Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-09-09
THE BOY BoATMAN.

A large pair of heavily laden coal
boats, or ssbroad-horns" as they were
termed, swept out of the Ohio, and
catching the current of the mighty
Mississippi, began the second stage of
the journey to New Orleans.
The numbering, cumbrous crafts
had come all the way from Pitts
burg. Pa, under the command Of Joe
Trick, a most skillful pilot. These
.coal-boats were peculiarly constructed.
vessels, but they are now things of
the past, their places being supplied.
by large barges which are towed back
and forth by steamers.
They we're built Of one inch pine
boards, carefully selected, and any
piece of lumber containing but a sim
gle knot was rejected. No nails were
used in putting the timbers together,
but wooden pins were called for.
These frail vessels were loaded
deep with coal from the mines, then
two were dashed together, side by
side, and with ii crew of thirtv-five or
forty men would float serenely down
the Ohio and Mississippi to their
destination.
The day i'm which our story opens
Joe Trick was standing in the stern
of one of the boats, with the long
steering oar in hand guiding his
broad-horn on its way. Beside him
was a lad about sixteen years of age,
a handsome, intelligent-looking hoy,
Who seemed to he wrapped in wonder
and admiration at the sublimity of
the scene that stretched out lefOrc
him.
"Wcll, Jimmy, my son.. we're on
the old Mississippi once more. Let
me see, this is the third time for YOU.
isn't it?:"
"Yes, uncle, you know you have
taken me twice, yourself, to New
Orleans"
ssThat's a fact, Jim. But you see
I'm getting old, and am apt to for
get little things like Il trip down
river. Now, l couldn't tell within
fifteen or twenty how many times
I've been down stream"
"That's not to be wondered at" re-
turned the 10y. respectfully, ''for
you were a pilot long before l was
born. But, look, yonder zones a
high-pressure boat up stream" and
Jimmy pointed to a dense cloud of
black smoke which was pouring out
of the double stacks of Il large steamer
that was approaching.
"Let her come, my lad. let her
come. She's got to keep out of our
wav. Now, what would you say"
Trick, sif l could tell you the namc
Of that craft: ana, what's more, the
name of the maj who is looking at
us now out of her pilot-hOuse, and
likely enough wishing us sunk down
among the catfish for presuming to
get in his course. Yes, my on,
that's the River Queen, and John
Williams is her pilot"
elbow a you be so positive at
such a distance?" asked the boy, his
gaze still riveted on the boat.
"Listen to that exhaust" and Joe
Trick turned his head SO as to better
catch the peculiar sound. "'There
isn't another hooker bctwixt Cairo
and the Gulf with such a voice as
that. Now you'll see when we meet
Williams, he'll lay the river Queen as
close to this broad horn as he darcs
to. It's an old trick of his. He
thinks to brighten us, but here's a
boss that don't brighten SO easily. /
tell you n thing, Jimmy, he'll cut
up that caper n too often, and.
when he sends a pair Of boats with
their freight to the bottom of the
Mississippi, I'm under tine impression.
that the owners will fire him ashore
on the bank, and then he'll have to
take to collaborating, himself, like
the rest of u.s."
By this time the steamer was with
in a few yards Of our friend, when she
was seen to change her course a frac.
tion.
ssThere, boy, didn't Itch you? Jack
Williams has starb'-ed his helm,
thinking to raise our hair" Then in
a loud voice, which could have been
heard from n side of the river to
the other, Toe Called
"Hulloa, Williams! Upto your old
tricks again9 I reckon YOU wouldn't
have taken the trouble of changing
your course IL you'd a known Joe Trick
was on board here. He don't belong
to the scarY breed"
''How-dy, Joe." returned the man
in the steamers p%ilot-house. s.Oh.
no. / don't want to crowd you in. to
the bank. There's room enough on
the stream for two such fellows as
you and l."
AS Trick was about to answer, a
shrill scream was heard. issuing from
the after part Of the steamer, and the
same instant q child was seen to fall
from the rail Of the hurricanc.deck to
the water.
In a second, Jimmy, the boy boat
man, sprang across the coal until no
reached the edge of the broad-horn.
and then plunged head foremost into
the muddy current.
The heavy boats were drifting fully
ave miles an hour. while the steamer
had been making equally as good time
up against the stream, consequently.