The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-01-24
STEAMBOAT WHISTLES.
Beool1ectlons of the Old-Time Interest In
western River Tramc.

necoliectlons Of the oid-Time Interest in
western River TrahIic.
Twenty years ago, when steamboat
ing was in its 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. E. Lee coming in from
New Orleans"
When the celebrated race between
the Robert Z. Lee and the Natchez from
New Orleans to st. Louis took place,
the interest was intense. and on the
morning the steamboats, were expected
in the levee was thronged with people
anxious to see tho result. It was about
noon when the Lee blew a blast as she
passed Carondelet, 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 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 on the 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 q collision, and would
be comforted by the assurance that II
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 first
real novelty was introduced by VIM.
Mcclellan, the present boiler inspector.
He imported anewly-fashioned whistle
from Philadelphia and put it on the
Rescue, harbor boat. This produced
q sound similar to the howls of
wild animals, and by contrast was
dubbed "the mocking bird" The first
It was used it caused quite
sensation in the city. The pilot of the
Rescue kept blowing it at furious
rate, as the boat went up and down
the harbor, and hundreds OF people
the blowing for the howls
of wild animals rushed down to see
what it all meant. The same whistle
s yet used on the tug George Rhea.
The decline of the river traffic has
caused decline in the gen. |
'ral interest that was once taken in
he river, and all things appertaining
o 1t, and there are very few now ex-
epting experienced river men who
an tell the whistle OF a single boat
hat enters the harbor. The Anchor
line boats are known by the fact that
n entering the harbor the pilot al
rays signals their approach by one
ong, two short and long blow, but
7hich one Of the boats of this line is
pproaching would be mystery, un-
ess seen, to nearly every body. None
the other lines or boats owned by
Individuals have any regular method of
nnouncing their coming. The science
I steamboat whistling is fast declin-
ag.-St. Louis Post Dispatch.