The Woodville Republican, and Wilkinson advertiser. (Woodville, Miss.) 1853-18??, 1853-05-24
The River Steeds on a Rase-Two
Thousand Milo Heatsl

I
PerhaFs never before in the history ofsteam
has there existed such a state Of things as
now, on the Mississippi river. Such a reck-
les disregard Of life, Of law aud expense, that
reputation for speed may be established, as If
despatch in travelling were to be preferred to
safety and a quick transit no matter where
il 70 the other world, only 50 it be speedy was
all that could or would be desired in Steamboat
navigation. The boats particularly engaged
in racing just now are the shotwell and
Eclipse; the Magnolia and New Princess also
when occasion offers which it does pretty fTe-
quently, the two former boats are doing all
Eat human ingenuity can exert in their behalf
in a race against time from New Orleans to
Louisville, below We give some clippings from
our exchanges, bearing on the subject; the fol-
lowing is from the Natchez Courier:
The STEAMER EcLIPsE.-It is reported,
that the Captain Of this fine boat has request
ed the agent to give notice to the passengers
who expect to embark at this place, that he
will pay their passage to New Orleans, if they
will 90 there to embark And, if this is
declined, "they must be on the whafboat at
4 o'clock on Saturday morning, prepared TO
get on board, with all possible speed, as the
boat will not put out a line" 1t is further
rumored, that said captain has given notice,
that "he means to make a brdg rUn." This is
folly and recklessness, wholly unexpected from
the commander of such a boat. If the cap
tain is foolish enough to run his boat, for the
qualification Of a petty ambition to establish
her superiority in point of speed, the travelling
public ought to be USe enough to avoid risk
ing their lives with such an officer.
On the North River, the steamboats, are
compelled by heavy penalties ito make fast
their lines, at every landing place." There
should be a more stringent law of Congress for
the regulation, in this respect, of steamboats,
on the Western waters. But the travelling
public ought, with one consent, refuse to trav-
Ell on a boat that will race with other boats, or
ran against time. If some united effort is not
made to arrest this practice, we must sooner
or later witness some awful catastrophe.
Natchez, May 18th, 1853. A TRAVELLER"
The following is from Memphis papers ola
few days since, SO that we see the excitement
is pretty general.
"The A. l.. Shotwell passed down yester-
day, bound for New Orleans. Capt. Elliot
says he is preparing to make a trial trip up,
and Is confident of beating the Whites time
to this place, two days twelve hours and eight
minutes. The Shotwell will leave New Or
leans either on Monday evening or Tuesday
morning. Memphis Wing, 10"
considerable excitement prevails about the
rival trips OF the two "crack nags," the Eclipse
and Shotwell, and money is changing hands
pretty Freely. The coming week win be one
Of much excitement upon the whole line, ex-
tending from New Orleans to Louisville, and
the best time ever made between those two
points may be looked for-Ibid.
The following exhibits the speed of the fast.
est boats up to this time, except that of the
shotwell, which the Telegraph reports as IN
WHAT advance of the Eclipse.
"The steamer Eclipse passed here II min
utes before six o'clock on Sunday morning,
having accomplished the distance in nineteen
hours and fifty minutes. She was compelled
to go to the shore, tie up and lose IS minutes
OF this period in some repairs to her machinery.
AS much curiosity prevails, as to her time
compared with previous quick trips, we give it
below:
Baton Rouge. Natchez. T;cksg.
In. White, 1914. 20.4O 20.55
Magnolia, Oct. 1851, OILS 1850
Reindeer, May 1852, 22.so s2.15
Eclipse, " 1915 21.25 29.55
May 1858, OH 1850 2s.ll
The Eclipss passed vicksburg ten minutes
after 2 O'clock Sunday afternoon, making the
trip in one hour and forty-four minutes less
time than the White accomplished in 1874.
We understand that the Eclipse was expected
to make her present trip to Louisville in four
days and twelve hours
AL - MA