Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-06-30
ON A WESTERN RIVER.
A STORY OF THE DAYS WHEN DIS
ASTERs WE'RE FREQUENT.

An Experience on the Grcwler That Was
Not the Howling Success It's Captain
Had Predicted-A Fire Alarm and It's
Results-Unanimous Opinion.
About the time the closing scenes Of the
late war were being enacted several steam
boats were burned, one after another, at va
rious points on the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers and their tributaries. A singular IA
tality seemed to have befallen them, as ont
after another fell victims to the flames Final
ly, after the last one burned-the i'll fatet
Sultana-there came feeling of relief. Still
with the regained confidence, the owners and
officers of steamboats, took every precautio,
to protect the lives and property intrusted t.
their care. The government grew more ex
acting in enforcing its licenses and laws
New life saving inventions were imposed upon
the boats until it was almost an inpossibility
for boat to be lost by IRE, or the life of "a
passenger or one Of the officers or crew to bs
sacrificed. Every captain felt it his personal
duty to look after the safety of his boat AMI
the passengers under his charge.
THE FIRE BRIGADE.
Suddenly an idea sprung up, and was
seized upon as being q very good and sensible
one if properly carried out 1t was to or
ganize the officers of a boat into sort of q
fire brigade and drill them in such a manner
that in case of fire each man would under
stand his duty and be found at his post when
called upon in the hour of danger and need
The captain was to rush to the roof; ring the
big bell to sound the alarm; the pilots were
to stand at the wheel until ordered to desert
it BY the captain; the clerks were TO rush 10
the office and save the books, money and
papers; the steward and cabin boys were 10
make their way to the rooms and arouse the
passengers; one engineer was to stand by his
engines while the other to remain at tie
pumps; the mates were to apply and direct
the hose; the deck hands, roustabouts an
firemen were to throw the stages and Lii r.
boats overheard. Thus every man on tile
boat had some special duty to perform ms
soon as the alarm of fire" was given
OF course, rehearsals were necessary al d
frequent to make the men perfect in the per-
Torrance of their duties The experiment
soon became such a success that quite a num-
Der of boats adopted the plan and began
boasting Of their success.
Among these may be mentioned old Jim
Crowder, captain and owner of the one
boilered, fat bowed, stern wheel steam ar
Grower. The Grower towed RATS and did
a general business on the bosom of the upper
Bitterwater, and could run down stream Ii re
a wild locomotive when she was feeling good.
Capt Jim and his crew had formed them
selves into fine brigade and he was ve-y
proud of their performances. One day ne
received an order to go fifteen miles up the
river and bring down nearly 300 negro wood
choppers to a new field of operations. He-
fore starting he invited few friends to &c.
company him up and back on the trip.
Said he: Il want to show you coming back
how my new fire brigade works It's sue
cess"
The guests stepped aboard, and, all being
i'll readiness, the Grower started up the
river after the woodchoppers, who were on
the bank awaiting her arrival. After taking
them ON board, she turned her head down
the narrow stream, the decks black with
woodchoppers. Old Capt. Jim had posi- ed
his crew, and he wanted them TO '.show OFF,
before his friends. Getting them togeth sr
he led them down to the forecastle with the
remark Now, you fellers stand right here
and I'll show you something you never slw
befo'. Now watch, and eff you don't say is
a success you kin have the boat"
WHAT HE SHOWED THEM
The negroes were ali over the boat-Ip-
stairs and down, some singing, some dancing
some asleep. On the Grower flew Old Capt
Jim remarked to his guests: Are you ready (!
Here goes. Watch 'em." And he gave one
wild Comanche yell of ''Fire!n and made a
rush for the roof, but he never got there All
was wild commotion. Every body yelled
Fire. The officers few TO their post of
duty as they had been trained to do The
negroes jumped overheard from the top and
sides, and some jumped over the wheel be-
hind. About fifty of them rushed down the
front steps over Capt. Jim, hiding him fr ON
view altogether for a time; and before they
could stop the Grower there wasn't a ne no
on the boat anywhere and the banks ON 9TH
sides Of the river were lined with frightened
darkies wringing wet and trembling from
the shock of their sudden bath The boat
landed to take them aboard, but they IRE
ferred walking, and the GROWER went dc wn
the river without them. Upon arriving at
the home wharf his friends took old Capt
Jim by the hand and one of them observ ed :
Captain, we have enjoyed the trip and
thank you, and we are unanimous in our oIin-
ion that your fire brigade is a success There
wasn't a life lost and the experiment wor sed
like a charm. You ought to get it patented. :"
Eyer see, / furgot ali about the derned fool
niggers bein' there, " he answered. apolog ETH
cally. Il ought to have told 'em bout it
afore hollered FIRE, oughtent IF
The next time old Capt Jim tested his fire
brigade it worked like a charm. LOUSY lille
COURIER ournaL