Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-10-30
GREAT STEAMBOAT pAcs
More Than Million SAID .,
staked Upon this Rs,..l,

ATfGoAf RACE.
More Th,n Million said 4. u.x. a..
stihen Upon ths R4saIt.
no greatest steamboat rae. that ,..,
ever rim IN the world was tha. wbi,t'
occurred in June, 1870. from New o.
leans to 1T. Louis, between the Rot.a..
=. Lee and the Natchez. The latter va.
built at Cincinnati, was Commanded bv
captain i. j. feathers, and in .Tune =,
the above year made the fastest time an
record from New Orleans 10 ST. IouIs
i'z'o miles In three days, twenty-one
hours and ifty-eight minutes. Tho
robert r. Lee was built at New Alhanu
during the war and was towed acros.
the river to the Kentucky side to have
her name painted on her wheel housss
a matter that was deemed prudent in
those exciting times. She was corn.
manded by Captain John w. Cannon
who died at Frankfort, Ky, in 1882.
mere was 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 unner
works which were calculated to catch
the wind; removed all rigging and out
fit that could be dispensed with IN
tighten her; engaged the steamer Frank
fargodd to precede her a hundred
miles up the river TO supply coal; ar.
ranged with coal yards to have fnel
hats awaiting her in the middle OF the
river at given points, to be taken in
tow under way until the coal could pa
transferred to the deck of the Lee. and
then to be cut loose and foat back. He
refused all business OF every kind, and
would receive no passengers. The
Natchez returned to New Orleans and
received few hundred tons of freight
ana "a few passengers, and was adyer-
tlsed to leave for St. Louis on June 80
In the afternoon the Robert f. Lee
backed out from the leyee. and five
minutes later the Natchez followed
her. The whole country watched the
race with breathless interest. as it had
been extensively advertised by the
press, and the telegraph attended its
progress along the river at every point.
AT all the principal cities-N atchez.
Vicksburg, Helena, and Memphis
people for many miles were present to
see the racers pass, and the time OF
passing was cabled to Europe When
Cairo was reached the race was vir-
tually ended, but the Lee proceeded to
st. Louis, arriving there In three DAYS,
eighteen hours and fourteen minutes
from the time she left n W Orleans,
beating by thirty-three minutes tho
previous record Of the Natchez The
latter steamer had run into fog and
grounded between Memphis and Cairo,
which delayed her more than six
hours. 1t is said that $4,000 people
crowded the wharf. the windows and
the housetops to welcome the Lee on
her arrival at St. Louis. Captain Can
non was rendered banquet by the
business men OF the city, and was gen.
orally lionized while he remained here.
1t was estimated that more than
$1,000. 900 changed hands on the result
of the great race. Many of the bets
were withdrawn. however, on the
ground that the Lee had been assisted
the first hundred miles of the trip By
the power of the Frank Pargoud added
to her own, and many steamboat men
have ever since regarded the Natchez
as the fastest boat of the two, but think
she was outgeneraled in the race by
the Lee. There was so much adverse
comment afterward by the press that
there has been no attempt since to re-
peat such a performance. st. LOUIS
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