Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-30
IANIGHTON THERIvER
THE LAST RUN ON THE MISSOURI
4 or TIE MARTHA MITCHELL.

Dangerous snags That Are Constant
Menace to River Tranic-The Sleepy
:, pilot of the Mitchell Was Mechanical
and the Boat Went Down.
Never doubt anything you hear about
the treachery of the Missouri river. The
Oldest pilots on the stream-those griz-
zled fellows who went to Fort Benton
lou trips that netted from $4,000 to $20,-
BOO each-will tell you that ''tie 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 snae
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 a foot or two of the
surface, have always made steamboat
ing on the Missouri alprecarious occupa-
tion.
remember one instance, however, in
which visible snag sent a good side
wheel boat to the bettom ON one of the
II <to hot
over the river. ISwas in 1850, or per
haps year later. The boat was the
Martha Mitchell, 'ai 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 q necessity in the west
then. The passenger list Of the Mitchell
was heavy, so that many of the travellers
were forced foreman ON deck. 1t was
10 O'Clock on q snoonlit night in August.
The captain had gone to bed for a won
der, and only u sleepy watchman 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
reveled in the beauties of the night
The moon was shining with a clear,
white light that made everything for
100 yards ahead as plainly visible as at
monday. There was no noise save the
dull throb, tthrob, throb of the engines,
the gentle puff of the released steam
and the breaking OF the water on the
wheels paddles.
Sundenly Jack Caruthers, a young
fellow from.St. Louis, gazed forward in
the,course of the boat, and pointing to a
small, black object just discernible in
the distance, asked:
'Whatslthat thing, boys?'
IA log probably" returned an old
timer. They're always floating about" :"
'sBut I've been watching it," Caru-
theirs went on land she hasn't moved
much"
The entireparty 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 therei" .Caruthers exclaimed
It's swinging from side to side"
Funny" said the old timer, sbut if
she's 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 more eccomment-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!p
There was no reply, and the nose of
the big boat continued straight for the
object.
"Hellol'. chorused the party.
IS 'eWell. what is itT' came a gruff an
swer. 80
"Throwyaer hard to larboard,' 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 itswas too
late. In thirty seconds there was an
other gar, 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 afoot every passen-
ger was started fer the shore.
In the morning we watched the cabin
of the Martha float off while we stoad
on the great bluffs just above Roche
port. Then the hulk sank out Of sight.
The 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
us ashore before the accident, but the
captain said that he eknew the river so
well there that his work was mechani-
cal.-Detroit Free Press.
Electric Test for Spurious Coins.
Some interesting tests with alternating
currents and particular form of mag
net have been made in England. Among
the experiments shown was one which
illustrated new method of detecting
aoipe erap1,ina ooiy, hosr,o-