The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-06
NO GLORY FOR THEM.
Bitter Defeat Befalls Elijah
Smith and Mcneil.
EASTERN OREGON DIsTANcED.
The Railroad Magnates Labor Hard but
yainly to Pass the Sehomc-A
Bands Mocking Music.

President Elijah Smith and General
Manager III. w. McNeilI. of the Oregon
improvement Company. are two OF the
weariest men in Seattle after their Fourth
OF July celebration, and they are both laid
up for repairs. They started out from Sc
attic on that morning on board their new
steamer Eastern Oregon. conquering and
to conquer. but they did not conquer; on
the contrary. quite the reverse, as they say
in the Limekiln club
1t happened in this way The two poten-
tates started out on their brand new
steamer to 20 to Anacortes and see their
new town On Fidalgo island and their new
railroad up the Skagit river. The Sehome
started out just ahead of the Eastern Ore
gon, and Messrs. Smith and Mcneil, with
the vaulting ambition of the captain OF a
Mississippi river steamer, determined to
beat her. They ordered the captain to put
on full steam. and thereby the two boats
were kept pretty close together as far as
Port Townsend.
1t was when they reached the latter town
that the fun began. Up to that point, said
the two potentates. they had only been
PLAYING with the Sehome, but now they
would show her what speed was. They
both stripped down to shirt and pants, Mr..
McNeill shook loose his 6 ~ locks, and
they climbed down into the stoke hole and
worked for all they were worth. while they
"put another niger on the safety valve. ;"
Mr. Smith sawed wood as ne never sawed
in his life before and Mr.. Mcneil piled
it into the firebox until these two vener-
able bondholders fairly irrigated the pant
ing steamer with their perspiration.
As they paused in their work the familiar
strains of 1.-THE Girl I Left Behind Me"
fell on their ears. Mr.. Mcneil climbed on
deck and looked astern for the defeated
and detested rival steamer. She was not
there. He looked ahead and there she was,
blowing the water we'll ahead of him, while
the scoffing Franklin band which sat on
her deck continued to grind out "The Girl
i Left Behind Me-" As the opposition cap
tain recognized the shining face of the per-
spring manager surrounded by halo OF
shaggy iron-gray hair. he signaled to the
band. and instantly the air was changed to
"Chippy, Get Your Hair Gut" A long,
deep, cultural curse cut through the air
toward the Sehome, demoraiizing the
sound waves of the bands melody. Mr..
Smith. who had by this time joined his fell
iow-laborer for glory, seconded the motion
and deep silence fell upon them. Like
the farmer who looked back to find his
wagon-load of apples scattered for miles
along the road. they were not equal to the
occasion, for they could not find words to
express their feelings. As the Sehome
steamed into Anacortes far ahead of them,
the knocking band played "See, the Con-
quering Hero Comes" and the cup of their
bitterness was fall to overlooking.
Sad and chastened in spirit, Messrs.
Smith and McNeill, accompanied by Super
intendent F. A. Hill, Chief Clerk B. T.
Carr and few friends landed at Anacortes
and boarded an excursion train, which
took them up the Seattle & Northern rail-
road to Sedro and back again. Other free
trains were run for the benefit of the peo-
pie who were celebrating the Fourth.
The Eastern Oregon returned to Seattle
yesterday morning, and will begin her
regular trip down Sound tomorrow morn