The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-09-15
GREAT STEAMBOAT RACs.
hhan Million Said to Have Been
Staked Upon the Result.

~ staked Upon the Result.
ne greatest steamboat race that was
ever run in the world was that which
oocurred in June, 1870, from New Or
Ie'nS TO st. Louis, between the Robert
- Lee and the Natchez. The latter was
ouilt at Cincinnati, was commanded by
Hap'aln L. P. feathers, and in June of
Sii0 ABOVE year made the fastest time on
tecoru from New Orleans to St. Louis,
100 miles in three days, twenty-one
nours and tifty-eight minutes. The
nooert L. Lee was built at New Albany
Turing the war and was lowed across
Tue river to the Kentucky side to have
her name painted on her wheel houses,
matter that was deemed prudent in
tnose exciting times. She was COM
inahded by Captain John W. Cannon,
VINO died at Frankfort, KY, in 1882.
There was great rivalry between the
ooats, and when the Natchez made her
great run Captain Cannon determined
10 Oeat it, He stripped the Lee for the
race-removed all parts of her upper
WORKS which were calculated to catch
tne wind; removed all rigging and out
nj mat could be dispensed with to
tighten her; engaged the steamer Frank
fargoud to precede her hundred
pils up the river to supply coal; ar
red with coal yards to have fuel
has awaiting her in the middle 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 o be cut loose and float back. He
refusd all business of every kind, and
would receive no passengers. The
Natchez returned to New Orleans and
received few hundred tons of freight
and afew passengers, and was adver-
tised to leave for St. Louis on June 30.
In the afternoon the Robert E. Lee
backed out from the levee, 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-Natchez,
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 New Orleans,
beating by thirty-three minutes the
previous record of the Natchez. The
latter steamer had run into q 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 a banquet by the
business men of the city, and was gen.
orally lionized while he remained here,
1t was estimated that more thar
vS1Q20. 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 Natche2
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
GIobe- Democrat