The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-15
BRIEFLY AND HIS BOATS.
Polar stars Commander the First country
GentJeman Of the Northwest.

Polar stars COMMANDED the rIrst Sou"'
Gentleman Of the Northwest
About ten DAYS ago visitor in New York
who had been in the city for week went
10 the country home OF his friend and re-
manned over Sunday The city man SAID
he supposed II was something new for his
friend to find that he had city home and
a country place. at.
you know" he said to his guest that
| is the way we live now
The guest said he supposed II was more
common now than 1t was In the early
days.
But there we're people long before your
/ time who lived that way. or something hhe
it," continued the guest. 'Ihere was
| Capt. Tom Briefly, a steamboat king In MS
day, who had his country place. an extern
| siye farm, twenty miles back from the
| river.
During the season Of navigation he was
on his steamboat. which pl1ed oe."gI em
| St Louis and St. Joseph, His farm Jay
back OF the latter place, II was the farm
| home of a gentleman, man VINO khe"
how to live. He had negroes and STOCK,
When. navigation closed Capt ION
Briefly went TO his farm ana stayeo ,mead
when he returned to his business on me
water He was one Of the first country
gent lemen in the Northwest He was an
artist ocrat.
lavish scale. When he went TO the river
in the spring he was the chief OF type
of the tho roughbred that has passed out
Of history. He had for, his guests on MS
boats Governors. United States Senators,
Generals and Judges. He was captain
in all the senses Of that word.
He was the first man to introduce speed
in steamboating on the Missouri River.
He knew all about a steamboat. Inc ones
of which he was captain were the hnest
In their day He would not have any other
kind.
-The first swift steamer built to his order
and un der his supervision was the Polar
Star. She was as rim as the trimmest
nothing that turned q wheel in Western
waters that could pass her. She took
the horns for the quickest time between
81. Louis and St. Joseph and kept them
for years; ,,,a,nco d.. ,,v.r h., wesr
those two points the people turned out
and gave Capt. Tom Briefly an ovation,
no matter how often the Polar Star came
into port. Briefly was about as reticent
as Grant. When the people gathered on
and stood by the Polar Stars horns Just
as the owner Of fine horse stands by the
animal that has won prize.
when the Polar Star resumed her voyage
the people cheered, Capt. Briefly took
of his hat and then returned to his room
to play cards with a few friends who we're
always aboard. This was repeated along
the river as long as Capt. Briefly com
handed the Polar Star.
After the Polar Star had been In the
trade several seasons a company In St
Louis built the James II. Lucas-named for
a ST. Louis millionaire. The Lucas was
constructed on different lines from any
river craft at that time She was the largest
| h. a...tN n Shn
had been in the trade she challenged the
Polar Star for the horns and won them
1T was a great disappointment 10 the
people along the rivers, who had come 10
idolize the Polar Star, A great deal OF
money was won and lost on that race. Capt.
Briefly took his defeat like a soldier.
1T was toward the close OF the season.
and soon after he returned to his country
seat He did not remain long. His old
friends missed him, but all they knew was
that he had gone Fast he remained away
during the winter.
In the spring the announcement was
made that Capt. Briefly had been 10 Pitts
burg experimenting the building Of a new
was asked il she would take the horns from
the Lucas and succeed the Polar Star IN
popularity, Capt. Briefly replied modestly
that ne did not know, but he did know that
the Morning Star would be the finest steam
boat In Western waters. And that's what
-She was the first floating palace In the
West. She was the pride OF the builders.
The dignitaries of the State were her FIRST
passengers. That trip lived in the memory
of those who made the trip as long as they
lived.
The cuisine was under the direction OF q
Partisan chef. who had been engaged at
an enormous price. brass band and or
chestra accompanied the steamer on her
voyage. Cannon and anvils welcomed her
approach AT every landing. The officials
In every town where she touched came
down and rendered an ovation and were
HOSPITALITY entertained.
when an this had been done the people
demanded that the Morning Star challenge
the Lucas for the horns, Capt. Briefly.
however. declined. He said he had not
built the Morning Star for speed. but for
the finest thing afoai. and as he war getting
ready TO retire he didn't want 20 quit dis.
appointed. The people. consequently, had
TO be content In thinking that the Morning
Star could beat the Lucas II she tried, but
she never did
Capt Briefly lived TO hear the first in
timation Of railroads In the West He
foresaw what was coming He rold the
Morning Star and che went into another
trade. The decline Of steainboating vas
a. hand Capt. Briefly quit III. river and
retired 10 his country home, out OF sight
and out Of the hearing Of steamnoats
and he lived u quiet. retired life unit his
de1th--the frst country gentleman OF the