New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-06-26

BY all the passengers. 1t was known in the
the city that the Natchez vas coming up on
fast time, and Q large number of citizens,
representing all Observation-Disclosures, steam
boatmen, mechanics, professional men,
some, even, of the clerical gentlemen of the
city-had collected on the wharf, and
watched with earnest interest the rapid
progress of the boat as she plowed her
way against the swift current. By this time
the passengers on board, of whom there
were more than . hundred, were wrought
up to the highest pitch Of enthusiasm. but
there was no cheer, no word spoken. Silent
and unconscious Of all else around them,
they had gathered out on the guards and
forecastle, gazing with intense eagerness
toward the nearing wharf. If the pas.
sengers were thus affected, what must have
been the emotions of that brave old river
captain, who stood upon the roof of his
own fine steamer, as the index hand on the
his watch, pointing toward the hour which
for twenty.six years had been the standard,
inaccessible to all succeeding navigators OF
the river, as the fastest time on record. On
the way from Cairo, at Liberty bar, she
touched bottom, her speed was checked;
thus far she had made an unexampled run.
Must che now be stayed, and stick fast in
the sand, and the coveted triumph be
changed into an ignominious failure? There
W 90 q NtCdA ACoSA Uuu q cSCUuJ AuAN az VIZ
helm. Her engines were reversed; the pom.
derous wheels rolled back; her bow was
veered little to the larboard, and onward,
with increased speed, she dashed through
the foaming river. Ali was yet safe. Two
hours yet remained in which to make her
time and claim the palm of victory. The
walls of the tall buildings of South st.
Louis appeared in the distance. The cap.
tain gszed with intense earnestness as the
hui1 NOR md CT
The spires, and towers, and lofty walls
grew nearer and nearer. Carondelet was
made, only three days twenty-onc hours
and thirty-two minutes out from New Or
leans.
Every one of the officers of the boat were
at their post, cool, calm, collected, with
victory already almost attained, yet few
miles remained. The idental point where
the White signaled her arrival, Il little more
than twenty-six years before, lay still above.
But there was more than an hour yet in
which to make the distance. And now came
the moment for emotion-the moment III
which the magnitude of the achievement
was to be realized. "There is the Arsenal
grounds "There is the point reached by
the J. NJ. White" ''There is the end of her
voyage" and all eyes were turned toward
the we'll knowD landmark with an eager,
earnest intensity that held the tongue still,
the lips of those earnest lockers toward the
shore-the goal of one of the most noted of
steamboat triumphs III speed. The victory
was won; the quickest voyage from New
Orleans to st. Louis was brought to safe
conclusion. A few more minutes and the
great steamer was still, reposing quietly on
the bosom OF the river, at her wharf. The
spell was broken. The pent up feelings, the
anxiety, the tension of the deeply absorbed
ind IF hn off A a.
pany of our citizens rushed on board; Cap.
tain feathers received them calmly, though
it was evident that in that moment of
triumph he felt and realized the significance
of his achievement. He knew that he had
accomplished what might not be accom-
plished in a generatioA-mightn never be &C.
complished again. He knew that in after
years men would turn over the pages on
which are written the past, to learn of the
run of the Natchez. and he realized too, that
when he should be numbered with the
silent sleepers, his name would still be some
times recalled in connection with the grand
est feat thus far recorded in the annals of
steamboat navigation on the Mississippi.
We know not how We can better conclude
our notice of this memorable voyage of the
Natchez than in the expressive language OF
the brave old captain, as he stood trium.
phantly, proudly on The deck of the Natchez,
AoSAAA5 Civ ACaALihE tIC 5ISHIlAOduCC VI ilC
feat. "Ah, gentlemen" said he. Every many
of US old stemboatmen, and many young
ones too, will be in our graves, and have
mouldered to indistinguishable dust, before
the time is made again."
ANOTHER STATEMENT.
The St. Louis Democrat says:
The time as given above by the pilots,
brings the Natchez in victor By thirty-nine
minutes less than the Whites time. They
were willing to make oath to their state
meut but for one fact-the watch that Mr..
Cayton carried, and by which they timed,
may not have run truly, as it was recently
ia the hands of the repairer.
But passenger, MIR. W. S. Pike, banker,
Of New Orleans, timed her from New Or
leans, in statement kept carefully by him
self This We found in the office of the
clerk. Mr.. Samuel Ayles, lying in an ex.
posed position on the desk. l, was crum-
pied from frequent handling, and portions
ofit were difficult to decipher. The follow
rev r. I