Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-08-29
RUN THE ENTIRE RIVER.
Capt. Savage With q Record for Travers-
ing the Inland Sea.


There are few men engaged in the
river business who do not know Capt.
William Savage. He was in Davent
port the other dav. For AZ years the
captain has travelled up and down the
great river here, from the head of
navigation to the gulf, and every
hook and crook, every change of
channel and chance of danger that
old steam boat men have known, be
has known. He is now one of the
oldest river pilots in active service
today, and like them all. he reflects
upon the past, as river traffic was,
compares it with the present. and
with feeling of sadness acknowl-
edges that the decline of river COM
merce is about to be continual and
that the halo of glory that once sur
rounded the head of Mississippi
river pilot is fast passing away.
Captain, what do you think of
river traffic as it is carried on at
present." was a question put to him
incidentally.
well, sir. it is far from being
what it used to be, and most of the
boats now used are too heavy. Boats
like the W. j. Young, l believe, will
continue to do a good business. sea-
son after season. She is good run
ner, but most of the boats are too
large"
Isn't the river channel as good as
it was few years ago, or does the
water get too low"
mo. that's not 1t. The water is
better than it was years agO-that is,
improvements in the channel have
made navigation better. You re-
member last year the water went
down to g below low water mark
the lowest stage that has been known
and the mark is now within 4 of
low water. Boats, you know, must
run on schedule time, and the large
boats can't do that and complete
with the railways. The railroads
running up and down the river have
so reduced fret ght rates that only
boats of light draft. and that are
swift runners, can in any way COM
pete with them-and even then the
profits are meager."
That being the case, captain, a
great lowering of freight and passen-
ger rates must necessarily cut down
the running expenses of boats does,
it not?"
Certainly. Pilots are not paid
the high salaries any more that they
were years ago. There is only living
wages in the work of the professional
pilot now. The business is becoming
a poor one on both the upper and
lower river"
Hasn't the decline in navigation
had the effect Of curbing the ambi-
tions of many young men who are
DESTROYS of becoming pilots?"
80 yes-there are few young men
who seem ambitious in that direction
now days. The river has lost its
charms to most Of the ambitious
young men of the day, for they see
nothing to be gained in trying to be-
come pilots. They can easily obtain
better positions on land with better
prospects than life on the river Of
fers at the. present time"
"How many years were you on the
lower river, Clptain?"
From st. Louis to st. Paul
Il spent four years running from
St. Louis to the gulf, and for the
past 3S years have been engaged in
the steamboat business between ST.
Paul and st. Louis. I think have
4. bont soryob INV ti,,,o ,pd b,,o H. a
as many thrilling experiences as any
OF the other old-time pilots. l was
acquainted with many of the pioneers
in the river service. and most of the
men who started in the business at
the time l did have joined the great
majority. Well have to get some
young man like Capt. Blair to write
up the early history of plotting on
the Mississippi. He can do 1t better
than any man / know of now on the
river. and the book would be one,
am sure. that would be read for ages
vet to come. The river has seen its
best days SO far as steam boating is
concerned, and it will not be many
wears vet before the curtain will fall
on what was, before railroads be-
came so numerous, one of the livli-
est, most delightful and profitable
lines Of business this western coun-
try has known. Yes, the days of
heavy steamboating are about over.
and the packet pilot will soon leave
the wheel forever"
River Riplets.
The f. Rutledge came down with
eight strings of logs.
The packet. Pittsburg, passed
down on her first trip since her re-
cent accident.
The stage of the water at the Rock
Island bridge at room was Ito and
rising; the temperature 20. ,
The Pilot, Prescot.e and Verne
Swain came down and the Pilot,
Prescotte. Z. Rutledge and Verne
Swain passed up.
The floating water queen. the St.
Paul, VIII resume tiaiiic between St.