Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1890-02-15
ON A WESTERN RIVER.
A STORY OF THE DAYS WHEN Dis
AsTER5 WERE FREQUENT.

An Experience ON the GrowIer That Was
Not the Rowling Success lis Captain
Had Predieted-A Fire Alarm and rs
Results Unanimous Opinion.
late war were being enacted several steam
boats were burned, one after another, at va
rious points on the Ohio and Mississipp
rivers and their tributaries. A singular IA
tality seemed to have befallen them, as one
after another fell victims to the flames Final
ly, after the last one burned-the i'll fated
Sultana-there came feelingof relief. Still,
with the regained confidence, the owners and
officers of steamboats, took every precautiom
to protect the lives and property intrusted to
their care The government grew more OK
acting in enforcing its licenses and laws
New lifesaving inventions were imposed upon
the boats until it was almost an impossibility
for boat to be lost by fire, or the life Of
passenger or one Of the officers or crew to be
sacrificed. Every captain felt it his personal
duty TO look after the safety of his boat and
the passengers under his charge.
THE FIRE BRIGADE.
Suddenly an idea sprung up, and was
seized upon as being very good and sensible
one il properly carried out. 1t was to or
ganize the officers of boat into sort OF u
fire brigade and drill them in such 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 to
the office and save tho books, money and
papers; the steward and cabin boys were to
make their way to the rooms and arouse the
passengers; one engineer was to stand by his
engines, while the other was to remain at the
pumps; the mates were to apply and direct
the hose; the deck hands, roustabouts and
firemen were to throw the stages and life
boats overheard. Thus every man on the
boat had some special duty to perform as
soon as the alarm of fire" was given.
OF course, rehearsals were necessary and
frequent to make the men perfect in tho per-
Torrance of their duties. The experiment
soon became such a success that quite num-
Der of boats adopted the plan and began
OOaSIln5 OF Jnelf success.
Among these may be mentioned old Jim
Crowder, captain and owner of the one
boilered, fat bowed, stern wheel steamer
| Grower. The Grower towed RATS and did
| O general business on the bosom of the upper
| Bitterwater, and could run down stream like
| a wild locomotive when she was feeling good
| Capt Jim and his crew had formed them
selves into fine brigade, and he was very
| proud of their performances. One day ht
received an order to go fifteen miles up thu
river and bring down nearly eco negro WOOD
choppers to a new field of operations. Be
| fore starting he invited few friends to &C
company him up and back on the trip
Said he: 81 want to show you coming bacl
how my now fire brigade works. lis sue
| cess
The guests stepped aboard, and, all beins
| in readiness, the Grower started up tn
| river after the woodchoppers, who were o.
the bank awaiting her arrival. After takin;
them on board, she turned her head dow
the narrow stream, the decks black Wit
woodchoppers. Old Capt Jim had poste
his crew, and he wanted them to 'show of
before his friends. Getting them together
he led them down to the forecastle with tn
remark: "Now, you fellers stand right here
and I'll show you something you never 50,
befo'. Now watch, and eff you don't say it
a success you Kin have the boat"
WHAT HE SHOWED THEM
The negroes were all over the boat--uE
stairs and down, some singing, some dancing
some asleep. On the Grower flew. Old Cap
Jim remarked to his guests: "Are you ready
Here goes. Watch 'cm." And he gave OH
wild Comanche yell of ''Firo!" and made
rush for the roof, but he never got there A
was wild commotion. Everybody yelle
''Firer' The officers flew to their posts
duty as they had been trained to do. I'll
negroes jumped overheard from the top an
sides, and some jumped over the wheel b.
hind. About fifty of them rushed down IL
front steps over Capt. Jim, hiding Kim frol
view altogether for time; and before the
could stop the Grower there wasn't a negI
on the boat anywhere and the banks on bot
sides of the river were lined with frightene
darlies wringing wet and trembling fro
the shock of their sudden bath. The DO;
landed to take them aboard, but they pr
ferred walking, and the Growler went dow
the river without them. Upon arriving
the home wharf his friends took old Cap
Jim by the hand and one Of them observed
captain, wo have enjoyed the trip ar
thank you, and we arc unanimous in our OPT
ion that your fire brigade is a success. The
wasn't a life lost and the experiment workC
like charm. You ought to get it patented
eyer see, furgot all about the derned TO
niggers bein' there" he answered, apologet
cally. II ought to have told 'em bout
afore hollered fire, oughtent IF'
The next time old Capt. Jim tested his Fl
brigade it worked like charm-Lcuisvil
Courier ournal. $3.50 &c
Photograph and Dog.