Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-08
A STEAMBOAT STORY.
A THRILLING BOAT RACE ON TH.E
FATHER OF WATERS.

Desperate Work of a Reckless Pilot-Risk-
ing the Lives of Hundreds of Passen-
gers-A Great Tragedy Prevented by q
Courageous Captain.
knew "Capt Jim Magilanis" and worked
for him-remarked a mate OF the ancient
days-and | once saw him cool headed and
courageous under the most trying circum-
stances 1t was in 1861. The Rose Douglass
and Julia Roam, both splendid boats OF their
class-stern wheelers, good carriers and fast
left Little Rock for Memphis within an
hour Of each other, the understanding being
that the boat that reached Memphis first
should have day in the Adams Mail line.
Both boats were loaded wish Confederate
soldiers. The trip down the Arkansas was
without special event, except everybody On
both boats learned that a race was on and
naturally took great interest. Both boats
went through the ''cut off," entering the
Mississippi by way of White river. Then the
real race began.
ACROSS HER BOW.
Just as the Douglass came out Of Wha e
river the Roam was Strengthening out up tn 9
Mississippi The Douglass had to land, and
start It was just a little after noon. Bill
Reilly was the pilot on the Douglass, Capt.
Jim standing one watch himself. Bill was
at the wheel when we started up the Missis-
sippi, and he said be felt sure OF overhauling
and passing the Roam before supper. And he
did overhaul her, but he did not pass her, for
the simple reason that her pilot don't
know who he was-N'ouldn't allow her to be
passed When we ran up close enough to
make it apparent that we could pass excite
ment on both boats became intense. The
soldiers especially took lively interest, and
those on our boat set up cheer
Those on tie other boat hurled back yell
of defiance Less than two miles ahead was
q chute into which only one boat could enter,
and the pilot on the Roam realized that If we
entered the chute first his boat would ba
practically out of the race, and they would
have to rail in behind us and run slowly.
He decided on q desperate scheme to prevent
US reaching the chu+e first. Pulling his
wheel bard down, he turned his boat around
at right angles with the stream and ran
s9uarely across our bow, pa eslng not ten feet
ahead OF us. Reilly saw the danger, and did
just what the Roan's pilotint ded he should
do--stopped the boat, and backed to avoid a
collision 1t was desperate .Tich, anu
placed several hundred lives in ieop vrdy, as
had the Douglass not backed she musN lnev-
itably cut the Roam in two GcsidsEips, and
both boats would have gone down where the
water was so deep THAI even the sIacEosJs KS
would have been covered. Is had 'ao &c
sired result, however BY stop, ~ any
backing We LOST ume enough fo permit The
other boat to get iats she chute iirsc
Reilly was mad, and rs lc. il be- known.
The soldiers were mad. aud in their rsga theg
hurled curses at the sol5iero on t4e cher
boat who responded with cheers and jeers.
Capt. Jim was asleep. Bill Reilly decided to
stick to the main channel, and not follow the
Roam through the chute. The result was
that we were about five or seven miles be
hind when we caught sight Of the Roam
again.
WAS COMM ANDFP