San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-22
STEAMBOAT STORIES.
TALES OF OLD TIMES ON THE
RIVER TOLD BY VETERANS.
Queer Little Craft and Her Cranky
Capers-Running Twice Around Big
Steamer Under Full Headway-The Dare
Devil Trick of Tom Gross.

The old time steamboatmen are not all
dead. Many of them still linger on the stage
of life though in these days of rapid transit
and railroad rush they are probably looked
upon as superluous. Between them, how
ever, there exists sort of freemasonry that
draws them closer and closer together as
their ranks are thinned by death. In all the
large river cities there exist little coterles-
some places only two or three; in others,
large numbers-who preserve among them
selves a formal or informal club or assocla-
ton and meet at stated or irregular intervals
and talk over old times.
The writer was one of a little group OF
these kindred souls short time ago, when
one of them recited a little incident that will
long live in the traditions of the Ohio river
QUEER CRAFTS CAPERs.
Two steamers were bound up the river be-
tween Cincinnati and Louisville One of
them was a large side wheeler-either the
Silver Moon or Glendale the narrator forgot
which ANYHOW, it was one of the class of
steamers known in those days as a ''Cincin.
natl tub" with a model like cheese box
She was running in the Cincinnati and Mem.
Dhis trade The other was a little stern
wheeler named the Volunteer, running in the
| Cincinnati and Cumberland river trade She
| was curious sort of a craft and had decided
| ly cranky habits. Her hull had formerly
| been a canal boat. A pair of heavy towboat
| engines had been put on this hull and a sort
| of box cabin constructed. She could run like
a scared wolf, but, as stated, had cranky
| habits She had balance rudders that some
| how or other were never exactly in the posi-
| ton they should be, and altogether this queer
| craft was terror to pilots. She belonged to
| three men, all well known in st. Louis at that
| time, and whose memories are still cherished
| here by hosts of friends. They were James
l.. Maginnis. William Reilly and William
Burt
| On the occasion referred to the Volunteer
| overhauled the Cincinnati tub and passed her
on the starboard side, when the rudders got
crossed, or something happened to cause the
little stern wheeler to cut one of her cranky
capers. When probably her length ahead Of
the side wheeler she took Sheer" and ran
| sauarely across the bow of the big boat.
| Hiram o. Brace, a well known pilot, until
/ recently inspector at Memphis, was, he
thought, in the pilot house. He saw there
was no use of trying to pull her back, and to
stop was to let the side wheeler run her down
so he simply pulled the wheel hard down, and
the little stern wheeler actually ran clear
around the Cincinnati tub, coming up again
abreast on the starbOard side OF course
there was excitement on both boats, ana
cheers and yells, and not few curses as il
was thought the pilot of the Volunteer was
responsible for the boats maneuvers Whill
this was going on, the little boat Strengthened
out up the river. and again gradually forged
ahead until well in the lead, when, to the
profound establishment of everybody, she
again took a sheer" and again ran cleaI
around the biz side wheeler, exactly repeat
ing the former maneuver.
TOM GROSS TRICK.
a little event in which this craft figured
was then related. 1t was the habit i'll thosy
days for the steamers bound up stream to
take fuel barges-coal or wood-in tow, and
continue the trip while transferring the fueI
from barge to steamer When the fuel was
transferred the barge would be set adrift,
with one man on board, who would care for
and land it. There were two magnificent
boats plying III the Cincinnati and Louis
vile packet trade, the America and the
United States. They were probably the
finest, and, without doubt, the fastest boats
afoat They were beautiful steamers, and
constructed on such perfect lines that their
pilots could control them as closely as craft
was ever controlled. The pilots of these
steamers used to indulge in little trick for
their own amusement, which was cause of
great trouble to the pilots and commanders
Of other boats. 1t was this: On meeting an,
ether boat the signal would be sounded for
passing, but when the two boats would gel
close together the pilot on the big packet
would turn his boat, as if with the deliberate
intention Of running into the other boat
To avoid a collision the other boat would
Of course be stopped and backed The bi.
boat, however, under perfect control, would
never slacken speed in the least, but under
full Roadway run right up, and, curving
! gracefully, pass on, sometimes so close as to
make it appear that only a miracle prevented
n collision. These pilots had learned to con
troll their boats so completely that they could
do this with perfect safety, and enjoy lhe
| fright Of people on the other boats. Tom
Gross, pilot who had his life well nigh
| scared out Of him on two or three occasions
| by these fellows, was at the wheel on board
| the Volunteer On trip up the river when
| one Of these big boats was met. Gross iuew
What was going to happen, and conceived .
| plan for turning the tables Oh the i0k2rs
! The Volunteer had wood barge in tow, anu
| had transferred the fuel, but at the request
! Of the owner was towing the boat to point
I'D the river. Gross called a cub pilot t.
take the wheel and went below, first caution.
| ing the cub not 20 get frightened at the big
! boat, but just to 'hold her straight up til,
| river and not ring single bell" Taking AN
aX in his hands, Gross stationed himself right
| by the head Inc by which the barge was fast