The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-05-27
DETROIT RIVER MAILS.
A Unique Service That Is Full of Ex,
citing Incidents and Is Inval-
liable to Ship Owners.

In this great fleet is every conceiv-
able kind of craft, from the magnifi-
cent three-stack liner down to the
rusty little old gravel scow that
beats its way up against the four
mile current or comes to an anchor
to wait for a favorable breeze. The
crew of the wheezy old sand sucker
are waited on as quickly as are the
smart-looking officers in their blue
coats and gold braid pacing the
bridge of the big white fiers. A
deckhand's postal card goes in the
same mail with his captains bulky
trip sheet, and both are delivered to.
gether. The value of this service to
vessel owners is illustrated by the
number of telegraphic orders sent to
their ships while passing Detroit,
two-cent stamp affixed insuring de-
livery by the mail boat, says st. Mich
olas.
Sometimes special delivery letter
or telegram will come to the marine
office for ship already in sight ap-
preaching. A signal is run up on the
Flagstaff, the mail boat comes hur-
riedly in, leaving the carrier in mid
stream to take care of himself. The
special is taken aboard and soon
placed on the passing ship, possibly
changing her destination and saving
her owners lot of trouble.
Sometimes some quick work is
necessary in getting out the mail for
a vessel appearing unexpectedly on
the river, but never yet has the mail
been lost or delayed. The minute de-
tail in the work of the United States
postal service is here shown by the
record of every ship passing, kept to
the minute, as well as the number of
letters taken on and off each vessel.
In service of this kind the unex-
pected often happens. Every ship
must be visited alongside, no matter
whether it is day or night, or wet or
blowing hard. The carrier never knows
what the next hour has in store fol
him; he may be drenched to the skin
as his little boat goes leaping like a
monstrous fish attached to long
line through the rolling swell OF
some close-passing boat, or FLASHING
from crest to crest of a choppy sea
dug up by a screaming sou'weste1
straight up the river. Whatever hap
pens, he knows he can swim, and sc
does not get nervous when his boat
crashes over that of the clumsy
newsboy who has tried to take the
starboard SIDE also; but he cuts his
| line and rows back in time to rescue
the vender of papers from his sink
, ing boat. Once in awhile his boat
fetches up under the condenser dis
charge, and it takes only few sec
onds to get enough water in her te
make. it rather unpleasant; but a:
she is built to float always, the mai
delivery goes on just the same, al
though the letters may be a little
damp. AS all sailors are used to thu
, wet, they care little for that.
The number of lives the mail boa
] and carriers have saved during theil
few years of service amounts tx
, more than score. Anxious to ge
their letters, sometimes sailors hav,
: leaned too far over the ships raj
and gone overheard with the pal
, they were lowering to the carrier
only to be picked up by him a littl'
t later and placed on board the vesse
again. In her trips back and fortl
, on the river, the mail boat has beer
, present at more than one accident
, and SO has several times been tn
means of saving life.