The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-17
Written for the seuune'.
WRECK OF THE HELEN MAR.
Dr DOUGLASS" or mousr cARxkL, ILLINOIS

VI tnE nELLA hAAs
Ri DOUGLASS" or MOUNT cARMkL, ILLIsors
The rebuilding OF the lock aud dam Mt
Grand Rapids has brought ont many old
stories Of the prosperous steamboating
times Among those that have been re
Gently resurrscsed. probably the most inter
esting is that of the wreck OF the steamer
Kate Sarchet in 1858 TIE account OF an
attempt 10 run the dam. as told by JACK
Habberton in his Jericho Road IS given
below. He is the author of several books,
among which il "Hslen's Babies" his best
Work. he was lately connected with the
New York Herald
In his book Mount Carmel appears as
Mount Zion; the Kate Sarchet is changed to
Helen Mar Captain Green to Ben, the pilot,
and Captain Dusouchet becomes Captain
Bates. This Is the story
A wicked thought struck Captain Bates,
and he Rleefully hurried up to the pilot
house. "Ben," said be, 1.-THE river IL away
up"
Rather" sald Ben, avoiding the current
CT creek coming in on the eastern side
Don't You b'ieeYe she could run the dam
at Mount Zion. and dodge paying lock
charges" asked the Captain, offering Ben
bis plug of tobacco.
"Shoulon't wonder replied the pilot,
seeming closely the trees on both sides OF
the river.
"'Twould have TO be done by daylight,
wouldn't it?' asked the Captain Its hard.
~ safe 10 Tisk to try II aztec dark"
"Eot any. II there's ever q time when q
man wants 70 see water ahead of him, its
when he's running dam. We won't reach
Mount Zion till about midnight, and there's
no moon"
"pll give you an extra twenty 10 do it,
Ben" said the Captain.
"Done" said Ben.
"Hooryln shouted the Captain, joyously.
Well tie up at Mount Zion, and keep up an
Internal whistlin', SO the lock-keeper III be
afraid to go to bed. Then in, the morning
well shoot right along under mis- nose
Great Cesar. Won't he jump ana swear"
The pilot showed his teeth in grim APP
prevail OF the Captains wicked mirth.
From midnight until daybresk the gentle
Helen lay at Mount Zion, shrieking and
bowling through her whistles in manner
town quite as badly as they did the lock-
keeper. Toward dsybreak, however. both
engineers came on duty, All
The roustabogts were awakened,
on deck. AID the two pilots lounged over
the lines we're cast OFF, and the gallant little
Loaf started on her daring trip. Several
miles up the stream the locality of the dam
was indicated by great white mill on enc
side OF the stream. and the lock On theOthef.
As the boat moved slowly against the rapid
current and decreased the distance, dark,
troubled line extending across the mill
thowtd that despite the depth of the water
on the dam there was yet a perceptibie fall;
the same TACT was also indicated by steady
sullen roar.
"All ,orwa.dr' shouted the Captain. "Got
to keep her head down all We can. and there's
10 freight to do it with. Everybody for
wsrd- cooks. gressers, everybody
The ropstabouis crowded to the jackstaf.
Looks nasty. Ben" suggested the pilot oH
duty 10 his associate.
"Yes," replied the sentent ious Ben
Must be q tall Of nigh onto three feet;
don't you think its dangerous" continued
the other pilot.
Nary time," replied Ben, with face
sufficiently white TO give the lie to his words.
There's nothin' to do but get her head
straight and hold her to Il. Well go across
easy ss isllin' off log. It's time to give me
hand now"
Trim boatl" shouted Captain Bates. The
two mates carefully disposed the men and
the coils OF rope forward, until the Captain
shouted There, she sits like q duck"
By this time the dam was but hundred
yards in tro.t. and though Ii was but q
wall OF water ABOUT two feet in height, most
of the roustabouts forward looked as il they
would rather be somewhere else, il possible,
while the colored cooks and walters seemed
TO grow ashy In visage.
A moment more and the boat was within
twenty FIVE yards OF the black, roaring wall.
Now, hold her to It'll" grow ed old Ben be-
tween his teeth. Steady shouted the
Captain.
The boat staggered up. She seemed barely
10 creep. She trembled SO violently tina
her bell rang. Suddenly her head sheered
tie least bit from her proper course, which
lay at an exact right angle with the line
the dam. The effect was seemingly out o
proportion with the cause. Instead of the
water being divided by the Prov and follow
ing the ordinary water-line OF the hull.
struck the hull "quartering," turned the
boats head still more, burst over the low
guards peculiar to Western steamboa
rushed with terrific force along the main
deck, snapped the slight supports OF the
cabin, and caused the boat to careen vio-
iently. In an instant the entire upper
works were carried away rs II they were a
mere box, While the hull, with the engines
siill working drifted down the river,
Change of Color I'm Corn.