The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-12
BIG PAY FOR THE TRIP.
How Northwestern Steamboat Cap
tain Made $4,000 i'm Two Days.


Oregon Railway and Marine Gazette
Yes, they do lots of running and they
have fast boats and fine boats,'' said a
griZzled old eX-captain, as he stood on a
wake which Capt. John Jordison was lay
ing out behind the Flyer as she few to-
ward Tacoma But there is old fell
low up town who made more money in
forty-eight hours on an eighty-mile round
trip, with old stern-wheel box, than all
of these fast boats can make in six
months" continued the eX-captain. THE
packet / am abiding TO was the old steam
err Enterprise, built on the Columbia in the
early fifties and brought around here by
Capt. Tom Wright, who owned and COM
manded her on the famous trip of which 1
speak. old Tom.' as we all call him now,
was running the Enterprise on the Fraser
rebellion sometimes known, as Ned Nc
Gowan's war; MCGOWAN and a lot OF other
Americans who were prospecting up
around Hills Bar, on the Fraser had been
arrested and brought before a British JUS
tice of the peace, for some alleged indis-
erection, and considerable feeling had been
worked over the matter, so much, In ract,
that wild rumors of war and bloodShed had
reached the outer world, and the British
troops were called on. A detachment OF
one hundred men, with artillery and other
equipments, was sent out from Victoria,
and were nearing Langley, B. c., when
Captain Wright and his steamer arrived at
that port The skipper was prompt to see
that his boat afforded the only available
means for moving those troops up the river.
out a schedule of rates-passage. 800 per
man; freight, 500 per ton-and hang ii In
his office This done he walked ashore and
met Lieutenant Gussette. who was in COM
mand of the men. The lieutenant immedi-
ately asked him if he could take the troops
up the river. The captain refiectively
half doubtngly, said he supposed he could.
g L don't know said Tom, that's little
out of my department, and l don't remem-
Der. will call the purser and find out.
What are your rates. asked Gussette.
The purser was summoned. but. like his
superior officer, his memory. was bad re-
garding rates between Langley and Hills
Get your rate schedule said Tom, APP
parently yeXed that the purSer should
know so little about his business
:" The purser did so, and unconcernedly
read the rate of 500 per man and 800 per
ton. Gussette objected. argued and swore.
but the immovable skipper explained that
1T was schedule rates, and that he couldn't
think of charging the government less
lieutenants efforts to secure a reduction
were futile, and at last the troops, 107 in
number with fifty tons of iSs
Enterprise on that trip, and eighteen hours
after leaving Langley she reached her des-
tinati9n; Fort Hope with with her fifteen5thou-
received that the trouble was all over.
MCGOWAN and his friends had talked them
peace was hanging over the entire coun-
try. This conditiAl Of affairs rendered the
presence of the troops unnecessary, and
without removing the equipments from the
boat the lieutenant again approached Capt.
Tom and asked him what he would charge
to take the outfit back to Langley. The
captains failing memory again compelled
him to refer Gussette to the purser, and
after considerable search that well-trained
aid of the captains discovered that the
rate down stream was the same up
stream. The Englishman sought the cap
tain My God, Captain he said you
have charged me $1,000 for less than days
work with your boat, and now you want
to repeat the performance. It's an outrage
""Tis a middling high rate said Tom,
but wood is scarce up here, and 1 don't
like to be cutting rates Still, as you
haven't taken your freight ashore and are
ready to go down with us / will make a
reduction. I'll make 1T even $4,000 for
the round trip, which is big cut in rates.
There was no other way for the troops to
reach home, so the lieutenant surrendered,
and less than forty-eight hours after he
had left Langley with the troops Captain
Wright was back again, richer by a five
thousand pound voucher, which was paid
without murmur when presented at Vic
toria- Capt. Tom Wright is still a con-
SpicuouS figure on the streets OF Seattle
and other sound cities, and while he has
lived to the marine traffic Of Puget
sound grow from it's INFANCY into proper
b tons greater than he had ever dreamed of,
yet it is doubtful If he will ever see his
record for money making with a steam
Loaf "unequaled."