The Osceola times., 1883-11-24
A FAMOUS RACE.
The Contest Between the hatcher
and the Robert E. Lee.
A Steamboat Race which Excited Interest
Throughout the Civilized Worid-The
Time cabIed 10 Europe.
Cincinnati Enquirer.


much interest throughout the civilized
world as that which took place between
the Robert f. Lee and Natchez in June,
1870, from New Orleans TO st. Louis. On
the oath day of the month Capt. T. 7.
Leathers telegraphed Capt. Perry Thorp,
Of this city, that the Natchez arrived at
ST. Louis, having overcome the distance
from New Orleans, 1,27s miles in three
days, twenty-one hours and fiffy-eight
minutes. From the time that she was
built at Cincinnati much rivalry in re-
gard to speed had been exhibited be-
tween her and the Robert E. Lee, which
was built at New Albany during the war
and was towed across the river to the
Kentucky side to have her name paint
ed on her wheel-houses, a measure of
safety that was deemed prudent at that
exciting time. Both boats had their
friends and admirers, as did the captains
of both. Capt. John w. Cannon, who
died at Frankfort, Ky, about year ago,
commanded the Lee, and Thomas P.
Leathers, owner of the present Natchez,
and her half-dozen or more predecessors
Of the same name, commanded the
Natchez of that time. Both were ex-
perienced steamboatmen, but, as the
sequel proved, Capt. Cannon was the
better strategist. While both boats had
their friends; tho name of the Robert E.
Lee was most honored and most popular
along the Mississippi river.
Before the return of the Natchez to
New Orleans Capt. Cannon had detei-
mined that the Lee should beat the rec
ord of her rival, the fastest that had ever
been made over the course. He stripped
the Lee for the race; removed all parts
Of her upper works that were calculated
to catch the wind, removed all rigging
and outfit that could be dispensed with,
to tighten her, as the river was low in
some places; engaged the steamer Frank
Pargoud TO precede her hundred miles
up the river TO supply coal arranged
with coal Yards to have fuel flats await
ing her in the middle of the river at
given points, to be taken under tow on
the way until the coal could be trans
ferred to the deck Of the Lee; and then
to be cut loose and float back. He re-
fused all business of every kind and
would receive no passengers.
The Natchez returned TO New Orleans
and received a few hundred tons of
freight and also few passengers, and
was advertised to leave again for St..
Louis June 3Oth At - o'clock in the
afternoon the Robert E. Lee backed out
from the levee, and five minutes later
the Natchez followed her, but without
such elaborate preparation for race as
had been made ON the Lee, Capt. Leath-
es feeling confident that he could pass
the latter within the first one hundred
miles.
A steamer had preceded the racing
boats up the river many miles to witness
all that could be seen of the great race
that was to be. The telegraph informed
the people along both hanks Of the river
and the world at large of the coming
great struggle for supremacy in point OF
speed, and the world looked on with as
much interest as il would had it been an
event local to every part of it. Wherever
there was a human habitation the peo-
, pie collected on the banks of the mighty
, river to observe the passage of the two
, steamers. The Lee gained slightly every
. hundred miles as the race progressed,
which gain at Natcbez, 800 miles from
r the stirling pint, amounted to ten min
: utes, attributable more to landings that
had been made by the Natchez for fuel
than anything else. The people Of the
: whole city of Natchez viewed the race.
at the bend at Vicksburg, although the
two steamers were ten miles apart by
the course of the river, the smoke OF
each was plainly discernibls from the
other. Thousands of people were con-
8 gregated on the bluffs. At Helena AMI
> other yoints it seemed that population
for miles back from the river had turned
4 out to witness the greatest race of this
$ or any other age.
r AT Memphis 10000 people looked at
the passing steamers, neither of which
landed, the Natchez by this time having
q adopted the Lees method of receiving
n fuel. At every point where there was a
= telegraph instrument the hour and the
!, minute Of the passing steamers were
licked to all Joints Of America that could
e be reached, and newspapers throughout
n the country displayed bulletins denoting
4 the progress of the boats.
The time of passing Memphis, Vicks
burg and Cairo was cabled to Europe.
n When Cairo was reached the race was
s Writ ually ended, but the Lee proceeded
!. to st. Louis, arriving there in three
y days, eighteen hours and fourteen min
q utes from the time she left New Orleans,
i beating by thirty-fve minutes the pre-
/ vious time of the Natehez. The latter
i steamer had grounded and run into a
= fog between Memphis and Cairo, which
II DELAYED her more than six hours.
When the Lee arrived at st. Louis
l. 10000 people crowded the wharf, the
windows and the housetope TO receive
her. No similar event had ever created
30 much excitement. Capt. Cannon was
rendered banquet by the business men
Of the city, and was generally lionized
while he remained there. II was esti-
e mated that more than 81 ,000,0 600 had
4 been wagered on the race by the friends
|, of the two steamers. Many Of the bets
: were drawn on the ground that the Lee
\ had been assisted the first hundred miles
! by the power Of the Frank Pargoud
T. added TO her own; and men of the cool
!. est judgment have ever since regarded
the Natchet as the faster boat, but out
] generalled by the commander of the
! other.
p Neither the present r. +. Lee nor the
present Natchez is the same Lee and
Natchez as pnuaoeJ in tho raoa o.l