The Delaware farm and home. (Wilmington, Del.) 1885-19??, 1889-09-26

Desperate Work of IA Reckless PilOt-Risl1-
ing the Lives of Hundreds of Pa,sen-
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 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 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 off," 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 Missis-
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 lively interest, and
those on our boat set up a cheer.
Those on the other boat hurled back yell
of defiance. Less than two miles ahead was
a 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 lis and run slowly
He decided on desperate scheme to prevent
us reaching the chute first Pulling his
wheel hard dowa, he turned his boat around
at right angles with the stream and ran
squarey across our bow, passing not ten feet
ahead of us. Reilly saw the danger, and did
just what the Roan's pilotinteuded he should
do-stopped the boat, and backed to avoid
collision. 1t was desperate trick and
placed several hundred lives in jeopardy, as
had the Douglass not backed she must iney
itably 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. 1t had the de-
sired result, however. BY stopping and
backing 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 wero mad, and in their rage they
hurled curses al 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 i've or seven miles be-
hind-when we caught sight of the RFs6afi
sgain.
- HE WAS THE COMMANDER