Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-07-07
IAN OLDsTIME RACE.
ATRIAL OF sPEEDoN THE oHIoAoEsERA-
TON AGO.
How the Telegraph Beat the Brilliant
in a Race from Cincinnati to
Pittsburgh.

Z III. IOuE
following story of the celebrated race De
the Brilliant, Capt. Redmond Grace anu
the Telegraph. Capt. Samuel Wilson, IL
1851. The course was five hundred miles
long. or from Cincinnati to P1ttsburg, anu
the race was won by the Telegraph In h'e
minutes less than an hour:
The Telegraph was then in the LOuiS
Vile trade. while the Brilliant piled De-
tween Pittsburg and Cincinnati. There was
agreat rivalry between the boats and maj
" on one of the T~elegraph's down trips IL
was announced at Steubenyille, Wheeling
Marietta, Parkersburg and all other ianu-
ings that on the return trip she would give
the Brilliant q tussle. The Brilliant was
almost universally conceded to be the
fastest boat ON the river, and, rs
might be expected, the inhao-
itants of the Ohio and West
VIRGINIA towns anxiously awaited the out
come. At Cincinnati the Brilliant awaiteu
the Telegraph's return from LoulsVliie'
when preparations for the race were con-
cluded. Through passengers to PittsDurg
only were given accommodations by both
boats. as il was not intended to make any
landings. The start was made amid the
deafening blowing of whistles, when
completely drowned the cheers from the
throats of hundreds of sturdy oatmen
standing on the levee, who added to their
enthusiasm by the throwing up ana
waving of hats, On board b0th Doats
the excitement, particularly among the
Messengers. was intense. Wagers on the
result were freely made. For a distance
of forty-five miles, and for four hours, now
on a straight course and sweeping
around q bend, the two boats kept side by
side. They seemed evenly matched. sud
denly the Brilliant slackened up, and the
Telegraph forged ahead. 1t was the first
time either boat had shown IN advantage,
and while the passengers on the upper
deck of the Telegraph waved their hand
kerchiefS, the passengers on the brilliant
grew dubious and respondent.
The Brilliant ssteam pump had by some
means failed to perform its proper iunc-
and the speed of the boat was suddenly re-
duced from eleven to seven and one-half
miles an hour. The defect having been
remedied, unusual efforts to overtlke the
Telegraph were made. The blackened
liremen worked like beavers in the efforts
to redOuble the intense heat in the fur
naces. Presently the Telegraph is sighted
and a mighty cheer goes up from the Bril-
liant. Again they race side by side, and as
the various towns are passed the inhablt-
ants rush to the bank and wave hats,
coats and imprOmptu flags, and cheer for
their favoriteS. Again there is n commO-
motion on the lower deck of the Brilliant,
and she once more falls in the wake of the
Telegraph. The steam pump Is again
diSarranged. Four or five times does this
thing happen. Twice the Brilliant out
stripped the Telegraph, and but for the ac-
cident to her machinery would have been
the victor. There was no sleep on either
boat until after Wheeling had hGea reached,
or when i0Ur,ffths of the trip had been nc
c0mplished. Then the tired passengers
and portions of the crews turned in their
hunks. When the Smoky City was
sighted Just f0rty-tour hours had
elapsed since she left the Cincin-
natl wharf. Filty-flve minutes later
the vanquished Brilliant cam stcaming
along. From Capt. Barney Given, a pilot
of forty-fiye years standing, the story of
the race was obtained. He thinks that
the passenger and freight boats now plying
the Upper Ohio will not be rebuilt. Their
trade is rapidly decreasing, and in a few
years they will be ofno use whatever. How
different from the days Of stage-coaching {!
Then passengers from the East left the
stage at Brownsville, and sailing down the
Monongahela river to Pittsburg, they
boarded the Ohio packets for the balance
of their journey. When the Monongahela
river was frozen over the journey was con-
tinued through to Washington, Pa, to
Wheeling, and the river ride there began.
Then the upper docks were literally black
with human freight.