Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-02-29
TALES OF AN OLD TIME CAPTAIN.
Blake of the Steamboat Illinois and Men,
cries of His Career.


Years and years ago, when Chica-
20 was in u state of infancy, and tho
Worlds fair, with all its magniti-
ccncc and grandeur, and the drain
age canal, and trolley cars, and sky
scrarcr buildings, with Il hundred
other wonderful things, hal not
even been dreamed of, and when
nearly all the travelling AMI trans
portation of every kind We're accom-,
plishcd by steamboats, and sailing
vessels, which piled up and down
the great lakes, there We're many
singular incidents, not to mention
accidents, which, fpublishod, would
make volumes of interesting read
ing.
Many of tho steamers We're COM
manded by good natured, jolly cap
tains, who were nearly always on
familiar terms with tho passengers
after the first day out of port Even
tho little children were made tho OBJ
jccts of their attention in such %
way that whenever the captain APP
pcnred, 1t was signal for regular
stampede to SEQ who would be tho
first to greet him.
There was McFadden of the Madi.
son, Kingman of tho, 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 Mt the time it ragged so foarfully
in Chicago and other towns, and
that was the ending of his eventual
career.
OF his early life there is little
known except that he was native
of seaport town of New England
and had his first experiences of sea-
manship upon tho ocean. He was
cool under all circumstances where
the occasion required it and was re.
markable for his self restraint and
dauntlcss courage in extreme peril.
His manner was always reassuring
to tho panic stricken passengers in
a storm, 10 matter how high the
waves We're rolling. He would say:
Son." or Daughter, don't he
frightened. Wen be all right in the
morning.
He addressed nearly all young
people as SON or daughter. y
There were occasions. though, where
his wrath got the bettor of his self
control, and then-oh, my, how he
would swear! 1t was just terrific.
He was of portly build and had
commanding presence. One sum-
mer afternoon ho took seat on
deck, and feeling drowsy soon fell
into sound sleep. One Of tho boys,
bent on mischief, lighted a match
and held it us near the captains
nose as possible. In moment he
jumped to his feet and shouted:
Bear up Bear up! I smell 49,
The teamboats of that period had
p frightful habit of racing, and
sometimes bad accidents occurred,
but that did not put stop to the
practice. Tho rivalry seemed to
consist moro in getting into port
ahead of time than to gain reputa-
ton for speed. Captain Blake had
a deep rooted dislike to the captain
of the General Wayne and never lost
u chance to make the Illinois get
ahead of that steamer if possible.
Whenever his boat gained tho vic
tory, his exultation knew no bounds
During one particular trip the
lakes were rough the whole distance
from Buffalo to Chicago. Tho ILL
nois was the first to leave port, but
the Wayne got ahead somewhere on
Lake Huron. Then Captain Blake
gave orders for moro 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 tho down ward trip, reach
ing Southport (Konosha) just as tho
Wayne was putting out for Chicago.
Captain Blake stood upon the bow
of the Illinois and saluted tho captain
of tho Wayne in stentorian tones
with these words:
There is u man in Chicago await.
ing tho arrival Of tho General
Wayne"-Chicago Tribune.
She Insisted.