The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1895-02-22
THE ILLINOIS RIVER.
Scenes That Never Varied, Yet Were A
ways Replete with Excitement.

UC0Uco 4n1S Novet v0NbCup AOs w CAV $.T |
ways Repiete With Excitement.
beautiful and varied IL the country
through which the Illinois river croeps
In Its winding channel to join the Fa-
Their Of Waters From Its junction with
the Illinois and Michigan canal to the
Mississippi lS counties contribute to its
boundaries All Of these counties are
rich in fertile lands, heavy timbers or
mineral deposits. Time was, and not SO
long ago, when each Of these counties
boosted Furnishing village on the
banks Of the Illinois river. Steamers.
packets" as they were called in those
Hourlshing 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 a journey OF
two or three days. Each boat made c
round trip in week. Everybody trav-
eled by boat. Mails and freight for In
land points in central and southern I'LL
nois were dumped at landings" near
est to 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-
vered 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 II the village
happened to DO located in spot sub
ject to overflow. There was no limit to
the enterprise Of the land owner nor the
height of tho piles. Everybody scram-
bled to locate nearest the steamboat
landing. The woodman, with score OF
wagons laden with fuel; the farmer and
huckster with cartful Of vegetables,
eggs and dairy products; the merchant
and idler, the maid and youth and
school children were always at the land
ing when the big steamer with final
chaw -chaw of the exhaust pipes and last
revolution of the paddle blades swung
easily against the piling at the big ware.
house dock.
The noisy and profane mate, the
1 6COIc5 VI COAOlCu slOCAAoAOoS Wiz v0SsAoA
GUS cries Of hucksters. the murmurs Of
admiration for the captain, who always
stood on the texas clad in gold braided
uniform, with his hand on the rope at
taohed to the clapper Of the big bell
all these were part Of the scene at the
arrival Of every steamer. Then the cap
tain would become impatient and pull
the clapper Of the big bell vioiously
against its brazen sides. The mate in
/ dulged in more profanity pitched in
louder tone, while the shutting negroes
would forget their droning for brief
time and hasten their laggard steps
The pilot, autocrat Of the steamer.
| peered lazily from the windows OF bis
little cabin, shifted his wheel, touched
little cord above his head, and from
the engine room came the sound Of two
shrill whistles, warning to the engi'
neer, who perhaps had olambered into
his hammock for short nap. that In
few minutes lines would be cast of and
the boat would be ready TO proceed K
, the next landing.
Day and night this scene never varied,
save that at night there were fewer
females and children at the landing, but
the picturesqueness Of the scene wa
heightened by the braziers, big as a bar
rel, filled with pitch, pine and other In
flammables, blazing aercely and fur
nishing light for the work of lading
Those were the days when the Di Yer
non, George B. Mcclellan, Ruby, City
t Of Pekin and other magnificent side
wheel steamers were in the river trade
when the Ebaughs and the Ryders ant
/, the Farwells owned and piloted thes
floating palaces, made fortunes and wer
the big men Of the valley. In thos
days, too, the river was navigabl
t stream for nine months Of the year
q Mighty floods changed the channel ever.
spring, while the early June rise mad
the stream incognito to the shrewd
: est pilot. The rushing waters ate int
solid banks Of enormous trees and ton
of earth. These would finally stran
U with the subsistence Of the waters. form
i ing dangerous distractions and innu
n merable sand bars The channel Of tc
day would next week present an impene
l. trable barrier to the river steamer
Beardstown tIlls.) Letter in Chicag
Herald