The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-11
FAMOUS STEAMBOAT RlG
Tive Pslattal PASSENGER Packets
Rivalry Detween TAen-Hevv the
Rsbert 4. lee Beat the Matches
Fortunes sankeA On the Result.

IT 4 Was hack IN the ~" said the
- sporting mar. AZ he stood with
group In ono Of the local hotel
i0opies. .Steamboating on the
Mississippi today y not what IL was then
That was distinct era In itself, so far
- travel aiong the big river was con-
cerned. IL was before the time OF the
valley railroads that now parallel the
course os the stream from source to
mouth All travel between New Orleans
and st. Louis and intermediate points was
By boat.
To meet this vast demand for transport
tation boats were built on q CORRESPOND
Ing scale The passenger packets espe-
cialiy built for carrying passengers and
the malls. were things Of beauty. each
representing fortune IA itself Cabins
that were genuine works or art. Nmachin-
cry the finest that could be made, bar
rooms that were a dream Of giided dissi-
patton. poker tables over which men some
times played continuously throughout an
entire voyage. and over which fertile val
ley plantations were more than once lost
and won. passenger lists including some
OF the most noted people on earth. All
In all, there WAS q certain charm and
romance about the whole thing which
makes the modern railway service seem
like piece Of coarse prose by the side OF
q choice poem.
Scenes on the steamers and along the
shores can never be forgotten by those
who Witnessed them. The songs Of the
deckhands as they ioated among the cot
ton bales or sugar barrels while the boat
was running. or trotted up and down the
gang plank a. some lonely woodward; the
stout figure OF the mate red-faced and
prcfane. as he stood on the crest OF the
blum and exhibited by turns his vocabu-
larry and his muscle in urging the men 10
greater exertions. the great naring pine
torchlights On the steamers bow ~ night:
the deep-toned whistle that echoed over
the hills and marshes for miles; the far
resoundtng strokes OF the boats side
wheels al she churned her way up or down
stream: her towering smoke-stacks. her
spacious decks-aii these are things OF the
past.
I'm those good old days, OF all the fine
steamers on the lower Mississippi, the two
finest and fastest were the hatcher and
the Robert Il. Lee. Each Of these had its
own peculiarfties. its own patronage, Its
own devotess. Up and down the river
there were men and women who would not
travel on any other boat than the Lee.
There were just as many who swore al
legiance to the Matches. Thousands swore
the Lee was tho faster boat Thousands
vowed the Natchex could beat her. Rec
ords were cited to show the run OF each
from vicksbnrG to Memphis, or from Bat
on Rouge to New Orleans. Articles were
written In the newspapers on the relative
merits OF the two boats. Men offered bets,
but there was no way OF deciding them
Feeling ran high.
THE rivalry between the two steamers
themselves was no less keen. When one
met the other on the river II was an
event. and each boat seemed 10 look as
kance at the other. Certainly the two
captains did. for In each case II happened
that the captain was virtually the owner
OF the boat. Capt T. p. feathers had
built the Natchez and named her for his
home city Capt John ". Cannon. II was
generally believed. owned a controlling
interest In the Lee.
One banter led TO another: and a raee
was finally agreed upon II was TO be
from New Orleans to St. Louis. There
were very few stpula,ions or conditions
made. The two steamers were 70 leave
the Canal street wharf a, New Orleans at
5 O'Clock p m. and the first 10 reach St
Louis was TO be tae winner.
The news OF the race was heralded
far and wide. and excited the widest en-.
lhusiasm everywhere Thousands ana ma
issue. The Lee made every preparation
for tho race. even 10 stripping on her
cabin doors and removing every possible
emily made none at all beyond a thorough
ovsrhanIing, To show his disdain Of his
rival Capt fIeathers also took a number
Of passengers from various points along
t'The signal for starting was 10 be the
striking OF the tower clock NJ the FOOT
OF Canal street At TWO or three min.
and began backing cat; Someone called
Ieathers' attention TO the Lee. Let her
co. said he, I'm not going TO star; TIL
..sy-s. an.s slight start gave her A ire
mendous Advantage. She had a very
broad beam. and her powerful machinery
gave her the heaviest sven q any poa.
trimmer model In other words, speed
aside Il would have been much harder fer
the Naschex 10 pass the Lee than vice
river end Of New orleans. the Matches
ran so,,areiy ur - the Lees stern but
was beaten hack by the swell.
as the two great steamers swept Up
the river al fall speed, thousands Of PEG
pie lined TIE banks on each side. Many
had come from hundreds OF milss IN me
interior lust 10 see tire race When tae
Lee passed the city of Naiehez frs, inat
iou n wore an air Of fansseal gloom. AZ
other points along the way men went wills
with enthusiasm. Up in the Bends as
termed. the Lee played stiii another Trick
on her competitor. The Naschez haa "a
land 10 take on her fuel MOI 50 me
Lee by prerencerless srrsnEe'nsht
very fast beat. tha Frank Pargoua. was
lying IT, the stream WITH q iesd o. iaG
for The Lee. As the Lee aaproacneI tia
Pargoud started up the river al fnli speed
T~ne Lee soon overhsuled her. ana run
uins~ alongside by a risky dasn made fas'
"a her with stout cables. and took on Ter
s,,.i waItc sosrs a: almost f2ll speed
'sifeg oarelessress, or the Lees snre.1
,Aav cast tire Natchez the race TIE
/ -, hsaf her q, 81 lssEig by a few hours;
~. tns ,s,sss.saf. OF speed was az far from
settled az ever Men had tAesr purses.
hu, no, their convictions. broken, and 10
tnts gav old settlers along the river VIII