Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-04-24
AN up SOAP STORY
D. g. Beaman Tells the Tale in a
Different Way.
LIVED ON THE RIVER FOR IS YEARS
Gives it as He Heard it at the Time Ii
I1appened-TeIls OF the Exprcs-
sion Which Has Passed
Into History.

ID. C. Beaman, formerly of this city,
but now secretary and general astor-
ney for the Colorado Fuel and Iron
company, saw the recent article in the
Courier in regard to the up Soap, by
Cd" incident and says that the ac-
count missed the real point of the sto-
ry. Mr.. Beaman says that he lived at
Croton and elsewhere on the Des
Moines river for thirty-five years and
was cognizant of many of the Incl
dents connected with steamboating in
an early day or heard from the river
men at frequent intervals and wrote
up many of the incidents, among them
being this one. Mr.. Beaman says that
to keep the account historically cor
rect and he sends the story as he at one
time chronicled it. Following is Mr..
| Beaman's version
| Long ago, when steamboat men
found in the navigation of the river
Des Moines 4 source of profit and dam
ger, Bill Phelps was captain of a. small
steamer which was ploughing her way
to ''Raccoon Forks
| "Pilots familiar with the channel
We're not TO be found. Phelps, who had
| fat-boated on the river for many years
knew every tree on the bank and ev
cry rifle sawyer" and "niggel
head in the stream.
Son this trip, Phelps was assisted by
a pilot who had never made the triI
before, and who ran the boat in day
time, Phelps running her at night
Phelps had been on deck nearly all day
giving directions in passing the dam!
at and above Croton and shortly before
shutdown desired to go down and have
a short nap before taking charge O
the wheel himself for the night.
The boat was then short distance
below where Eldon now is; the river
was booming with the highest water
ever known (the flood of '51) and tn,
channel was plain above, until Appa
moose Island, opposite Ottumwa, wa!
reached, where the channel was thel
on the west side of the island, Just the
| opposite of where it is now. SoaI
| Creek runs into the river short dis
lance above Eldon, also on the ives:
side. 1t was likewise on a tear and it.
mouth was almost as wide as the riv
er, but few rods up it suddenly
curved and narrowed up and was over
hung by immense cottonwoods, who's
limbs met over the creek and wer,
matted with wild grape vines.
/ .Phelps had forgotten Soap Creek
and having informed the pilot that
few miles up he would come to an is
land, and that he must take the lef
hand channel, went below and wa
soon asleep. IL.
''Fhe passengers had cleared the ia
BILE, and gathered around it for nigh
Il ~ al L,
begun to settle down upon the water
when the gorgeous mouth of SoaI
Creek hove in sight. The unsuspect
ing pilot, not having been apprised o
any creeks as big as the river and lur
ed by the tempting eNpanse of waite
coming out of the creek, concluded
without hesitation that. the poin
above the mouth of the. creek was tn
island, to the left of which Phelps hat
directed him to run, and straightwa,
plunged the boat into the mouth o
/ the creek, and in a minute was pillow
ing thru waters never before ''trod" b,
the foot of steamboat, and tearin!
thru cottonwood limbs and grape vine
at rate fearful to contemplate.
| The terrible breaking and cracking
aroused Phelps, and just as the fright
ened passengers came rushing into hi
! state room to ascertain what it al
meant. the jackstaff and chimney
came laundering down upon the hur
ricane deck.
4 phelps comprehended the situation
in moment, and recalling the fata
omission in his instructions to the ri
| lot exclaimed as he tumblet
out of his berth: up Soap
By G-d!' He arrived on decl
as the boat came to a srandstill
wreathed with the grape vines of de
feat, vanquished by the monarchs o
| Soap, who had demonstrated thei
superiority over steam and the whit
man, in combat of ten seconds.
1.-THE boat being but a few rods VI
the creek, was soon backed out an,
blowing her way onward with sap
ling for jackstaff, the sparks an,
smoke sweeping over her deck from
the stumps of her chimneys, and Bill
Phelps at the wheel.
''The disgrace of the pilot was mixet
with the pleasure of knowing that h
was the first and only man who ha,
ever run steamboat up Soap TIL
expression passed into the history o
the Des Moines Valley, and when
person is completely cornered, in tina
region, he is considered Up Soap
l Story of Slave.
To be bound hand and foot for year