The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-27

neer. He remained on the Constitution
till 1886. During that year the crack
steamboat Swallow, which was never
headed, but showed her heels to rival after
rival built expressly to beat her, was
launched near the Wallabout.
When the Swallow was put in commits
sion on the Albany route in 1887, Studwell
was at the lever. He remained in charge
of her engine until she was lost in 1915 by
running on q rock near Athens in a snow
storm. He was then transferred to the
Troy, then running as a,day boat between
New York and Albany. He remained on
the Troy five years, and then took the
engine on the New York, a tugboat, for a
short time. Commodore Vanderbilt was
then building the steamship Prometheus
In looking about for the best engineer in
New York harbor. and one that would take
the steamship to Chagres river more quick
ly than any other man, he selected 'FPop
Allen" 1t was in 1880 that he went out in
her on her first trip. He remained in the
noted commodore's employ about three
years, and had charge successfully of the
Star of the West and the Northern Light
In the meantime Studwell had built the
tugboat j. D. Secor, and in 1854 ne left tho
steamship service for the towing business.
He remained in that line till 1855, when he
retired from business ..t
Studwen was noted while engineer on
Vanderbilt's steamships for the care that
he took of his men. He never would allow
them to be overworked He was in bad
humor when he got to Chagres on the first
trip of the Prometheus, because his fire
men had been ordered to hoist the ashes
on deck. On the return trip he asked that
the deck hands should be ordered to hoist
the ashes. Captain Churchill objected
and insisted upon the firemen doing that
work. Pop Allen" thereupon told the
captain that if he expected the Prone
theus to reach New York by steam he had
better order the deck hands to hoist these
ashes, for his firemen should not do it.
The captain was still obdurate; he would
not relent, but ordered the deck hands not
to touch the ashes
Two hours later, however, he gave in,
for the steamship was creeping along at
snails pace. When Captain Churchill or
dered the deck hands to take the ropes for
hoisting the ashes the sueampship sprang
ahead at the liveliest gait that she had
reached during the voyage, and kept it up
till Sandy Hook was sighted. 1t was this
VI SUN eAStlleAIi cart VI
his men that stood "Old Pop" in good
stead many times. Other engineers were
troubled with strikes, but Allen never had
any trouble. His men were always sure of
good food and regular rest whether Allen
got them or not for himself.
While Studwell was engineer on the
Swallow there was much racing on the
Hudson. Whenever a new steamboat was
launched and put on the river she made
for trial Of speed with the Swallow. One
after another was built for the express pur-
pose Of beating her. but none were ever
able TO catch that feet steamboat. 1t was
easy TO tell when a race was expected, for
the old engineer could always be seen be
fore the Swallow started pacing from
boiler to boiler, examining the fires care
fully. At such times he always held
bunch of cotton waste in his right hand
When the fremen saw Pop" pacing
the engine ROOM with the waste
in his hand, they knew big time was TO De
made, and they said TO each other "'Old
Pop is going to put the old birds light
in Albany an hour ahead of any other
boat" And he always did.
As Pop Allen" spent fifty-nine years on
and sixty-eight years on the
water all told he is full of "reminiscences
and tells many interesting stories of the
different methods of running steamboats,
in those early days The Improvements in
machinery since the days of the old Con
stitution and the Swallow have been very
numerous and of great importance. The
application of the Stevens cutoff 10 ma
chinery, with the balance valve, has ren
dered the handling of an engine a very
easy task. With the old fashioned single
valve 1t took from three to four men to
work an engine. Pop Allen" always lad
two freDen assisting him in the early days
when making landings In those DAYS nc
gang planks were thrown out for passen-
gers TO walk onto the dock. They were
landed 10 the steamboats, yawL As soon
as the passengers stepped on the dock the |
steamboat was put on her course, while |
the yawl was hauled in with the windlass
The most thrilling incident Of Allen !
Studwell's career was the loss of the /
Swallow. The fsvcrite steamer left Al. I
bany at .. N on the 7th u April 1915
At nearly 9 o'clock the Swallow struck 4 /
rock OFF Athens Her bow was broken
squarely of and ran straight up the rock, /
and standing At right angles with the hull |
II the steamboat had been headed thirty |
feet farther west the bow would have /