The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-17
ON the Falls City Members OF the
Southern Indiana Press Associa-
ton Were Entertained.
MANY CHARMING INCIDENTS
BOAT PILOTS THE HISTORIANS OF
THAT LOCALITY.
while ON the Trip the Editors Heard
Papers Read and Did Some Work
Visit 10 Frankfort.


A pretty woman In a white yachting cap
leaned over the rail on the upper deck OF
large stern-wheel steamer. She held a
speaking trumpet to her lips. A man on
the east bank Of the river was yelling him
self hoarse and gesticulating wildly.
.swhat's that you sayT" she called through
the trumpet. The man ON the bank finally
made himself understood. Bring NE down
ten pounds of hominy next trip" he yelled,
using his hands FOR a trumpet. "end say,
I've got four pounds of tobacco TO trade"
lust then the captain came on deck, and
the pretty woman in the yachting cap de-
livered the order. That's frequent oc-
currence on this river" he remarked, jot-
ting Down a memorandum OF the order.
This was one OF the many unique Incl
dents that occurred during the trip Of the
Southern Indiana Press Association on the
Kentucky river last week The trip of 165
miles I'D the river and back was a reyela-
ton TO the editors. One of the important
things it demonstrated was that a system
OF locke and dams, built and operated IN
der the direction OF the government, is a
wonderful aid TO navigation. The question
OF locks and dams is one that the average
southern Indiana man Is Intensely inter
ested In Last winter IN Washington the
Ohio Valley Improvement Association made
an active campaign in the interests OF a
more uniform depth for the Ohio river, and
the matter promises TO be pushed actively
again this coming winter. The committee
on rivers and harbors has to act on these
matters.
This outing Of the editors and their
friends was the best the association has
ever had From Monday afternoon, when
the steamer Falls City left Louisville. un-
I'll Thursday night. the party Of about
sixty-five people was aboard the boat hav-
ing the time OF their lives. Nature seemed
TO burst into a smile the day the editors
started, and there was scarcely a frown
from the beginning to the close of the trip.
NEAR HEART OF NATURE.
The passengers aboard the Falls City will
perhaps never be nearer the heart of nature
than they were on this trip. After leaving
Frankfort, Ky, the scenic effect along
the river becomes almost awe-inspiring in
its rugged grandeur. While the river makes
its way through the very heart of the blue
grass section of Kentucky, these rolling
meadows lie far above the stream and be-
yond the great rock-ribbed walls that shut
the river in OF either side. 1t is not only
a picturesque but historic country that
lies on either side of this remarkable
stream.
The pilots OF the boats that ply the Ken
fucly river are not only familiar with the
channel of the stream but they know every
legend or romance that have made the
locality famous. Could one be allowed to sit
down in the piolt house of the Falls City
and "chin" the man at the wheel a great
fund of interesting Renaissance could be
CLEANED. These days no one is allowed in
the pilot house of a river boat except the
man at the wheel and the boats crew.
Pilots licensed by the government. If
one is caught with a passenger in his house
he is not only fined $500 bat his license is
revoked. But this particular pilot was good
20 the editors. He didn't break the law but
he sometimes allowed them TO sit in the
window with Their feet outside. 1t is not
difficult to manage boat in the Kentucky
river. The water is deep and the surface
Of the stream is like glass-smooth and
placid. When NOT busy with the wheel the
pilot loves to te1sof the country on either
side
See the clump IF trees way over beyond
the top of the ciif:7'' he remarked. "T mean
the clump beyond ithe great rock at the left.
Well il that clunsp OF trees was out of the
way could show you where Tempest lived.
Ever read the stCSy OF Tempest and Sun
sinner We peopl: down here in Kentucky
thirk that greas book. knew all those
people and Ii cams pretty near being true
story. too. All that happened right over
there-right wheTs, I'm pointing" A little
farther down thesstream the pilot told his
listeners where tlss scene OF Lena Rivers
was laid, only a Few miles from the river
in the blue grass country. not far from
Frankfort Then the paid attention 10 the
wheel awhile and hgain became interesting
ly reminiscent. Ttere was a house where
q foul murder ha. been committed. Up a
little way was al tree where a man was
hanged just aftet the war. They've cut
the limb away" said the pilot, "but you
can see where & was. The regulators
lynched him and i've always had a sus-
piclBn that they fid il because he was a
Union soldier" AZ little farther up stream.
he pointed out Towers Leap a tremen-
dously high pile bf rocks that made one
dizzy to look at
STORY OF tDANIEL BOONE.
Then the pilot tod the editors about how
Daniel Boone. taat intrepid Kentucky
pioneer, nad DiazSd MS way through this
particular part ofsthe country and how, at
one time. the Indisns had been particularly
active against the whites along this river.
IL Is a lazy, delightful trip. steamboating
by easy stages kp the Kentucky river.
Nearly every farIfer has a landing where
he can hail the bat and send bis produce
or his live stock 20 market. Small mer-
chants along the; river rely on the Falls
City 70 bring their goods from Louisville
and Madison All one point above Frank
fort where the bo4t stopped farmer came
down 70 the landitg and said he had heard
that Senator Bevscidge was TO be a men,
Der OF the partyf II was explained that
the senator had attended coming. but was
detained. Mr.. BSveridge's secretary VOL
unteered to tell Che senator that inquiry
had been made fer him. The Kentuckian
then said he wousi like to present a bou-
quet az a token q his regard for the SEN
stor Mr.. Ship gracefully accepted the
Cow ers. They wefe OF the variety known
ss hags and were red. white and blue
They were the gsft OF c. W. WEIGH. OF