ming. An editor of tolerablc Informal
ton, ought to know, that boats are now
supplied with pumping apparatus call
ed "the DOCTOR" Ironically to the med
ical profession no doubt, for these doc
tors really do save lives, and no boat
with doctor, ever blew up) which works
entirely independent of the engine, and
supplies the boilers with water, as regu-
larly when boat stops as when she is
running. There is no more need of
wetting down fires therefore, on the "doc-
tor" Franklin, and it would increase the
security, against an explosion, no more
than it would to take down the pilot
house, unlock the wheels, or quench the
fire in the stove of the cook room. Men
who set themselves up for censors, ought
to be possessed of tolerable share of
intelligence. A very little good sense
and small philosophy will teach, that the
safety-valve is an infallible protection
against explosions, while the boilers are
regularly and amply supplied with water.
This communication is not intended to
reflect in the slightest degree upon Capt.
Orrin Smith, who is an excellent and
obliging officer, nor upon his boat the
Nominee, which is capital boat
Equally as much however, may be said
of Capt Smith Harris and the Franklin
The latter, is regular trader between
st. Louis and Minnesota. 1t is not less
important to Saint Paul, that we support
good packets to St. Louis, than that we
support good packets to Galena. We
have much dealings with St. Louis, and
we shall have, still more 1t is no dis
arrangement to any other officer on the
whole length of the Mississippi river, to
say, that more thorough specimen of a
complete steamboat captain, than Capt.
Smith Harris, never trod deck. For
prolnutness, for intrepidity, for order, for
wise expettients in an emergency, and for
good luck, whic... some writer justly clas-
ses amongst the qualifications of COM
mander, Smith Harris has no superior.
He has been engaged for seventeen
years in the business; has built. bought
and commanded, in whole or in cart,
thirteen different boats during that time,
and not only never lost or blew up boat,
but never had but two deaths occur while
in command; one of which, was the
death of MIR. Barber, last summer, of
the cholera, and the other, was a man
who fell overheard, clinging to the work
bench.
In proof of the intrepdity of Capt.
Harris, will mention the following fact,
which came to my knowledge through
gentleman in Dubuque. The narrator
related it to my informant thus:
"Many years ago, shipped a large
quantity of blasting powder on Capt.
Smith Harris boat, from St. Louis to
Galena. 1t was in the hold, which con-
tanned great variety of other combus-
tibles. l was sitting in the cabin, with
a friend, on our way up, when | observ-
ed some smoke coming up from below.
The passengers all grew excited and ran
out, ! with the rest, to find where the
danger was. There was L dense smoke
all along the boiler deck. Neither the
captain nor single one of the crew
was visible, nor was a sound to be heard.
We ran to the pilot-house-told the pilot
the boat was on fire. His only answer
was "can't help it, SIR" We returned
to the pilot and begged him for Gods
sake to run the boat ashore. "Not for
my E)c," he replied, "without orders
from the old man" (the captain.) We
turned away in despair, every passenger
meditating certain death; when the smoke
began to disappear, and up came the
captain, followed by his crew, out ofthe
hold, looking as they had crept through
soot-bag.
Well, Captain, you have had fire
Below?
Yes; we have that.
1t must have been very near my pow
der?
1t tras very near it.
We tried to get your pilot to run the
boat ashore.
Run the boat ashore? He dare as
soon crawl into that furnace! The mo-
ment the boat touched ground, every one
of my men would have started for the
shore, and the boat, passengers, every
thing, would have been blown in ten
thousand directions!' This is the kind