The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-09-18
NUMBER 30.
LADY STEAHBOiTMiy,
New Orleans Picayune.

II a liblit ldh y III ilit IIlN .JfiFb hoW
who not only possesses and is
known by that significant prefiZ.
but isjuslly entitled 10 il. She is
Captain Mary Miller, and her
name is familiar to all steamboat
men Of eight or Ten years ago, she
having successfully "CaplaiEed'
and managed Il steamer running
to New Orleans for ,even years
prior 10 1884.
When she and her husband, Geo.
Miller orr Old Naluraf', as he
Is famlliarly known by steamboat
men, first went INFO The busine So
she assumed the rrle CT captain
This was partly becanse of her
inherent love Tor The wal .r and the
life, and partly because her hus.
band who is "a famous pilot wanted
her 10 act in tina; capacity fer
ecOnomy's sake. When, however
"Captain" Mary went TO the IN
spectors TO get her license great
difficulty arose. How could thew
"Captain" "A Lady, Who ever
heard of a lady assuming command
Gf a steamer ?
The inspectors acknowledged
their inability TO act without II
precedent, and their dilemma was
made known to headquarters at
Washington. After some delay,
however, through the management
and tact of Captain George l.. Nor
ton, at the time supervising inspec-
tor, the license was forthcoming
and the lady captain took charge
Of the boat.
She was not a captain only III
name-she managed the bOaI, did
the buying, collecting. etc. during
the whole seven years, and those
who dealt with her in those days
will remember the pleaSant-fGced
business-lke lady.so kind 70 every.
body, and who combined natural
trading ability with a wCman's
tact.
Her boat ,theSsline. ran fromNew
Orleans up The Red, Black and
Ouachita rivers 10 The Macon, Ten.
sas and BGuf bayous, where she
was loaded. For years this busl-
ness was carried on under Soap
tain" Mary's skillful and success
ful management. During the first
years OF her experience steamboat
ing, as she did it, was paying busi.
ness. That was in the days of the
Il. +. Lee, The Nalchez aud The J.
NJ. White, those magnificent float
ing palaces Railroads were not
so numerous nor competition so
close as now.
"Captain" Mary Miller was seen
by a reporter last night. and whef
upon tins subject could
not hide a trace of sadness in her
tones.
"All those fine boais are gone
now" said she "sleamboatIng is
not what it used 10 lie. Modern
has driven steamboat
traffic to the wall. Peo-
pie do not want to lose a week of
heir time going 10 81. Louis by
water when they can get there nr
ess than One-seventh that time
~ rail. Such boats as The White,
he Lee aEd the Natchez will never
)e duplicated for Mississippi river
ravel. Nowadays the boats are
,uilt only with an eye 10 their ca
)acily for carrying freight. We
inally sold our boat" she contin-
led, "and quit the business, ihouglE
kept my license 10 renew II when
he occasion presented itself"
"Are you goirg into steamboat.
NO again w
NO, came from Louisville, Ky.s
nv home, With view 10 securing
{ possible The position of light
lonse keeper at East Paseagou.
a."
''Is The place vacanlE
"No, but it will be at The end of
his month, MrO. L. Barnes, the
.eeper who is a peronal friend of
nine told me last sprng when |
vas down at Scranton on a visit,
hat he expected to resign and
vrole TO ne lately that he would
10 so at the end of this month, ami
have applied Tor the position.
Iy husband has purchased boat
nd will be on the southern coast
he rest of his life probably and
myself and the family want TO be
With him."
"Ifyou get the place will you not
ind 1t lonely y
"No, indeed; 1 will have my
laughter and little son with me all
he time aud can always find plen-
v of work To do"
"You know" said she With a
mile. show We women love to
keep house. | will attend 10 my
amp and keep busy with my
louse. The lighthouse is on il-
lie island of twenty acres area.
where nothing will grow Lut sea
,rass, and there will be no gar,len-
ng tor me-"
Mrs. Miller il a Pleasant lady,
good looking, intelligent, and pos
sesslng many charms OF person
and manner. She will interview
Tx Governor Warmoth to-day
10 the appointment.