Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-03-09
STEAMBOAT WHISTLES.
RecollectionS of the Old-Tlme Interest Il
Western River Traffic.

RecollectiouS of the Oli-Time Interest In
Western River Traffic.
Twenty years ago, when steamboat
ing was in It's glory on the Mississippi.
nearly every body had his ears trained
to distinguish boat whistles, and men
could sit at home or rise up in bed at
night and say on hearing distant sig
nal: There comes the Natchez," or
That's the r. L. Lee coming in from
New Orleans"
When the celebrated race between
the Robert Z. Lee and the Nltchez from
New Orleans to st. Louis took place,
the interest was intense. and on the
morning the steqmboats were expected
in the levee was thronged with people
anxious to see the result 1t was about
noon when the Lee blew blast as she
passed Caronlelet, and those who had
bet their money on this boat, knowing
the whistle was that OF their favorite,
set up a shout. Many bets which had
been made were paid even before the
victorious steamer came in sight, so
positive were all that she was the
winner. The reason every one
was so positive that 1t was the Lee was
that the Natchez had whistle totally
unlike that of any other steamer on
the river. 1t produced a warbling
sound which was rather musical. This
sound was brought about by suspend
ing ball in the cylinder.
The whistles OF The boats were even
used as means OF communication be-
tween pilots who had code of signals
AS their boats passed onfhe river they
would exchange greetings in this way,
and some OF them had it down so
fine" to use common expression, as
to be able to convey almost any infor-
nation they desired. Frequently the
passengers would be awakened at night
by the most uncommon shrill sounds,
and in great fear would inquire whether
there had been a collision, and would
be comforted by the assurance that il
was "only the pilots talking to each
other"
The whistles were all made in ex.
actly the same way, but owing to their
difference in size, or to the metal, they
produced different sounds, the differ
ence, however only being distinguish
able TO the practiced ear The frst
real novelty was introduced by VIM
Mcclellan, the present boiler inspector
He imported a newly fashioned whistle
from Philadelphia and put it on the
} Rescue, harbOr boat. This produced
sound similar to the howls o
| wild animals, and by contrast wa
dubbed 1.-THE hooking bird" The frs
+ morning it was used it caused quite
sensation in the city. The pilot of tn,
Rescue kept blowing it at furious
= rate, as the boat went up and dowI
the harbor, and hundreds OF people
mistaking the blowing for the howl
: of wild animals rushed down to SCI
what it all meant. The same whistle
is yet used on the tug George Rhea.
The decline of the river traffic ha
S naturally caused decline in the gen
t eral interest that was once taken il
!. the river, and all things appertaining
d to it, and there are very few now ex
n cepting experienced river men VIII
d can tell the whistle of a single boa
e that enters the harbor. The Ancho
y Line boats are known by the fact tina
on entering the harbor the pilot a,
ways signals their approach by on
long, two short and long blow, br
which one of the boats of this line
approaching would be a mystery, III
& less seen, to nearly every body. Non
IS of the other lines or boats owned b
individuals have any regular method {
announcing their coming. The scienC
of steamboat whistling is fast decliI
d ing.-St Louis PoSt-DiSpatch.