Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-19
RACING FOR TOWS.
A REPORTERS exPERlENC ON BOARD
LAKE MICHIGAN TUG.
An Exciting Race for = Tow In which
Five TugboHis Gngaged-tetiing
Up Steam RcgardIess OF
the Safety Valve.



| Past the rows Of high buildings and under
the bridges the little craft glided like
specter until she finally reached the wide
expanse of waters Of Lake Michigan Only
the muiil,d puiIings OF the exhaust and the
| monotonOus vibrations Of the hull disturbed
| the silence. The gloomy stone walls of tho
waterworIls crib, which in the night resem-
bles an isolated sea prison. were directly
| ahead, but by turn of the tiller-wheel they
| were left TO one side, and soon only the
| solitary beacon, which surmounts them, was
all that could be seen by a glance over the
stern. Swiftly the little tug flew past the
lights Of Lincoln payk, and then almost
| directly ahead could be seen the remarkable
Hash-light of Crosse Point, twelve miles
| distant
"Watch it," the captain said, and he
handed pair Of powerful marine glasses to
his solitary passenger. The glasses were
| leveled upon the point where the light had
so suddenly disappeared, and after an inter-
val Of n few seconds the watchers patience
was rewarded by seeing minute speck Of
red light, which gradually grew in size until
it glnred down on the silent waters below it
like the eye of huge monster which was
| waiting for its victims approach. II also
disappeared. and there was another interval
| of darkness, which was followed by the
bright flash. SO this light alternatss show
ing first bright then deep red, and then
| disappearing altogether for brief space Of
time, every night in the year,
| After a run OF one hour and a half It WINS
directly abreast Of the tug, and the captain
| pulled his watch mechanically "Just 80"
he said 81 always like to take my bearings
when pass that light he continued, "be-
cause it might set in thick and stormy, and
while we keep course wo know how to find
our way lack
The CAPTAIN sat at his post pr,mlv divid.
| ing his time between the comnass in front of
| him and the inky darkness around At last
| the first streak OF gray dawn appeoreJ in
the east. and the captaip became quite
| lively, at ia coming DAYLIGHT sure bs
cried out, and he released his wheel
a moment and stepped out uuon the
| boats deck and made a searching examina
ton of the horizon in every direction.
| There's q bunch Of vessels over there he
| exclaimed. pointing over the starboard bow
| gleefully. and he gave the tinplsr n Quick
Jerk The putting 10 Increased to q frightful
| extent. and the yibratio Of the bnll did
| likewise The ysssols ware soon ovsrtaken
| but wore found to be going down the lake.
, Then another vessel was sighted. and al.
most at the same time two turs were seen
| e. .srging from the haze which hid the land
from view. They, too had seen the vessel.
and from the quantities of black smoke
which was vomited from their stacks it was
evident that the masters of both were deter
| mined To tow her To Chicaxo Then two
| more tugs were seen north OF the vessel
| steaming in her direction, but thew wers
specks on the horizon. The eyperienced eve
| Of the captain, howeyer. told him at first
| glance that they were making for the soil.
tary "tow" also, and turning TO his passen.
| ger he said "Stesr her STRAIGHT for that sail
while talk to the engineer
| He had not been gone minute when tho
| object OF his conference with the engineer
| became appareut The changing OF the
| doors Of the furnace rang out above the din
| and clatter of the machinery. and then the
| ,hovelny of coal was heard, Instead of
| black smoke the stack vomited forth glow
| ing cnders of great size, the putting and the
| vibration Increased until il became furious
| She, going wide open.p was the only az.
planation the CAPTAIN youch ,afei when he
, returned and took the wheel again. The
| boat was blowing through the water at a
| tremend GUS speed and she forced it almost
| as hi2h a, her rail
81 think that fellow is gaining on US"
| exclaimed the captain after n brief inter
val OF silence. "Hola Lsr Again until soc
the engineer"
When he returned the din of the machin
cry was perfectly appalling The boat
fairly shook from stem to stern as she
plunged forward and deem roaring noi.e
succeeded the putting. When no was re.
| lieved OF the wheel the rep ,rter timidly
walked toward che engine room, where he
was greeted by the soot-covered engineer
with a broad grin He looked cautiously in
| side, glanced carefully at the steam-guage.
| and remarked indifferently that the boat
was making fast time The guaue reuis-
| tered 100 pounds. "Oh. it's all right. me
| boy," said the engineer, as he gave the
| ,team valve another Jerk to satisfy himself
| that he had not curtailed the power of the
| boat. II WAS evident from the annearancs
| of the other four boats that their engineers
| had not made that mistake, but the CAPTAIN
for a third time became an xious about the
result OF the race, and he maid a third visit
| to the engineer.
While the result of the second visit WAS
appalling what followed the third visit was
simply awful to the inexerienced passen.
ger Visions OF boiler exnlosions and boms
| and friends fitted before his mind in rand
| succession. and then he made a so,emn vow
| that he nsyer would In, caught I'm n similar
scrape If ever he reached land The boat
seemed to fairly leap out of the water and
the roaring noise Increased until il could
| have bean heard mile away. Eyervtbinp,