St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-07

north could be seen Dayton's bluff. ST.
Paul and the head of navigation were
nearly reached by the Sidney, the first
up boat of the season. She was quite
two weeks earlier than the first boat
last year, yet not bit of ice had been
seen since leaving st. Louis week ago
yesterday at 9 p. m. Her passengers
found themselves in an Italian climate,
for the sun came out warm and genial.
Paul. and entering on the great bend Of
the river, st. Paul was in full view.
Five" bawled the rouster with the
sounding pole, indicating the number of
feet of water and minute later called
''F-o-u-r an 'alf." The second mate
rushed forward and seized the pole,
with a volley of sea-dog expletiyes.
The mark registered four and quarter
feet. Another half minute, and only
four feet of water was ahead. Then,
suddenly, only three feet, and, with
quiet little Shiyer of content, the
Sidney
SLID UP On THE PIGS EYE
and was motionleSs. in full sight from
any unrestricted point of view in st.
Paul.
Gwen have mighty sight of trouble
with navigation this summer, unless
there is plenty of rain," observed Pilot
Link. as an Intellectual attempt was
made to back the steamer off the bar.
Then the gang Of rouSterS rolled Off
more vinegar. and the Sidney was free
again. Another channel was tried, and
again the Sidney was aground. A
couple of carloads of furniture was
added to the barrels on the barge, and,
after fiddling around for an hour, the
boat was over the bad place and headed
for the city. AT the bend she swung
across to the south bank, and then turn
ing, her PROV was pointed for the wharf
of the line at the foot of Jackson street.
When in midstream, the two long and
two short whistles sounded from her,
deep and resonant. The salute of the
first vessel of the season to arrive was
not returned for couple of minutes.
Then all the whistles in the city
sounded together, and the big bell upon
the market house struck. Ii was eX-
actlv noon.
A couple of hundred people had as
Sembled along the leyee to see the Sid
ney come in. They were not there to
hear the latest news from the outside
world, as of old, but large number
stood ready to board the steamer and
tell the passengers what was going on
East and West. They would have done
second mate. No sooner had the boat
touched the wharf than the deck pas
sengerS scuttled ashore like rats from
sinking ship. But one of the twenty Or
twenty-five had any baggage, and this
was Il small parcel tied with Irvine.
They seemed to have been here before,
and at once struck out in different direc-
tions as though thoroughly familiar with
the surroundings. One of them, stopped
in his hasty exit from the Sidney,
frankly confessed that he always spent
the summers i'll Minnesota and the viii
tiers in Texas. Between the two he eX-
pressed a
DECIDED PREFERENCE FOR MINNESOTA,
and would be quite content to remain
citizen of the state if there was summer
here all the year around. The Sidney
was quickly tied up, and the slow-moy-
ing machines known as roustabouts
were soon transferring her cargo to the
warehouse of the line. The ever-pres-
ent baggageman had been warned, and
was Oh hand with checks and omnibus.
Navigation on the Mississippi for 1889
was opened.
I'VE have been about two days longer
OH the trip" said Clerk Mather TO the
GLOBE, ethan will be required when
beats get to running regularly and the
passenger season has fairly opened.
The trip up was uneventful. We were
detained at the rapids twelve hours and
have been ever since $ o'clock this
morning coming from Hastings. 1t is
lucky we brought the barge along or we
would never have been here. The river
is lower than was ever known, l be-
lieye, at this season of the year Be-
tween here and Hastings we've had to
wriggle around good deal to get
through. We have about 200 tons of
freight for st. Paul, most of it from st.
Louis, but we picked up more or less all
along. We left st. Louis with a heavy
cargo"
A good part of the cargo of the Sidney
consisted of vinegar in barrels destined
for points scattered all over the North
western country. 1t was discharged late
yesterday afternoon, and the Sidney
started on her re turn trip.