Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-16
MYSTERY OF THE MISSOURI
Loss Of Steamer Twilight and Entire
Cargo Of Whisky.
SWALLOWED BY RELENTLESS BIG MUDDY
FINEST Craft on River Disappears with
Passenger, Crew and Contents
and Never n Trace of
Eithe H. Found.

ST. JOSEPH. Mo-, March 14.-Cspecial.l-
Away back in the early SOS, late in the
afternoon Of a rare September day, a
stately white craft, pufhng and throbbing
with impotence to be of, lay close TO the
shore at the Louisville, KY, wharf. A
crowd Of good-humored darkies-deck-
hands, as they we're called In those days,
jostled and joked one another in the rush
and scurry Of getting its cargo aboard, and
many sang merrily at their work. Barrel
after barrel Of fine old Kentucky whisky
was rolled up over the heavy gang plank
into the dark mystery Of the steamboats,
hold. The last golden shafts from the
setting sun lay athwart the Indiana hills
and bathed the opposite shore line with
Bumptuous glory. Then the dusk fell and
deepened until the silver sheen OF the rising
moon fecked with radiance the dancing rip-
pies OF the beautiful Ohio. Still the songs
Of the darkies rang out in syncopatic
melody clear on the night air. At length
the. last barrel was deposited for safe
Keeping, the bell sounded, the signal for
departure was given. and after a sharp
command from the captain the gang
plank was hauled in and Twilight swung
gracefully out from its moorings. This
cargo OF whisky has been estimated to have
been worth all the way from $3.50 o to
CSC, 600. Amid the cheers and goodbys Of
the crowd ashore. II fioated backward into
mid-stream. Then. with a sudden roar
of, escaping steam and a tinkle OF small
signal bells, it stopped, came about and
the great wheels ploughed the waters into
foam as II started on It's westward way
bound for st. Joseph, Mo.
Queen of the River.
Twilight, for its time. was a marvel
of completeness, and was not only one OF
the best boats Of its day, but was quite
the largest craft in the Missouri river trade.
with a length Of 230 feet, II measured
thirty-hve feet beam. It carried a large
and capable crew and, when set aioat, late
In the SOS, It was the topic of discussion
for months, not only in Paducah, where It
was built, but throughout Kentucky. Its
Furnishings were of the finest. and the ar
tistio taste shown in the color and gen.
eral arrangement Of the women's cabin
would not have set Ill In my lady's drawing
room OF the handsomest Louisville man
sion. Particular attention was paid to the
cuisine OF Twilight. and altogether a
trip aboard this elegant boat was consid-
cred a treat and a privilege by all so for
tunate as to embark.
On this particular voyage most OF the
passengers were bound for st. Louis. Many
were on pleasure DSuls anu dhblCApdbCN q
good rest on the attractive journey witt
congenial friends. Everybody knew every
body else, n a number of newly married
couples were making their wedding trips
All who were not kinsfolk when the boa
left the Louisville landing had scraped VI
some sort OF relationship before Twilight
whistled long and loud for ST. Louis
There were exchanging Of addresses and
messages to the unknown sisters and broth
ers OF newly discovered cousins-in fact. al
were from Kentucky, which gives the exac
situation.
Aside from its own sturdy crew, the boa
carried beyond st. Louis comparatively few
passengers. AS 1t pushed away from thu
wharf Of that thriving city and swung on
into the broad Mississippi a shout of fare
well arose from those crowding the wharf
Women waved their handkerchiefs and mel
held aloft children. handsatchels. or any
thing within reach.
Its Last Landing.
Later In the week, after a rather tediou
trip and many stops at way landings alonI
che treacherous and muddy Missouri
Twilight put in and lay for an after
noon for some trinlng affair at Libert
landing. in Clay county, Mo. Her peopl
by way OF diversion and "to stretch thei
legs a Bit" as the captain suggested. wen
ashore and made their excursions into tn
woods to admire the glowing beauty @
color Just then beginning to tinge the lat
September foliage with the warning blus
Of an early autumn. The deck hands in
dulged in a jollihcation OF song and dane
until dusk deepened and the captain
command ordered them aboard. They lai
IN some small freight for st. Joseph an
for some reason ceased singing as dar
clouds began to gather overhead.
The captains weather eye was alert an