The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-11-23
RIVER NEWS.
The Diamond 10 Line Seeking Larger
Quarters at st. Paul--.A Chal-
Ienge.-.General Items.
WANT IARGER QuANTERs.

The officials Of the Diamond 10 Packet
company have peiiioned the council of
st. Paul for the privilege of increasing
the foot of Jackson street. The petition
sets forth that the present warehouse,
jointly used by the Diamond 10 and st.
Louis and st. Paul Packet companies, is
not large enough for the transaction Of
the steamboat business. The petition re-
gu ests the council to permit the petition
ers to erect an additional warehouse west
of the present structure, to be connected
Herewith by an arch over the passages
way between the two buildings. The
passagcway will lead to public dock
which will be used for excursion and
transient steamers generally. The orig
inal petition contained two requests, the
| first being as above noted and the second
asked for permission TO widen the press
ent warehouse by additions on the north
and south. The latter has been aban-
doned, the petitioners seeking simply to
secure the right to eject Il new warehouse
on the west of the present structure.
A CHALLENGE.
1t now appears that the race between
the rafters CLYDE and the j. X. Graves
will take place. notwithstanding the fact
that it has once been declared cil. The
Clyde, in the opinion of many river men,
1. I 4 /, ON %
river as the fastest raft boat. The fol-
lowing challenge has been issued by the
owner of the J. X. Graves:
| Jerry Turner ESQ Lansing, Iowa
My DEAR SIR have some friends
here who have heard so much talk about
your boat, the Clyde. beating the steamer
J. X. Graves, that they have become very
anxious that the two boats should meet
at some place where the friends could
go, and that the friends of the two
boats would make up purse of any
sum from 800 to $500 side, and
let the two boats race for the purse and
the winner to take the purse. My friends
are now ready to put up any sum you
name, not to exceed $500 against n like
amount, aud the two boats meet at Reeds
Landing and race from Reeds Landing
to Red Wing, and the winner take the
purse. AS to the judges, each side ses
lect one, and they select one, making in
all three Judges, whose decisions shall be
final, they, the judges. to keep the time.
Should be pleased to hear from You soon,
| MATT CLARK.
The distance from Reeds lending to
Red Wing is 81 miles.
| RIrLETS.
The Mary Morton came from st. Paul
last Friday, and left her trip here for the
Josephine, which cleared for St. Louis
on Saturday evening". The Morton
and Josie were the last Diamond
10 boats to st. Paul this season. The
Morton, after coming down rs far as Du~
buque, unloaded and went back up the
river one hundred miles and met the Josie
and relieved her of two of the foul
bargcs she had in tow. 1t was the inten
ton to send the Josie to this point. bn,
owing to II broken ruddcr the Morton
came in her place. Capt Boland, of tn"
Morton, says his boat encountered con
siderable floating ice in the vicinity OF
St. Paul. The Morton has gone to Du'
buoue, where the Diamond Jn packets
winter.
Captain Wash Hight, rapids pilot fol
the Diamond 10 line, left for ST. Louis,
his home, Saturday, During the winter he
will command u boat on the lower river
There is very little about steamboat that
Wash don't know, He has been schoolcd
| in the business and he understands il
thoroughly. and like the majority of river
men, he is big hearted, cordial and jolly.
Daring the season Just closed, Captain
John G. Scott the United States Official,
has inspected III steamboats, in the Gas
lena district, by which the upper Mlssis'
sippi river and its tributaries is known.
This is larger number than last years
record. The season was without any eX
plosion or other fatalities
The local office of the Diamond DC
company will close for the season this
week, and Agent Lamont and his clerk,
Ben Lamont, will take necdful vaca
ton. Agent Bryson. of the Saints line,
closed up two weeks ago.
Business alongshorc has suspended fol
the winter.