The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1892-07-08
ENTGHTO ON THERTvER
THE LAST RUN ON THE MISSOURI
OF THE MARTHA MITCHELL.

Dangerous snags That Are Constant
Menace to River TraGio-The Sleepy
Pilot of the Mitchell Was Mechanical
and the Boat Went Down.
Never doubt anythingyou hear about
the treachery of the Missouri river, The
Oldest pilots on the stream-those griz-
zled fellows who went to Fort Benton.
on trips that netted from 81, 900 to $780,
900 each-will tell you that cite up"
over night is the only way to insure
the passengers that the morning will
not find them stuck on bar in mid
stream, or, what is worse, camped on
shore with the boat pinned by a snag |
and settling in the mud. No modern |
snag boat can keep the channel clear OF
the heavy logs that are always floating |
down from somewhere up along the
Dakota, Iowa or Nebraska shores, green |
at first as torn from caving banks, but
dead, hard and splintered when most
dangerous Snags that stick their noses |
above the water are little to be feared,
but the hidden logs, those whose limbs
are caught in the mud, while the trunk
swings up within foot or two Of the
surface, have always made steamboat
ing on the Missouri a preCaTious OcCupa-
tioL.
remem ,Hr one instance, however, in
which visible snag sent good side
wheel boat to the bottU.l on one of the
Clearest, brightest nights that eyer hung
over the river. 1t was in 1850, or per
haps year later. The boat was the
Martha Mitchell, a tramp from the low
er waters, running from Cincinnati to
New Orleans. She was making trip
to st, Joseph with provisions for the
plains, mostly bacon; and bacon, let me
tell you, was necessity in the west
then. The passenger list of the Mitchell
was heavy, so that many of the travellers
were forced to remain on deck. 1t was
| 10 o'clock on o moOnlit night in August.
The captain had gone to bed for won
der, and only sleepy watchman who
sat asteTn represented the executive
among those awake on deck. A dozen
passengers were seated about the hig
bell forward, telling stories while they
reVeled in the beauties of the night.
! lLB LlUOu WAS blilLliuB WIN q blEali
white light that made everything for
100 yards ahead as plainly visible as at
monday. There was no noise save the
dull thTob, thrOb thTob of the engines,
the gentle puff of the released steam
and the breaking of the water on the
wheels paddles.
Sundenly Jack Caruthers, young
fellow from st. Louis gazed forward in
the course of the boat, and pointing to
small, black object just disCernible in
the distance, asked:
"What's that thing, boysH"
"a log probably" returned all old
timer. They're always floating about" "
But I've been watching it," Caru-
theirs went on, "and she hasn't moved
much"
The entire party looked at the black
object in the distance. 1t grew palmer
as the boat climbed the stream, but not
as if it were floating down on the cur
rent-the approach was too slow.
"See thereT" Caruthers exclaimed.
It's swinging from side to side"
"Funny," said the old timer, "but il
she's a snag the pilot Il get around it all
right"
BY this time all of the deck passengers
were looking at the black object. The
boat did not change its course. There
was no more comment-all eyes were
riveted on the dark spot in the river,
When the boat was within forty feet of
it the old timer sprang up and placing
his hands in trumpet fashion about his
mouth called back to the pilot:
"Hello, up there|
There was no reply, and the nose of
the big boat continued straight for the
object.
"HelloI" chorused the party.
"Weli, what is itP' came gruH an
swer.
Throw her hard to larhoard," the old
.. timer said; "There's big snag twenty
, feet in front"
! There was a changing Of bells below
: decks, and the passengers in their berths
felt the boat lurch violently as the ma
chinery was reversed and the steamer
, answered her rudder. But it was toe
= late. In thirty seconds there was an
> other jar, greater than the first. The
: Martha's nose seemed to climb into the
= air. An effort was made to back tbs
boat, but it would not bulge. Then the
: passengers became panic stricken, run
ming about in their night garments and
threatening to jump overheard. The
clear headed captain was on hand in {
moment, however, and before the old
steamer had settled foot every passen
= ger was started for the shore.
In the morning we watched the cabiI
I of the Martha float off while we stoot
! on the great bluffs just above Roche
port. Then the hulk sank out of sight
= The owners Of the Martha did no
= save their bacon. The sleepy pilo
J saved his by escaping Through the woods
2 We only wondered that he did not rul
!, us ashore before the accident, but tn
= captain said that he knew the river s.
well there that his work was mechani
cal Detroit Free Press, .