The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-01


from under me as slick as whistle. Inc
steamer was running like a scared dog.
/ had hold of small rope and was pulled
through the water like a spoon hook I'M
til they cut my boat free. Only the other
day reporters skiff was so caught ana
was crushed to splinters. The occupant
escaped in some way which he himself
cannot explain, and passed astern OF the
wheel. The steamer was stopped, and al
ter half an hours swim in the icy water,
he was picked up and sent ashore in an
other boat which put off to get him"
The wind by this time had begun to
freshen. 1t had shifted to the north
couple of points, and the sun was nearly
setting. The breakers piled up on the
beach spitefully, and the air became chill
ed and damp. The reporter swung down
to the pier and launched his boat without
shipping any water feat only possible
through years of practice. The little
craft tumbled about in lively manner.
If there is a sea anywhere, it is in the
Straits of Mackinac. Wind from almost
any direction will pile up the waves there.
and dead Gains are scarce, even in mid
summer. The breeze was fresh by this
time, and although not a gale, it required
skillful handling of the boat at is took
UP it's usual position. right in the course
of the steamer. But in the gathering
darkness the captain did not see it. "W-o-
o-o-O-o-o, w-o-o-o-o-o. Woo, W-o-, w-o-
100000, Woo, Woo" doomed the
steamers big whistle, giving the signal
of the OgdenSburg line, to which the Gov.
Smith belongs. This was followed after
an interval of a few minutes by another
long whistle calling for the reporter to
come out and get message.
Just then the captain saw the white
skiff and stopped the whistle. The skif
was tossed like a cookie shell as it came
alongside the steamer, and when the
painter was passed to the steamers deck,
the little boat jumped through the rising
sea in a manner fearful to behold. There
was no extra time spent; the messages
were exchanged, and the skiff put away,
for every momenut is fraught with dam
ger while in tow.
The signal which the Gov. Smith had
blown to indicate that a steamer of the
Central Vermont line was passing was of
a special code, like the Morse telegraph
alphabet. Such signals are used by many
tramp vessel and by all the lines. They
are absolutely necessary when storm and
fog and snow make it impossible for the
small boats of the station to go out. FIRE.
quently at night the signals tell the story
of the passing craft when nothing else
would The signals are furnished to YES
sci owners free of charge by the station
Ashore again the message from the Gov.
Smith was started on It's swift fight to
the general Offices of the line in eastern
New York In short order, and then proyid-
ed with fresh supply Of papers that had
come in by train. the boat was again
launched in the surf. II was bright star
light. Far to the westward of McGulpin's
Point the most northern spot in the South
ern Peninsular of Michigan, there was a
light, which might be a setting star or
the masthead light on a coming steamer.
With a long, steady stroke of the oars the
boat rode over the waves, showers OF
sprays sometimes coming over It's bow
The reporter was on his regular nightly
watch. He might have dozen boats or
twice that number before he was relived
at midnight. The only certain thing about
1t was that he must file a message to his
home office at 10 O'Clock, giving list of
passing boats since noon for the daily pa
pers next morning.
The boat was in total darkness, not be-
cause of choice, but of necessity. If
light were displayed upon it, captains OF
oncoming steamers would dodge it or run
away from it, for If there is one thing
more than another captains have no lik-
ing for it is a light upon the water, and
the event most feared by the marine re-
porter is to have a marine captain try
not to run over him. SO long as the
steamer keeps it's way he knows exactly
what to do but when a captain lodges
he is lost in all his bearings.
The light below McGulpin'S Point
proved to be that of a steamer bound
down from Chicago with the corn crop
of an entire Kansas township, or cargo
equal to that. The captain had heard
nothing new, and there were no letters
to be sent ashore. The reporters boat
was cast off to go to a schooner slowly
working its way up to the straits, with
a cargo of cedar, loaded among the is
lands at the head of Lake Huron. For
fortnight the crew had been engaged in
rafting their cargo from shore to their
vessel, and right glad all hands were
when they got where they could hear
what was going on in the world.
ANY letters?' the reporter asked
mo The old woman will know L am
all right when she sees the papers in the
morning." the captain replied.
From one boat to another the reporter
passed, for 1t was one of his busy nights.
On one OF his tows he went so near Mac
mac Island that he could hear the band
at the hotel, but such revelry had no
charms for'him. He would prefer the
freedom of the straits to any life ashore
he might with reason hope to attain.
once more he came ashore and sent his
list of passing boats to the telegraph Of
flee. Again he was off in his boat, there
to remain until the end of his watch,
when another equally hardy mariner took
his place.
The dense fogs which at times overhang
the straits or Mackinac cause the service
more trouble than the heavy winds and
big seas. The passage of boats must be
reported in fogs as well as clear weather
and the news Is even more valuable TO
the vesselman during foggy weather, as
II assures him that his craft is safe, at
least, up to the time 1t was reported. The
delivery of messages must be as sure In
fog as in sunshine, and when night falls.
adding darkness to the fog, then the work
is indeed hazardous and difficult.
The experienced man is the only one
that can accomplish anything under these
circumstances. Years Of this life have
given him an extra instinct and he can
distinguish the tones Of the whistles of
different boats as a person recognizes
the voice of a friend. The United States
regulations come to his aid at this time.
and the oft repeated fog signal on the
whistles is the only thing that reveals the
presence of big steamer. unless it's can.
tain blows a special signal when he wants
a message taken ashore.
First Actor-You get a bigger salary
than do.
Second Actor-Thats true, but / don't
get so much money.-Roxbury Gazette.