Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-10
THE BOY B0ATMAN.


A large pair OF heavily laden coal
knaxs. or .-oroa1hcrna' - they wexs
teruad, swept out Of tbs Ohio and.
eA1eklng rms currsns % tho mighty Mis-
szzsippi. began the second stage or tie
1oaraey to New Orissns.
The numbering, eumbrous crafts bad
eoue az the way from Piltsburg aradsr
shs command OF joe iriek, most skill
fas p.lot. These coal boats were pecu-
kzLiy constructed vessels. bat they are
nov things Of ths past. their places being
su2pl.sd by large barges, which are
tosTs1 back and forth b. steamers.
They were built q Inch pane boards,
carefully selected, and any piece OF lun-
bcr containing but a single knot was re-
5ected. No aails were used IN putting
TIE tiIa5ers together, bat wooden pins
were called for.
THESE fran vessels were loaded deep
wiIh coal from the mines. then two
were I4shed together side by side, and
with a crew o. 1hirty-ays or forty zen
woald Goat sere.iely down the Ohio and
Esssiszspy 70 their Gestir@rlon-
The day IA which chr story opens Joe
Irick was ss1uLing "a the stern OF one of
the beats. Win tie ioag steering oer Ia
hand gulaiHg his broaGhorr on It's way.
Beside him WIS I'D about sixteen
years Of axe, handsome. intelligent
hooking boy, who seemed 20 De wrapped
In wonder and admiration at the sublim-
ny OF tie scene that stretched ont before
him
well. Jimmy. my SOC. were on the
old Mississippi once more. Let me see;
this Is the third tine for you. isn't it,
Yes, uncle. you know you have taken
me twice yoarself 10 New Orleans"
That's fact, jim But you see I'm
getting Old and am apt 70 forget little
things like q "Trip down river. Now
couldn't tell within fifteen or twenty
how many times I've been down stream
That's not 70 be wondered at" re-
turned the boy. respectfully. ..for you
wero pilot long befors ! was born.
Bat. look. yonder comes : high pressure
boat up stream" and Jimmy pointed 70
dense cloud Of black smoke which was
pouring cut Of the double stacks Of .
large steamer thar was approaching
Let her come. my lad. let her come.
Shes got TO keep cut OF our way. Now,
what would You say continued Irick.
II could tell yoa the name Of tfat craft;
and, whats more. tho nau1s Of the man
Who IL looking &C as DOW out of her
pilot house. and Ekaly enough wishing
us sunk down among the catfish for
presnming to get In his course. Yes,
my son. that's tho River Queen, and
John Williams Is her pilot"
How can You be so poSitive ct such a
distanceT asked tie boy. his gaze still
yiveted on the boat
Listen 70 that exhaust" and Joe
Jrick turned his head 50 az TO better
catch the peculiar sound. "Thsre ism.
another hooker beswixt Cairo and the
Gulf with sach voice 81 that. Now
you'll see when we meet Williar-s. bel
}ay che River Queen ~ close 10 this
broadhorn as be dares 10. It's an old
trick Of his he thinks 20 brighten rs
bat here's a moss that don't frighten &C
easily. 1 tell you one thing, Jimmy
ka'u cut Up that csper once too often
and when he sends par of boats with
their freight 70 tie bottom Of the
Mississippi I'm under the impression
that the owners viii fra him ashore on
the bank. sni then he'll have 20 take tc
coal boating himself. hike the rest Of Us.
BY this Tine the steamer WAS within !
few yards Of our friend, when she wa:
seen to change Der course fraction.
sThere. boy. didn't tell you? Jack
Williams has startled hrs helm, think
Ing 20 raise our hAirr' Then IL loud
voice. which could have been heard
from one-sids Of tns river 10 the other
Joe called.
sHulloa. wiflisnsf Up TO your old
tricks again 1 reckon you wouidn'i
have taken the trouble Of changing your
course if you'd Known Joe Trick Wa
on beard here. tie don't belong TO ths
scary breed"
~Howdy. Joe returned the man II
the steamers pilo. house. "Oh. no.
doat want 10 crowd you into the bank
There's room enough on the stream for
two such fellows as you and l."
"a Trick was about 20 answer. q shril
scream wss heard. ISSUING from ths
AFTER part OK the steamer. and the sans
instant q child was sem - fall from ths
rail II he harTicsne deck - the water.
IN a second Jimmy, the boy boatmsn
sprang seross the coal until he reached
the sdre Of the broadhorn. and shef
plunged head foremost into the uudd,
current.
The heavy boats were drifting full,
Eve niles an hour, while the steamer
had been making equally good tim'
up against ths stream. consequently
when the brave lad resched the littii
Giri. his own craft ~ wsll ~ the Rive
Queen were sons distance away.
Joe frirk wss slnsn~t ~ quick 20 o.
a. his nephew. Calling to the '-sscons
pilot 20 AXE the steering ear he pickes
ND The si1tle skif. that r. always carried
81 COP q the coal. lsunched IL. and ssaf
Ing hfn.elf upon the thwsrs held il h
po~ifson unril the r~scaer and his bardeE
driftei down within his resch-
Extsndins his hand. ice seised th'
child ,nd drew \ nso TIE boss. ssyin,
- Jimmy - m<lid so.
~Toa get a sf The stern sad IAN.
On there ans can pull down 70 n
hrcs1horn. Ynn went ~et any wetss
skan ysu are nov and there's 10 DANCE
Of ths ~eis a nibhllng - yoar toes~
AL rzht Uncle Jos Don't bottle
stsuf me. can overhaul the boats re
fsre yon. novs- Add the boy strikins
oas vsgs-en=sy actually did have a.