Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-04-27
THE ILLINOIS RIVER.
Scenes That Never Varied, Set Were Al
ways Rcpiete with Excitement.


ways Rcpiete with Excitcment-
Beautiful and varied is tho country
through which the Illinois river crecps
In its winding channel TO Join tho Fa.
thcr of Waters. From its Junction with
the Illinois and Michigan canal To the
Mississippi Is counties contribute 20 its
boundaries. All Of these counties are
rich in fertile lands, heavy timbcrs or
mineral deposits Time was. and not SO
long ago. when each Of these counties
boosted hourishing village on tho
banks Of tho Illinois river Steamers.
packets" as they were called in those
Hourishing days, moved up stream and
down. one sometimes two. each way
daily. From Peoria to ST. Louis. includ-
ing stops for freight and passengers at
intermediate stations. was journey Of
two or throo days Each boat madc q
round trip in week. Everybody trav.
olcd by boat. Mails and freight for in
land points in central and southern Illi-
nois were dumped at landings" near.
est 10 their point Of destination at all
hours Of day or night River men were
princes Of fortune. who drew enormous
salaries and were looked up TO and re-
vorcd as superior creatures who lived in
the big world outside the river villages
Every town along the river doomed.
saloons were numerous, and house and
stores were built on piles IL tho village
happened TO be located in spot sub.
ject TO overflow. There was no limit 90
the enterprise Of tho land owner nor the
height Of the piles Everybody scram.
bled TO locate nearest tho steamboat
landing Tho woodman. with score Of
wagons laden with fuel; the farmer and
huckster with % cartful Of vegetables,
eggs and dairy products; the merchant
and idler. tho maid and youth and
school children were always at tho land.
ing when tho big steamer with n final
chaw chaw Of tho exhaust pipes and last
revolution Of the paddle blades swung
easily against tho piling at the big ware
house dock
Tho noisy and profane mate. the
scores of colored dockhands. tho vocifer-
Gus cries Of huckstcrs. tho murmurs Of
admiration for tho captain, who always
stood on tho texas clad in gold braided
uniform. with his hand on tho rope at.
,ached 10 tho clappcr Of tho big bell
oil these were part Of the scene at tho
arrival Of every steamer Then the cap
tain would become impatient and pull
the clappcr Of tho big bell viciously
against its brazcn sides. The mate in
dulged in more profanity pitched in
louder tone. while the shufiling negroes
would forget their droning for brief
time and hasten their laggard steps
Tho pilot, autocrat Of tho steamer,
poercd lazily from the windows of his
little cabin. shifted his wheel. touched
little cord above his head, and from
tho engine room camo the sound Of two
shrill whistles, warning to the cngi.
neer. who perhaps had clambored into
his hammock for short nap. that in q
few minutes lines would bo cast of and
the boat would be ready 20 proceed 10
tho next landing.
Day and night this scene never varied,
save that at night there wcro fewer
females and children nj tho landing. but
the picturesquenoss Of the scene was
heightened by tho braziers. big as bar.
rcl. filled with pitch. Pine and other in
flammablcs. blazing fiorcely and fur
nishing light for tho work Of lading
Those were tho days when the Di Yer
non. George B. Mcclellan. Ruby. City
Of Pekin and other magnificent side
wheel steamers were in the river trade;
when the Ebaughs and the Ryders and
tho Farwells owned and piloted these
floating palaces. made fortunes and were
the big men Of the valley In those
days. too, the river was "A navigablo
stream for nino months of the year
Mighty floods changed the channel every
spring, while tho early Juno rise mado
tho stream incognito 10 tho shrcwd-
est pilot. Tho rushing waters ate into
solid banks of enormous trees and tons
OF earth. These would finally strand
with the subsideDce Of tho waters. form
ing dangerous distractions and innu-
merable sand bars. Tho channel Of to-
day would next week present an impene.
trable barrier TO tho river steamer.
Bcardstown (Ills.) Letter in Chicago
Herald