The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-06
A RACE By MOONLIGHT.
An Exciting Run on the Great Muddy
Missouri.
From the Detroit Free Press


1t must have been early in the fifties
that wonderful steamboat race took
place on the Missouri. Early in the
spring of one year the Henry K. John
stone and the Martha Aull came from
southern waters to try their fortunes in
the muddy strea m at the same time. AT
the busy levee of the growing metropolis
each vessel took on freight for the north
west.
1t happened that the two boats dropped
away from the wharf about the same
time. The Aull, Henry Sorgenson, mas
ter, was probably half an hour ahead of
the tombstone, Bristow, master. 1t was
late in the afternoon. Each boat was
loaded with merchandise and both cabins
were filled The Aull steamed away
briskly, and by midnight mad turned from
the broad Mississippi into the dark, tur-
bulent waters of the big muddy" 1t
was only few moments later that the
tombstone passed into her wake. When
daylight broke the boats were in sight of
each other, both steaming ahead steadily,
with no apparent effort to show high
speed. 1t appeared, however, that the
tombstone was the faster boat. BY noon
the vessels passed St. Charles within
hailing distance of each other.
The passengers of each vessel sat on
deck and watched the other boat pushing
through the water but few rods away.
The crews, too, eyed the boats from their
respective fOrecaStleS, commenting on the
rival steamer. A young fellow on the
Aull called to passenger on the John
stone:
Tell your captain that we can leave
him so far behind before sunset that he
can't see our smoke"
This taunt was at once conveyed to
Bristow, who appeared at the rail and
shouted a response.
''And you can tell your man." said he,
chat he can burn every side of bacon in
his hold and not get bend between us
Then Captain SorgensOn came to the
front for word The Aull did not
come into these waters to race any," said
he, "but if you want to see what sort Of a
boat she is-why, guess We'll have to
accommodate you.p
A shout went up from the Aull's pas
sengers, drowning the reply that Capt.
Bristow made. AS he concluded, how
ever, he waved his hand to the mate be-
low, who sang out: AYE, aye, sir, with
the air of an old salt and ran back toward
the boilers. In three minutes the lazy
smoke that came from the Aull' stack had
changed to a rushing volume of cold black
streaming a quarter of a mile astern,
seemingly dipping into the dark brown
water of the river. Five minutes from
the closing Of the little speech-making
the Aulls engines began to move more
rapidly Then the blunt nose of the YES
sci crawled through the water faster and
faster, until the wheelhouse of the boat
was abreast the iaclSstatf on the John
stone. A passenger on the Aull shouted:
Better poke mp your first or they'll
go plumb out"
1t was good piece of river in which
the boats were running. The bends were
few and not severe; the water was deep
and straight in the channel. The Aull's
passengers crowded to the hurricane deck
and stood far astern, shouting taunts at
the sleepy looking tombstone.
Then the Johnstone's pilot pressed his
foot on the whistle valve. A great, white
cloud of steam enveloped the top of the
pilOt-houSe and then a shrill whistle
sounded, the first of a chime The others
broke in with it ten seconds later, until
all of the bunch of whistles on the John
stones pilOt-hOuse were shouting musical
defiance to the Aull. Music, indeed,
came from the Threats of those steamboat
whistles. Whether from near or far the
whistles chime always seemed to tell of
calm, clear evenings, moOnlit waters
soft music, the singing of plantation mel
odies and the whisper of love.
With the JOhnstOneS whistle there
came a stronger throb of the boats
heavy engines With each vibration
the hearts of passengers and crew
beat faster There was hurrying of
feet-a silence of voice. The race was
on.
Through the narrow chute by Catfish
island, around BonhOmmie, by Cottle-
vile, without stopping, and through