Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-28
NO SELL ABuUT IT.
An Erroneous Rumor Concerning
the Diamond 10 Line.
No Int mt on Of selling the Mary
Morton ana Libbie COnger-GOs-
zip Alb ut the Mcpherson.

Rumors not unfrequently lead on 10
facts, but in the case of the Diamond 20
lines reported desire to dispose of the
boats Mary Morton and Libbie Conger, it
seems they lead out into the wilderness
where the wild Winds blow. The two
boats named are emong the most popular
and well conditioned of the Diamond 10
fleet, and as they are both speedy boats,
the Mary being unusually fast, there
seemed to be no sufficient reason for their
disposal by the present owners unless it
was a signal for desertion of the upper
river by the Diamond 10 line. A letter
from Capt. John Killeen cooks the goose
of this last rumor. Pilot Jules Calhoun,
of Burlington. well known as the Mary
Morton's reliable wheelmsn, heard some
time ago of the reported intention Of SELL
ing his favorite craft, and wrote at once to
Capt. Killeeu requesting the removal of
certain private property which Calhoun
had upon the boat Tuesday the pilot
received reply from Capt. Killeen,
who stated positively that there had
been no thought on the part of the COM
PAW of selling either the Mary Morton
on the Libbie CoDger. and that any ru.
mors to that effect we're entirely ground
less, as the boats were both serviceable
and satisfactory TO their present owners.
Thu hau 4 g.
sale, nor have any negotiations to that
end existed in fact, reiterated Judge II.
Q. Browning when questioned upon the
subject, and there is little reason to be,
liever at this time, but that the trim Mary
Morton and the staunch Libbie Conger
will pass and repass Rock Island for many
seasons yet 10 come.
Advices are to the effect that the new
government snsg boat. Mcpherson. re
Gently turned out by the Iowa Iron works,
aud touching at Rock Island several
weeks ago en- route to its field of labors
on the Missouri river, is still at ST. Louis,
as has been hitherto expected owing to
absence of water signs on the Big Muddy.
The MCPHERSON is first class boat of its
kind, and model of interior convenience,
out there is one serious law upon her,
according to Nate Jim Boland's ideas of
a steamboat. She has but one stack. and
it is painfully prominent, towering above
the boiler deck in its single blessedness
about 10 feet higher than established
precedent provides, and being geared
with break and hinge at the middle so
that it csn be lowered for bridges
Jim's opinion of the stack was apply
expressed, in the hearing of q Burling-
ton Gazette man, while the boat lay there.
| He was leaning against the capstan,
with his hands in his pockets, when
some curious visitor stopped on deck an
gszed upward with the q1ery:
What is the matter with the smoke
stack
Jim does not. as general rule, answer
foolish questions. but this one seemed 10
arouse him strangely.
Nothing he replied, except that
it's the cussedest, meanest lookin' stack
that WAS ever stuck on good steamboat
Did ye ever see q pig as had one cal
chewed of? Well, it wuz the oneries,
lookin pig in town, wuzn't itP Yes, il
looks jist like a steamboat with only one
stack. / don't like it," And james
closed his iron jaw with snap upon
goodly wedge of navy plug. and said nc