Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-01-17
HWell. / sWearln

OF 1T. That hail we had ut NapOle-
on was Wash Hastings, wanting to
come to Cairo, and we didn't stop.
He's i'll the pilot house, now, show
ing those mud-turtles how to hunt
for mudy water.
'That's it! l thought it wasn't
any slouch that was running that
middle bar in Hog-eye Bend. If it's
Wash Hastings-well, what lie don't
know about the river amt worth
knowing-a regular-gold leaf, kid
glove, diamond breastpin pilot,
Wash Hastings is. We won't take
take any off him, old manr'
81 wish I'd astopped for him, that's
all"
The AmTanth was within 300
yards of the Boreas, and still gain
ing. The cold man" spoke through
the tube:
"What is she carrying now?"
"a hundred and sixty five, STRIP
"How's your woodn'
''Pine all out-cypress half gone
eating up cottonwood like pie!"
"Break into that rosin on the
main deck-pile it in, the boat can
pay for it!''
Soon the boat was plunging, and
quivering, and screaming more mad
ly than ever. But the Amaranth's
head was almost abreast the Boreas'
stern.
SLOWS your steam, Harry?"
Hundred and eighty two, sir!"
"Break up the casks of beacon in
the forrard hole! Pile it in! Levy
on that turpentine in the fantail-
drench every stick of wood with
it,"
The boat was a moving earth
quake by this time.
"How's she now?"
"a hundred and ninety six and
still a swelling-water below the
middle guage cock-carrying ev-
cry pound she can stand--nigger
roostiug on the safety valve?''
"Good! How's your draft?"
"Bully! Every time a nigger
heaves stick of wood into the
furnace he goes out the chimney
with it,"
The Amaranth drew steadily. up
till her jaekstaff breasted the Bo-
reas' wheel house-climbed along
inch by inch till her chimneys
breasted it--crept along, further and
further, till the boats were wheel to
wheel-and then they closed up with
heavy jolt and locked together tight
and fast together in the middle of
the big river, under the flooding
moonlight! A roar and hurrah
went from the crowded decks of
both steamers-all hands rushed to
the guards to look and shout and
gesticulate-the weight careened the
vessels over toward each other-offi-
GERS flew hither and thither, cursing
and storming, trying to drive the
the people amidship ips-both cap
tains were leaning over their rail
ings, shaking their fists. swearing
and threatening-black volumes Of
smoke rolled up and canopied the
scene, delivering rain of sparks up
on the vessels-two pistol shots
rang out, and both Captains lodged
unhurt and the packed mass of pas
sengers surged back and fell apart,
while the shrieks of women and
children scared above the intolerable
din
And then there was a booming
roar, laundering crash, and the
riddled Amaranth dropped loose
from their hold and drifted helpless
ly away.
Instantly the fire doors of the Bo-
reas were thrown open, and the men
began dashing buckets of water in
the furnaces-for it would have
been death and destruction to stop
the engines with such a head of
steam.
AS soon as possible the Boreas
dropped down to the floating wreck,
and took off the wounded, and the
unhurt--at least all that could be cot
at, for the whole forward half of
the boat was shapeless ruin with
the chimneys lying crossed on the
top of it, and underneath were a
dozen victims imprisoned alive and
wailing for help. While men with
axes worked with might and main
to free the poor fellows, the Boreas
boat went about, picking up strag-
lers from the river.
And now new horror presented
itself. The wreck took fire from the
dismantled furnaces! Never did
men work with a heartier will than
did those stalwart braves with axes.
But it was of no use. The fire ate
its way steadily despising the buck
ct brigade that fought it. 1t scorch-
ed the clothes, it singed the hair of
the axmen-it drove them back
foot by foot-inch by inch-they wa
vered struck final blow in the
teeth of the enemy, and surrender
ed. And as they fell back they
heard prisoned voices saying:
"Don't leave us! Don't desert us!
Don't, don't do it!''
And one poor fellow said:
81 am Henry Worley striker of
the Amaranth! My mother lives in
st. Louis. Tell her lie for poor
DEVILS sake, please. Say l was kill
ed in an instant and never knew
what hurt me-though God knows
I'VE neither scratch nor bruise
this moment. Its hard to burn up
in coop like this with the whole
wide world so near. Good bye,
boys-we've all got to come to it at
last, anyway"
The Boreas stood away out of
danger and the ruined steamer went
drifting down the stream an island
of wreathing climbing flame that
vomited clouds of smoke from time
to time and glared more fiercely and
sent the luminous tongues higher
and higher after each mission. A
shrek at intervals told of captive
that had met his doom. The wreck
IaI,.oI ,,.,o., . L..