The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-06-15
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
Richmond. June Is, 1853.
Editorial Correspondence.
In THE OHIO RIVER, on Sand Bar, }
June 1853.

June 6. 1853.
MEssRs EDIToRs:-Little did dream on
Saturday last, what trials and delays were in
store for the hapless passengers of the fine
steamer EMP REss, Capt. WILSON. suppose,
however, any one who has travelled upon the
Western River steamers, will fully understand
| their nature, and give US the benefit of their
heartfelt sympathy. To initiate the reader
more fully into them, however, before he pros
ceeds further, let him understa nd that the river
craft which undertake to carry passenger
are all of them freight, as well as passenger
boats. The freight is of great importance to
| them, and they will omit no opportunity to oh.
tain it. Suppose then, that among the passen-
gers of steamer, there are persons who de
sire TO be put through with expedition-whose
personal interests, or the concerns with which
they be entrusted, demand their presence in
some place, on particular day, and there is
no time to spare,-imagne their dismay upon
| turning bend, and beholding man waving
flag from wharf boat where are heaped up
huge piles of freight, which the boat has to
| take on. What boots it that they complain Of
the delay?-they had as well sing psalms to a
dead horse. The boat rounds to and may be
tied up for day, Or day and a half, taking
In cabbages, potatoes, corn, tobacco, hemp,
chickens, eggs, sheep, pigs, cows, horses and
mules! Oh, thunderation. how delightful tits to
the impatient passenger, to behold things
| crowded into the steamer, by those who are ut.
terly Indifferent to his discomfort, utterly regard
less of his execratons, both loud and deep. He
is prisoner, and must submit. The great Wes-
tern steamer is but modern Noah s ark, hav-
ing on board a specimen of every thing upon the
earth and much besides that belongs to the wa.
| ters. 1t differs from the ark of old Noah, howev
er, in this, that while Noah filled his boat, and
shut down his hatches, before he started,
swearing he would take 10 more freight or
passengers, the Western steamer is ever
| ready TO take on more and never refuses any
thing till she reaches her destination.
Saturday we reached Louisville just after
the departure of the ECLIPSE" perhaps the
finest boat on the Western riyers-ifnot the fin
estin the country. We engaged passage in the
Empress" another very fine boat, and were
TO be on board by o'clock, as she was to get
off about that time. Well, at the appointed
hour we were there, and found the levee
strewed with freight, and the mates busy in
directing its shipment. This was little dis
couraging TO begin with. The first mate was
a true Western waterman. He was little
sharp looking fellow, with large whiskers,
blue pants and checked shirt, with broad
krrn hat <&L,~
He gave his orders in a stentorian voice, and
interlarded them with oaths in a profusion and a
manner not known off the Western waters.-
snow my lads! come on my hearties! roll 'em in
my sons! That's the howl" he would say in
kind, endearing and parental manner, and just
then discovering something moi going on to suit
him, he would pour down upon the objects OF
his recent affectionate phrases, perfect hail
storm of such oaths as you never listened to, and
with vim that could not be excelled, and l
doubt if it could be equalled. The captain
had promised the Richmond Delegation to the
Memphis Conventions, consisting of Mr.. Jno.
NJ. Bolts and the writer, (Mr. Ellis was just
day ahead of us,) that they should be put in
Memphis, Monday, i. e. this day /; and we find
| ourselves near 400 miles distant from that
place. To begin with the history of our delay:
instead of leaving Louisville at half past seven,
we did not get away till after II o'clock al
night. Just about sundown, when the levee
was strewn with freight, AMI in the midst of the
mates hurricane of kind words, denunciations +,
oaths and abuse, halfthe deck hands struck and
deliberately walked off with their baggage on
their backs! must do the mate the justice, how
ever, to say that with the remainder Of his force
he performed wonders--he put away an enor.
nous amount of freight, and we got off "a little
after l2. We had not gone more than 90 miles,
however, before we encountered fog and an.
chored till morning. In the morning we made a
fair start. During the day, however, we had to
stop twice 10 wood and coal, and twice to take
| on freight. At Troy, Indiana, we took on
| twenty barrels of eggs containing 80 and go
dozen each, sixteen immense coops Of chickens,
&c. At Rockport, Indiana, we took ON some
80 hhds. tobacco, and more eggs. A man who
| seemed to be mayor of the place, pointed out
to us large aock Of sheep, which. he said, he
| had intended to put aboard but as il was rath-
er late in the evening. he would wait for the
| next boat, for which forbearance we were ex.
ceedingly obliged to him. We were further
delayed to make an iron band for the tilIer
post. Sunday night we had long delay in
taking on 80 hhds. of tobacco and other things,
at Evansville. Monday (this) morning, we
found ourselves about $50 miles from Louis
vile, near Shawneetown, Ill. The days oc.
curences will note briefly.
| o'elock.-Water shallew-proceed eau.
tiously. We descry the Eclipse ahead, fast
aground, with small boat lghiering her
she gets off just before we reach her, and goes
ahead. We stop at Shawneetown, for a
large lot OF tobacco, and such things as the
sounuy affords.
10 0o'clock.-Being underway we turn bend
and again discover the Eclipse aground. We
go slowly as the water is Iow--sending boat
| ahead to sound the depth. We reach the
Eclipse and have the pleasure to be informed
that as both boats belong to the same compa-
| ny, the Empress is bound TO help of the
| Eclipse. Preparations are made to haul her