The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-09-08
An oLD.1InE STEAMBOAT RACE.
More Than a Million Dollars Staked
Upon the Result.
st. Louis Globe-Democrat,

Inc greatest SLedmOOat race L0at
was ever run in the world was that
which occurred in June, 1870, from
New Orleans to St. Louis, between
the Robert E. Lee and the Natchez.
The latter was built at Cincinnati,
was commanded by Captain T. P.
Leathers, and in June of the above
year made the fastest time on rec
ord from New Orleans to st. Louis,
1878 miles in three days twenty
one hours and fifty-eight minutes.
The Robert E. Lee was built at
New Albany during the war and
was towed across the river to the
Kentucky side to have her name
painted on her wheel houses, mat
ter that was deemed prudent in
those exciting times. She was COM
manded by Captain John W. Can
non, who died at Frankfort, Ken
lucky, in 1882.
There was a great rivalry between
the boats, and when the Natchez
made her great run Captain Cannon
determined to beat it. He stripped
the Lee for the race-remOved all
parts of her upper works which
were calculated to catch the wind
removed all rigging and outfit that
could be dispensed with to Tighten
her; engaged the steamer Frank
Pargoud to precede her hundred
miles up the river to supply coal; /;
arranged with coal yards to have
fuel flats awaiting her in the mid
die of the river at given points, to
be taken IN tow under way until
the coal could be transferred to the
deck of the Lee, and then to be cut
loose and float back. He refused
all business of every kind and
receive no passengers. The Natchez
returned to New Orleans and re-
ceived few hundred tons of freight
and few passengers, and was adj
vertised to leave for St. Louis on
June 5Oth.
In the afternoon the Robert E.
Lee backed out from the levee. and
five minutes later the Natchez fol-
! lowed her. The whole country
watched the race with breathless
interest, as it had been extensively
advertised by the press, and the tel
egraph attended its progress along
the river at every point. At all the
principal cities-Natchez, Vicks-
burg, Helena and Memphis-people
for many miles were present to see
the racers pass, and the time of pass
ing was cabled to Europe. When
Cairo was reached the race was vir-
tually ended, but the Lee proceeded
to st. Louis, arriving there i'll three
days eighteen hours and fourteen
minutes from the time she left New
Orleans, beating by three hours and
forty-four minute the previous rec
ord of the Nachez. The latter
steamer had run into a fog and
grounded between Memphis and
Cairo, which delayed her more than
six hours. 1t is said that 10000
people crowded the wharf, the win
dows and the housetops, to welcome
the Lee on her arrival at st. Louis
Captain Cannon was rendered a
banquet by the business men of the
city, and was generally ionized
while he remained here.
It was estimated that more than
81 100000 changed hands on the
result of the great race. Many ol
the bets were withdrawn, however
on the ground that the Lee had
been assisted the first hundred
miles of the trip by the power o
the Frank Pargaud added to hel
own, and many steamboatmen have
ever since regarded the Natchez al
the fastest boat of the two, but thinE
she was outgeneraled in the race BY
the Lee. There was so much ad
| verse comment afterward by thu
press that there has been no attemp
since to repeat such performance