The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-02-24
SHADOW OF DEATH
An Interesting Invention Of ST.
Louis River Engineer.
His Close Call on Capt. Csde Stew
arts Boat Leads to the
Invention.
READS LIKE A ROMANCE

OF horrible fate emerged to patent a
device it is believed will prove of in
estimablo good to river engineers rs
soon as it is introduced. The Globe
Democrat says of it:
Barxer's experience, which reads al
most like romance, proves the old
adage:
Necessity is the mother of inven-
tion."
His invention, as explained to the
Globe Democrat yesterday, consists OF
q new and ingenious cam attachment
for steam boat engines. In technical
terms, he has overcome tbs necessity
of placing the cam and cam yokes on
the main shaft Of the wheel, and pro-
poses to place the cam on the cylinder
timbers inside the boat and form a
connection with il from the middle Of
the "pitman.
The "pitman," according to his de-
vice, imparts . rotary motion to the
cam. the'same as If attached to the
shaft, and the camyoke works over IL
in the same manner as in the oldfssh-
toned device. Mr.. Barker has prepared
q model of his device, which he built
himself.
Mr.. Bakers device is the result Of
one Of the most thrilling aud danger.
Gus accidents that ever befell any mar.
liner who survived to tell the tale. 1t
occurred in the fall Of 1901.
The little steamer J. NJ. Riohtman,
with only a partial crew, was hurried
to the rescue Of the City Of Clifton,
burned Friday at Savannah, Tenn,
which had become stranded at some
point between here and Cairo.
The Richtmsn was in charge of Gap
tain J. Cade Stewart, who also acted
as pilot. The boat left the city late
in the evening, with young Barker as
the only engineer.
While near Kimmswiok. Mo-, about
90 miles below the city after darkness
had enveloped the river. Barker decid-
cd to 20 out on the fantail. alongside
the wheel, to oil the cams Of his en-
CINE. While he was so engaged, the
wind blew his blouse into the wheel.
where it caught and nearly drew him
into the rapidly revolving wheel.
Realizing his danger instantly, with
vigorous jerk he tore his blouse out
of the wheel, but in doing so he fell
backward into the river.
The accident was not noticed by
any one on the boat, which continued
on its way down the river.
When Barker came to the surface, he
hallooed, but no one heard him, and In
a very short time the boat was beyond
the reach OF his voice. The unfortu.
nate engineer was left to battle with
the waves alone in the darkness. He
pulled of his shoes and blouse in the
water and also lost his hat.
Battling with death in his almost
exhausted condition, he swan ana
fioated for an hour, when at last he
reached the shore. He crawled out on
the river bank, wrung out his wet
clothes aud started for what he
thought was a house a short distance
away. Ii was not house, however,
but proved to be an abandoned lime
kiln, and in this he spent the remsind-
er of the night.
The boat ran about l2 miles before
the engineer was missed. Captain
Stewart first rang "slow bell, but
received no response. He then gave
other signals. but none was answered.
Alarmed, the captain called another
member of the crew and sent him post
haste to the engine room to see what
had become of the enginser. The lat
ter was not to be found.
With the assistance OF the fireman,
the boat was landed. The next morn
ing Captain Stewart telegraphed to
the city that Barker was missing, and
supposed to be droyned.
When daylight came, Barker, hat
less, barefooted ant shivering in the
little clothing he had on, still wet
from his long swim in the Mississippi,
started toward honse. When farm
he reached il, the frightened family
supposing him to be wild man, threat
ened to set the dogs on him, and he