Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1896-02-04
TALES OF AN OLD TIME CAPTAIN.
Blake of tho Steamboat Illinois and Mem.
cries of His Career.

TALES OF AN OLD TIME CAPTAIN.
Blake of tho Steamboat Illinois and Nom.
cries of His Career.
Years and years ago, when Chica-
60 was in a state of infancy, and the
Worlds fair, with all it's magnifi-
cence and grandeur, and the drain
age canal, and trolley cars, and sky
scraper buildings, with a hundred
other wonderful things, had not
even been dreamed of, and when
nearly all the travelling and trans
portation of every kind were accom-
plished by, steamboats, and sailing
vessels, which piled up and down
the great lakes, there were many
singular incidents, not to mention
accidents, which, if published, would
make volumes of interesting read
ing.
Many of the steamers we're COM
manded by good natured, jolly cap
tains, who were nearly always on
familiar terms with the passengers
after the first day out of port. Even
the little children were made the OBJ
jects of their attention in such
way that whenever the captain ap-
peared, it was a signal for regular
stampede to see who would be the
first to greet him.
There was McFadden of the Madi-
son, Kingman of the Empire State,
Stone of the Keystone State, Cham
berlain of the Planet, a Lake Supe-
rior boat, and many others, but not
the least of these and the most &C.
centric one of all was old Captain
Blake of the steamboat Illinois,
Poor man, he was taken with chol-
era at the time it ragged so fearfully
in Chicago and other towns, and
that was the ending of his eventful
career.
Of his early life there is little
known except that he was a native
of seaport town of New England
and had his first experiences of sea-
manship upon the ocean, He was
cool under all circumstances where
the occasion required it and was re-
markable for his self restraint and
dauntless courage in extreme peril.
His manner was always reassuring
to the panic stricken passengers in
a storm, no matter how high the
waves were rolling. He would say:
Son." or daughter, don't be
frightened. We'll be all right in the
morning.
He addressed nearly all young
people as "son' or "daughter.' -
There were occasions. though, whore
his wrath got the better of his self
control, and then-oh, my, how he
would swear! It was just terrific.
He was of portly build and had
commanding presence. Ono sum-
mer afternoon he took seat on
deck, and feeling drowsy soon fell
into sound sleep Ono Of the boys,
bent on mischief, lighted a match
and held it as near the captains
nose as possible. In moment he
jumped to his feet and shouted:
BEAR up! Bear up! I smell -"
The steamboats, of that period had
a frightful habit of racing, and
sometimes bad accidents occurred,
but that did not put stop to the
practice. The rivalry seemed to
consist more in getting into port
ahead of time than to gain a reputa-
ton for speed. Captain Blake had
a deep rooted dislike to the captain
of the General Wayne and never lost
a chance to make the Illinois get
ahead of that steamer if possible.
Whenever his boat gained the vic
tory, his exultation knew no bounds.
During one particular trip the
lakes were rough the whole distance
from Buffalo to Chicago. The ILL
nois was the first to leave port, but
the Wayne got ahead somewhere on
Lake Huron. Then Captain Blake
gave: orders for more steam, and it
was. not long until the Wayne was
left behind. The Illinois kept ahead
after that and arrived at Chicago on
time, landed the passengers and
freight, loaded up again and was
making the downward trip, reach
ing Southport (Kenosha) just as the
Wayne was putting out for Chicago.
Captain Blake stood upon the bow
OF; the Illinois and saluted the captain
of the Wayne in stentorian tones
with these words:
There lisa man in Chicago await
ing the arrival of the General
Wayne!'-Chicago Tribune.