Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-08-02


symptoms likely to be present at
once. Thousands of cases termi-
nate in Consumption and end in the
grave, without ever having mani
tested all these symptoms. DIR.
Sage's Remedy cures the worst
1t is just Twenty Years Since the Lee Beat
the Famous NatcheZ.
? From the Pittsburg Post.
Up in the top of the post-otfice build
ing, in the, room where the steamboat
inspectors are located, hangs a colored
Autograph of one of the most famous
steamboat races that ever took place on
the Mississippi River. The race was
between the United States mail packet
Natchez and the Robert E. Lee, and
occurred just twenty years ago. They
ran from New Orleans to st. Louis,
distance Of 1,2l0 miles, making little
over 800 miles per day. The Lee won,
her exact time being 3 days, Is hours
and 80 minutes.
On the evening of June 80, 1870, at
400 P. NJ, the boats swung off from their
landings at New Orleans and headed up
the river Both of them were veritable
floating palaces-the finest examples of
the boat-builders' art-and were re-
garded as the two fastest boats on the
river. They carried no freight and very
few passengers. Every unnecessary piece
ofrope and wood was left behind and
the boats made as light as possible. 1t.
was race to determine which boat was
the fastest, and great sums of money
are said to have been placed on the re-
suit. 1t is said fortunes We're won and
lost on the race 1t was a neckand-
neck race from the start. The old pic
ture shows flames leaping from the
stacks of both boats, as side by side
they ploughed through the water at top
most speed. Capt. j. w. Cannon had
charge of the Robert E. Lee, and Capt.
L. p. Leather was in command on the
Natchez, which was carrying the United
States mails Such incidentals as way
passengers were ignored. The race ex-
cited the greatest interest everywhere,
from New Orleans to ST. Louis, and as
the boats flew by, spectators gathered
along the river banks and cheered fus-
tily.
At 11:25 on the morning Of July the
Lee steamed into the St. Louis harbOr
amid the widest enthusiasm. Her
owners were overioyed at having brok-
en- the record. The Natchez reached
the st. Louis wharf at 5:3S O'Clock on
the eve of the same day, being six
hours and thirty three minutes behind
the Lee. Thessix hours had been lost
through detention by fog at Devils
Island The best previous time had
been made by the Natchez, which made
the run in 3 days, q hours and IS min
utes in the month before. This race
was perhaps the most remarkable that
ever occurred on American waterways,
both for it's magnitude and the great
speed attained. Steamboats, of to-day
never come near the speed of 800 miles
in twenty-four hours.
Capt James Gilmore was IN st. Louis
when the boats arrived there, and
speaking of the race last night said:
'EThe Lee and the Natchez were two of
the fastest boats on the river. When
they left New Orleans they were
stripped of everything that might offer
the least resistance to the wind, one of
the conditions OF the race being that
they could be put in the best travelling
shape possible. Not an unnecessary
spar was allowed 10 remain. / believe
there was great deal of money put up
on the race by st. Louis parties. The
race was simply to test the speed OF
both boats, as they were not running IN
the st. Louis and New Orleans trade.
''To give some idea Of the speed OF
the boats | can relate something that
happened at Cairo Some parties
wanted to board the Lee there, and as
she would not stop they hired the Idle
wild, a boat that had somewhat of q
record for speed. AS the Lee came
steaning along the Idlewild ran along
side and hoped to be able to lash on
long enough to allow the people to be
transferred. She succeeded in lashing
on to the Lee, but could not keep up
with her, and the big boat sped on,
stripping bare the decks of the ldieWlld
Every guard and railing on her decks
was torn of"