The record-union., 1894-09-29
The CAPTAIN Was FIGHTING MAD.
Trying Times Yesterday for River
Skipper.
His Boat Stuck in the Drawbridge and
Lost Her Smokestack-Then the
Captain Lost His Temper.

There was an exciting time on the
draw bridge last evening, on account of
| the grounding at that point of a barge
! loaded with wheat which was in tow OF
the steamer Ellen and bound for Port
! Costa.
The water is so shallow under and in
the vicinity of the bridge that of late a
number of barges have been stalled by
the sandbar in the river channel, and
last night this condition of affairs re-
suited in the delaying of two passenger
and two freight trains.
While the steamer was endeavoring to
pull the barge off the sandbar, number
of men and boys, who had congregated
! on the bridge to see what was going on,
| began badgering the Captain for not get
ting the barge into deep water and allow
| the draw to be closed so that travel could
] be resumed.
| The jeering made the Captain angry,
| but he got mad all through when, in NOV
| ing the steamer around, it came in con-
tact with the north end of the projecting
| draw, and off went the smokestack.
Then the Captain, with few choice river
| eXpletives, ordered the steamer dropped
down into the open draw. The crowd
| said he told them this was done to get
1t was about 4:30 in the afternoon when
| the barge stuck fast in the sand, and be-
tween d and o'clock when the steamer
was placed in position that prevented
the closing of the draw.
When the 7:l0 train for Knights Land
ing left the depot to cross the bridge it
| could not get across on account OF the
draw being opened.
Railroad Officer Ben True, who is a
Deputy United States Marshal. went to
see what the trouble was, and finding
! the Captain of the steamer he asked him
how long his boat would remain in that
position. The Captain replied: Until
| the smok is replaced"
True then asked him how long that
would be, and the river man replied that
! he did not know and didn't care
True informed him that he was United
States officer, and that the boat was OBJ
structing the United States mails.
The Captain informed True that he
! didn't care who he was nor for the Gov
ernment nor TOR anybody. He would get
| out of where he was when he got ready.
| While waiting his pleasure the Knights
| Landing train was at a standstill on this
side of the river, as also was the local
! from San Francisco and two freight trains
on the Yolo side.
About 8 o'clock Assistant Superintend-
! ent Jones Of the Southern Pacific Com
pany, with Officers True, Lee, Gibson.
| Ahern and Naghel, went to where the
steamer was and asked the Captain if he
could not drop his vessel down the river
few yards in order to allow the draw to
| be closed.
Mr.. Jones offered the Captain all the
help he desired, but the Captain, who
was in better humOr than before, replied
| that he could noG move, as the steam in
the boiler of the boat had been allowed
to run down on account of the accident
to the sm mollestack.
After a great deal of importuning on
the part OF Mr.. Jones, the Captain gave
orders to allow the steamer to float down
with the current, but after it had gone a
| short distance a Sandbar was encoun-
tered, and orders were given to connect
the steamer and barge with a towline,
which was done. Then, with the capstan
the obstruction was towed up sufficient
to allow the draw to be closed.
1t is said the Captain became so excited
at one time, when he was being asked to
get out of the way, that he threatened to
use gun in case he was interfered with.
1t was 8 O'Clock when the draw was
! finally closed, which, it is claimed, could
| have been done at any time if the Captain
of the Ellen so desired, by towing the
steamer either to one side or the other oi
| the bridge,