The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-06-12
HE SAVED THE SHIP,

That's s rather purity story, that
of Huff's in The Journal the other
day about how he brought the 81,
berry through gale in 1883, re-
marked Engineer Blowit to some
boon companions who had gathered
in the engine room of the famous
old side wheeler Exile, forty
MINER" built as palatial passen-
ger boat and later winning fame
as grain carrier.
II happened to be at Eagle har-
bor, on Michipocoten island, when
he brought the Sibery into port and
can't say but what Huff has played
it purity modestlike in tellin the
yarn. He give it straight, though,
barrin his leavin out few things
which mebbe he didn't think i'm
portant, though some of 'em was to
the owners. Ye see, when they
tied the boat up at the dock in Eagle
harbor, thet's on Michipocoten is
land, there was the prettiest layout
of ice on 'er y'd ever want to look
at. wy, twas even with the rail
over the deck, and the purtiest fut
ed pillars of it run right down them
open matches and stove in skylights
and other open places right down to
the keel. WY, it war a sight to
behold, fine as anything at the ice
pallis, all made without hands
Wy, the fellers that pack ice in
Eagle harbor, on Michipocoten is
land, jest tumbled over each other
to git in bids on this layout, for
tell ye, boys, two foot ice, every
blamed inch of it as clear and SPAR
kiln as the Kohinoor dimond, amt
often found already histed on deck
SO ye en- git r; without wettin yer
feet. Seea huff shouldn't "a left
thet out, even if he didn't make.
the ice himself with a patent freezin
machine, specially when they sold
the ice for enough to pay for all re-,
pairs besides addin somethin to
the owners bank account after pay.
in a handsome salvage to Huff for
savin the ship.
Tibet header he took after the
coal maui, axes not bein handy to
git at jest then, kin swear to, for
he showed me the lump on his head,
caused by strikin the fireroom floor,
havin miscalculated the depth of
water, thinkin it was ten feet when
it war only six. 1t war pretty bad
confusion, right on the place where
the phrenologers locate the bump
of self esteem. He was very proud
of thet lump, ye bet Well, ye
can bet that we fellers in Eagle har
Dor, Michipocoten island. appreci-
ated the gallant feat and lost no
time in roundin up the whole crew
before the bar and victim 'em down
solid with somethin hotter'n lake
water in November, except the mis-
erable cap'n, who took to the steam
pipes in the hour of danger, because,
l s'pose, he's jined SO many of them
blamed societies what roast their
men ON hot gridirons and things be-
fore they let 'em in on the ground
floor to enjoy the enormous benefit
of payin assessments thet he jest
natchully took to them pipes, as it
war.
when Huff told us how the
whole crew went below, wheelsmen
and all, and fed the fire with coal
what they picked by hand outen
the water which war pourin in on
'en by the hundreds of tons, havin
"a swim to git it, the fine old boat
Jest navigatin herself all the time,
with her steerin machinery all out
of gear and useless, WY we wet 'em
down agi'n with stuff hotter'n them
steam pipes the cap'n set on, and
when he told how he riz up in two
feet of water or more and in a
naughty and commandin tone told
the miserable coward of a cap'n to
leave him alone and never speak to
him ag'in we jest hoorayed, for !
en- tell ye that an engineer what
knows his biz like Huff does can
stand at the throttle and navigate a