Wichita eagle., 1890-01-30
ON A WESTERN RIVER.
A STORY OF THE DAYS WHEN DIS
ASTERS WERE FREQUENT.

A STORY OF THE DAYS WHEN DIS
ASTERS WERE FREQUENT.
An Experience ON the GROWER That Was
Not tho Rowling Success Its Captain
Had Predicted-A Fire Alarm and Its
Observation-Disclosures Opinion.
About the time the closing scenes Of the
ate war were being enacted several steam
boats were burned, one after anoster, at va
rious POINTS on the OHIO and Aksnsappa
rivers and their tributaries. A singular ia
tality seemed to have bsfalien them, as one
after another fen victims 10 the flames. Final
ly, after the last one burned-She III fated
Suhana-shore came a feeling OF refief. Still,
with the regained confidence, the owners and
officers OF steamboats, took every precauslon
to protect the lives and property intrusted to
their care. The government grew more ex-
acting in enforcing its licenses and laws
New meseving inventions were imposed upon
the boats until it was almost an imposability
for a boat to be lost by fire, q the hfe OF q
passenger or one Of the officers or crew to be
sacrificed. Every captain felt it his personal
duty to hook 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 if properly carried out. 1t was to or
GAME the officers of boat into a sort Of a
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
Ii -, Ill ~
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 the 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, rOusSaboutS and
6remen were to throw the stages and life
boats overheard. Thus every mon 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 the per
Torrance of their duties. The experiment
soon became such q saccsss that quite num-
Der Of boats adopted the plan and began
boosting Of their SUCCESS.
Among these may be mentioned old Jim
Crowtler, captain and owner of the one
boilexed. fat bowed, stern wheel steamer
Grower The Grow}er towed RATS and did
general business on the bosom of the upper
Bitterwater, and could run down stream like
q wild locomotive when she was feeling good.
Capt Jim and his crew had formed them
selves into q fine brigade, and he was very
proud of their performances. One day be
: received an order to go fifteen miles up the
river and bring down nearly 900 negro wood
choppers to a new field of opera tons. Be
fore starting be invited a few friends to &c
company him UP and back on the trip.
Said he: II want to show you coming back
how my new fire brigade works. It's . sac
cess"
The guests steppedpa aboard, and, all being
in 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 posted
his crew, and he wanted them to show OFF,
before his friends Getting them together
he led them down to the forecastle with the
remark: Now, you fellers stand right here,
nnd I'll show you something you never saw
befo'. Now watch, and IF you don't say jrAs
q success you kin have the boat"
WHAT HK SHOWED THEM
The negroes were all over the boat-up-
stairs and down, some singing, some dancing,
some asleep. On the Grower few. Old Capt
Jim remarked to his guests: Are you read
Here goes. Watch EN-" And be gave one
wild Comanchc yen of ''Fire!" and made q
rush for the roof, but he never got there. AL
was Wild connection Everybody yelled
Fire. The officers Aew to their posts Of
duty as they bad 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 from
view altogether for a time; and before they
could stop the Grower there wasn't negro
On the boat any where and the banks on both
sides of the river were lined with frightened
darkies wringmg wet and trembling from
the shock of their sudden bath The boa;
landed to take them aboard, but they pre-
ferred walking, and the GROWER went down
the river without them Upon arriving at
the home wharf his friends took old Capt.
Jim by the hand and one OF them observed
I Captain, we have enjoyed the trip and
thank you, and we are UNANIMOUS IN our opin-
ion that your fire brigade Is success. There
WASH life lost and the experiment worked
bike charm. You ought to get 1t patented
Yer see, furgut all about the 6eTDed fool
ringers bein there be answered, apoiugeG-
cally. II ought TO have told EN- bout il
afoFe hClieres1 fire. oafC tent III
The next time old Capt Jim tessed his fire
brigade it worked ike q oharm--Lo1isvAle
Courier Journal