The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-29
A RIVER RACE.
The Mary Morton Out-rHns the st.
Paul In Contest from st. Louis
to st. Paul.


The Mary Morton and st. Paul are two
as fast steamboats, as there are ON the
upper Mississippi. The former boat be-
longs to the Diamond 10 line. and the
latter tothe ST. Louis & St. Paul Packet
company. These two being the only pack
ct lines between St. Louis and st. Paul,
considerable rivalry has always existed
between them as to which had the fastest
boats. The subject has been brought to
test on several occasions, and the Dia>
mond 10 has generally come out in the
lead. For some years the Diamond 10
company has run four regular packets on
the upper Mississippi through trade. The
Saints line once did the same, but the
list of that corporation has now dwindled
down to two.
The Diamond 10 company has won
the reputation of being the best line on
the river above st. Louis, this all by the
shere force of merit, but it has never
sought to monopolize the river, it has
gone right along attending to its business,
but when assailed, it has defended itself
well. Two years ago the st. Louis & ST.
Paul company secured the temporary use
of an Ohio river boat, the r. r. Springer,
and it was heraided up and down the
great father Of waters" that this river
RATHER would do everything in the Dia.
mond 10 fleet But the Diamond 10 kept
quiet. The Springer was sent out for ST.
Paul on Diamond 10 day, the Mary
Morton being the 10 line packet which
the Springer was to beat first. These two
boats started out together, and ON the day
upon which the two contesting boats were
to reach Rock Island, great crowds gath
cred along the levee to see the Springer
beat the Mary Morton; conspicuous fig
ure at that time was the agent of the
Saints line, who finally discovered some
smoke away off down the river. Il see
her smoke. he shouted ''she's coming,
| now we'll see what fast steamboat is. 3"
Sure enough. there was the smoke; the
agent and crowd watched; finally a
| steamer came into sight around the bend
Here she comes" said the agent in an
ecstacy of delight; there she comes. /"
| The boat came nearer, and the agent s
countenance changed. ''Oh, the dell, he
said. with an air of disgust; ''it's that
d Mary Morton" And 10, it was; she
had beaten the Springer half an hour to
Rock Island She was an hour ahead
at Dubuque; several hours at ST. Paul
where she waited for her rival, and then
beat her back to st. Louis. 1t was ell up
with the Springer. She made few more
trips and was withdrawn. The Mary Nor
ton did not go in for race, but when q
boat was started out along side of her she
was going to keep the lead, and she did
The Morton was then given the title Of
the race horse" of the upper Mississippi
and Billy" Boland, her jolly captain was
congratulated on all sides.
Until now the ST. Paul and Morton
had not been watched. The Diamond JC
does not believe in racing until put 10 1t
and Capt. Boland has therefore avoided ;
contest in every way that he could. WheI
the Morton went down last Thursday
night she was holly pursued by the st
Paul; Capt. Burke, of the latter boat, hat
been anxious to encounter the Diamonl
10 RATHER for long time. He did no
catch her on her way down, however, S,
he decided to try her on her way up-th
10 steamers leave St. Louis Tuesday
Thursday and Saturday, and the Saint!
line on Monday, Wednesday and Frida
but Capt Burke thought he woult
come out on a Diamond 10 day, so III
st. Paul pulled up her gang plank an
started for the head of navigation at
O'Clock Saturday afternoon, when tn
Morton did.
The race to Keokuk was a close one
, but at that city the Morton went to th
lead, and at S:45 this morning was here
the fastest time made from St. Louis sine
the days of the old Gem City, considered
8 marvel for her speed The St. Paul al
rived here late this afternoon The Morto
besides made every landing and was we
loaded when she arrived here. She wi
. beat her rival to St. Paul and take HI
time back as she does not have to leav
: st. Louis again until next Tuesday.
. The merits of the Diamond 10 line
due no more to the boats than to the
masters, the company having secured Il
best and most experienced men TIL
could be found for captains:
Foreign Inquiries.
A.. IT.