The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-19
now HARRY TRIP DIED.
An Incident OF the Blowing Up of u
MisSissippi Steamboat.

ment of bravery and heroism. No mat
ter what may have been his faults, a
mans unflinching bravery at his dying
hour commands the admiration of the
living. Such a hero was Harry Tripp,
one of the most noted gamblers on the
river steamers in the palmy days of the
Mississippi.
THE Oceanus was in the Red river
trade out of st. Louis in 1871" says an
old steamboat man. Those were the
days when the Mississippi river steam
boat trade was yet in its glory. st.
Louis was holding the trade in the rich
est section of the south and one of the
prosperous concerns in the city then
was known as the st. Louis Merchants
Arkansas, White and Red River Pack
ing companies. This corporation sent
boats down the Mississippi and up the
Arkansas, White and Red rivers. Some
of the best known men in st. Louis
today held sSlared positions with the
river transportation companies in those
times. Some of the big fortunes in St
Louis today We're made by men who
We're at the head of those river packet
lines or were in some way engaged in
commerce connected with the river. To
'N NOllh'Nltl WITH lllt IlNtl II dut W dS
something to be proud of.
The steamboat Oceanus was in the
Red river trade Her pilot. in the lat
ter end of the rivers palmy period, was
Harry Tripp. Every old steamboat man
remembers Tripp. He was n typical
sport and steamboat man of those days.
He was known from st. Louis to New
orleans as king among sports and a
prince among good fellows. He was
tall and slender, but wiry. He was the
most elegant dresser in the city of st.
Louis. His linen was always as i'm
maculate as the virgin snow; his suits
We're alwavs of the finest black doe
skin, which was then the fashion, and
he wore a silk hat and kid or morocco
boots with high heels. At that time it
was fashionable for a man to wear a
diamond cluster in his shirt bosom, and
Harry Tripp had a cluster that was the
envy of the social and the sporting
world. From each side of this inn
mense cluster of diamonds ran deli
cate gold chain, which was fastened on
the side of the vest with golden pins
Tripp was not loud dresser like the
sports of tOday-he was always attired
in black and his clothing was in ex-
Cellent taste.
Although of slight and slender build
there was no effeminacy in Harry
Trips nature. To the contrary, he
was bold, brave, and daring, and was
noted along the river as one of the
most venturesOme gamblers that ever
dealt a card. He had physical bravery
to equal that of a lion, and he was
handsome to a fault-yes, to a fault,
for he had a sweetheart in every port
He was a perfect type of the dandy
and women simply raved over him. He
was about 40 years old at the time OF
his death.
THE OCeanuS was coming up the
Mississippi and was flying light one
afternoon of a fine day in 1871 or 1877.
when her boilers blew up just above
Cairo. Twelve or fifteen lives We're
lost, many persons wounded, and the
boat was complete wreck. The boat
took fire and sank, but the water was
low, and the hull didn't go under
When the boilers let go Harry TripT
was blown from the pilot house and
landed on the forecastle, close to the
capstan; a heavy timber fell across his
Use anu ilN NbS lltNl lON IL do SttuItlN
as if he had been placed in a monster
vice, When the boat sunk the forecas.
tie rested on a bar. Tripp lay on the
foreCastle, and, although pinned down
he was not injured. he had no broker
limbs and was not suffering to any
great extent apparently. All was ex,
citement after the explosion, and il
was some time before Tripp succeeded
in attracting the attention of the Off
GERS of the boat and of the survivors
1t was discovered that the fire wa.
making rapid headway toward Tripp
and a desperate effort was quickly be
gun to rescue him. Then transpireC
one of the most terrible scenes in tn,
annals of steamboating in this or an.
other country.
Trip was a very prOfane man, anC
at first be used tongue -biStering bias
| phemy while cursing the officers an,
negro roustabouts in giving them d
| rections how to save him. He was alb
/ solutely unhurt. was cool and collect
/ ed, and he raised himself TO a sittinl
/ posture as he talked to the men abou
him and told them how to proceed T.
/ cut away the heavy timber which heI,
his lower limbs in a vise-like grip.
Men used big axes and saws an,
c"owhars diligently in an effort to re
r-0ye the large piece of timber, bu
Tho wind famed the flames into fur
and the men We're working in a nero
heat. The hungry flames were fast eat
/ ing the wrecked fOrecastle and Trip
damned and cursed at the top of hi
voice as he urged on his rescuers. TIL
flames grew nearer, and Tripp used
/ less number Of OathS. The Surgin
| flames darted still nearer and nearer
and finally Tripp ceased swearing al
together. Still perfectly cool and col
, lected, he became quiet and talked /
| lower tones as he gave directions I
the men who were working to save hi
life. When he saw death staring hir
in the face he quit cursing and nc
another oath fell from his lips. Th
angry flames now surged around tn
rescuers, and still the heavy timbe
held Tripp beneath its cruel weight.
was now apparent that Tripp could nc
be saved, and none knew IT better tha
he. With perfect cOmposture he sal
to the men:
Leave me! Leave me! Why sacr
flee or place in danger other lives fC
me?"
Realizing the impending fate of bC
ing burned alive, Tripp begged the me
TO knock him in the head with an a
before leaving him, but nobody obeye
his request for coup de grace. A
one by one the men We're forced b
the intense heat TO leave the wrecl
Tripp shook hands with them and sal
good-by. Two negro roustabouts wei
the last to leave, Tripp begged thel
to kill him, but they would not ODE
his command. The flames now burne
| 50 olnse that each OF the tMn nnprnl