Bismarck weekly tribune., 1889-10-25
a STEAMBOAT STORY.
a THRILLING BOAT RACE ON THE
FATHER OF WATERS.

desperate WORK OF N0ckleS1 PtlOt-Ht0k.
ing the Lives Of Hundreds Of Passen-
gers-A Great Tragedy Prevented BY .
Courageous Captain.
knew capt. Jim Maginnis" and worked
for him-remarked mate Of the ancient
days-and once saw him cool headed and
courageous under the most trying circum-
stances 1t was in 1851. 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 with Confederate
soldiers The trip down the Arkansas was
without special event, except everybody on
both boats learned that race was on and
naturally took great interest Both boats
went through the ''cut of" entering the
Mississippi by way Of White river. Then the
real race began.
ACROSS HER BOW.
just as the Douglass came out Of White
river the Roam was Strengthening out up the
Mississippi The Douglass had to land, and
the delay gave the Roam about one hours
start. 1t 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 Mssis-
sippi, and he said he felt sure of overhauling
and passing the Roam before supper And be
did overhaul her, but he did not pass her, for
the simple reason that her pilot don't
know who he was-wouldn'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.a lively interest, and
those on our boat set up cheer.
Those on the other boat hurled back q veil
of defiance Less than two miles ahead was
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 be
practically out Of the race, and they would
have to trail in behind us and run slowly.
He decided OH desperate scheme to prevent
us reaching the chute first. Pulling his
wheel hard down, he turned his boat around
at right angles with the stream and ran
squarely across our bow, passing not ten feet
ahead Of us. Reilly saw the danger, and did
just what the Roan's pilot intended he should
do-stopped the boat, and backed to avoid a
collision 1t was desperate trick, and
placed several hundred lives in jeopardy, as,
h:ul the Douglass not backed, she must inev-
ltablv cut the Roam in two amidships, and
both boats would have gone down where the
water was SO deep that even the smokestacks
would have been covered. It had the de-
sired result, however. By stopping and
'rcking we lost time enough to permit the
other boat to get into the chute first.
Reilly was mad, and he let it be known.
The soldiers were mad, and in their rage they
hurled curses at the soldiers on the other
boat, who responded with cheers and ieers.
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.
HE WAS THE COMMANDER
Meantime watches had changed and Capt.
Jim was at the Wheel Reilly explained to
him what had occurred and told of the ex-
citement among the soldiers The Douglass
gradually crawled up on the Roam until
about 10 O'Clock, when we were less than a
mile behind, with the width of the river be-
tween the boats. The Douglass had demon
strated superior speed, but the Roam evident
~ had better water on her side of the river,
with less current to contend with, SO that
they were about on equal terms.
Thus they ran along until nearly midnight,
when Reilly again came on watch. Several
times during the night the boats had run
quite close together, and all night excitement
ran high When Reilly took the wheel Capt.
Jim cautioned him to keep the width of the
river between the boats, if possible, and to
be very careful, and then retired His wife
was on the boat, and she sat up reading after
mo vo,of f<ec 1.Q0 0,so1
she heard shouting and cheering, and looking
out saw that the Roam was coming toward our
side Of the river. She reused the captain
and he jumped up and looked out. In an in
stant he saw that we were nearing another
chute, and the situation was exactly as at the
time the Roam had crossed our bow. With
out waiting to put on his clothes he sprang on
the guards of the cabin deck, and, catching
hold Of the low guard rails of the roof, swung
himself up, and in less time than is required
was standing on the hurricane deck clad only
in his undershirt drawers and socks. Close
beside him was the captain of the Confederate
troops, while the esoldierscompletely filed the
upper deck.
1t was evident the same desperate game
was going to be played by the Roan's pilot,
and it looked as though Reilly was going to
run her down. Capt Jim gave the order to
stop and back. At the same instant the Con.
federate captain pulled his revolver and
pointed it at the pilot on the Roam Tn.
scene was wild one; all the soldiers on both
boats were cycling and cursing like fends,
great showers of sparks were pouring from
the chimneys of both boats like fountains Of
fire, and the conditions were good for one Of
the most sensational tragedies ever enacted
Capt Jim was perfectly COOL Selling the
wrist Of the officer with the pistol he jerked
the arm down and shook the revolver from
his grasp. Quick as flash another officer
seized the pistol and pointing it at Reilly,
our own pilot, shouted to him to run her
down, coupled with the threat: 81 will blow
your head off if you stop this boat"
Before the words were out Of his mouth
Capt Jim landed q blow under his ear, and
he fell to the deck like stunned OK At the
same time he commanded Reilly to stop her
in such tones that enforced obedience, and
the Roam glided by SO closely that her wheel
threw water over our forecastle. Again the
scheme worked, and the Roam got the ad.
vantage Of the chute We went round the
hut ~.