Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-07-07
ANTGHTON THERIVER
THE LAST RUN ON THE MISSOURI
OF THE MARTHA MITCHELL.

Dangerous Snags mat Are q Constant
Menace to River Traffic-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
on trips that netted from S, 900 TO S20.-
900 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 a bar in mid
stream, or, what is worse, camped on
shore with the boat pinned by 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 a foot or two of the
surface, have always made steamboat
ing on the Missouri a precarious occupa-
ton.
remember one instance, however, in
which visible snag sent good side
wheel boat to the bottom on one of the
clearest, brightest nights that ever hung
over the river 1t was in 1850, or per-
haps a year later. The boat was the
Martha Mitchell, tramp from the low
er waters, running from Cincinnati to
New Orleans. She was making a trip
to st. Joseph with provisions for the
plains, mostly bacon; and bacon, let me
tell you, was a 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
12 o'clock ON a moonlit night in August.
The captain had gone to bed for a won
der, and only 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, tlIrob, throb 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 a
small, black object just discernible in
the distance, asked:
whats that thing, boys?''
IA log probably" returned an old
timer. They're always floating about. ~
But I've been watching it" Caru-
theirs went on, land 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 therer' Caruthers exclaimed.
It's swinging from side to side"
"Funny," said the old timer, ''but 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 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.
"Hellor' chorusAd the party
well, what is it," came 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 berths
felt the boat lurch violently as the ma
chinery was reversed and the steamer
answered 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 a
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 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 knew the river SC
well there that his work was mechani-
| ral.-Detroit Free Press