The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-07-08
I4N1GHTONTHERTvER
THE LAST RUN ON THE MISSOURI
or THE MARTHA MITCHELL.

vt lie MSniFtH WI SrIELLs
Dangerous snsgs That Are q Constant
Menace to River Tranic-The sleepy
| Pilot Of the Mitchell Was Mechanical
and the Boat Went Down.
Meyer doubt anything you hear about
the treachery of the Missouri river. The
oldest pilots on the stream--those griz-
Fled fellows who went to Fort Benton
on trips that netted from $4,000 to $780,
600 each-will tell you that "tie up
over night is the only way to insure
the passengers that the morning will
mot find them stuck on bar in mid
stream, or, what is worse, camped on
shore with the boat pinned by snag
and settling in the mud. No modern
lsnag 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
ct first as torn from caving banks, but
dead. hard and splintered when most
dangerous. Snags that stick their noses
above tho water are little to be feared,
but tho 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 precarious occupa-
Ition.
remember one instance, however, in
which visible snag sent good side
wheel boat to the bottom on one of the
lclearest, brightest nights that ever hung
over the river. 1t was in 1850, or per-
Ihaps year later. The boat was the
Martha Mitchell, tramp from the low
Ier 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 a necessity in the west
then. Tho passenger list of the Mitchell
was heavy, so that many of the travellers
were forced to remain on deck. 1t was
I13 o'clock on a moonlit night in August.
The captain had gone to bed for Won
der, and only sleepy Waterman who
sat astern represented the executive
among those awake on deck. A dozen
passengers were seated about the big
bell forward, telling stories while they
trevcled in tho beauties OF the night.
The moon was shining with clear,
white light that made everything for
100 yards ahead as plainly visible as at
MONDAY. There was no noise save the
dali throb, tlirob, throb of the engines,
tile gentle puff of the released steam
AID 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 a
small, black object just discerniblo in
the distance, asked:
Whats that thing, boysf"
"A log probably" returned an old
timer. They're always floating about"
But I've been watching it," Caru-
Tiers went on, land she hasn't moved
much"
The entire party looked Mt the black
object in the distance. 1t grew palmer
as the boat climbed the stream, but not
rs if it were floating down on the cur
rent-tho approach was too slow.
"Sce therer Caruthers exclaimed.
It's swinging from side to side"
Funny" said the old timer, "but il
skies snag the pilot II 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 moro conment-all eyes were
riveted on the dark spot in the river.
When the boat was within forty feet OF
IL 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.
"HelloF chorused the party.
well, what is itr' came a gruff an
swer.
Throw her hard to larboard, !" the old
timer said; There's big snag twenty
feet in 'front.'"
There was changing of bells below
decks, and the passengers in their herths
felt the boat lurch violently as the ma
chinery WAS reversed and the steamer
her rudder. But it was too
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 the
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 cabin
Of the Martha float off while we stood
On the great bluffs just above Roche
port. Then tho hulk sank out of sight.
Tho owners of the Martha did not
save their bacon. The sleepy pilot
saved his by escaping through the woods.
We only wondered that he did not run
is ashore before the accident, but the
captain said that he knew the river 30
we'll there that his work was mechani-
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