The Cairo bulletin., 1904-04-21

such steamer, when he shall have ar
rived within COO yards of that bend
or point, shall give signal of one
long sound of his whistle, as notice
to any steamer that may be approach
ing; ana should there be any APP
preaching steamer within hearing of
such signal. it shall be the duty of the
pilot thereof to answer such signal
by one long sound Of his whistle,
when both boats shall be nayigated
with the proper precautions, as re,
Qured by preceding rule This Is
very comprehensive rule and is too
often neglected by pilots. The obsery-
ance of this rule would have prevent
ea the collision between the Memphis
and Tennessee, which occurred the
other day in the Tennessee river All
accounts agree that the boats met in
a short bend and in none Of them is
the statement made that rule five was
observed This rule is neglected about
Cairo, especially at Cairo point Sey-
eral days ago boat was going into
the chute of Island One and observed
rule five a towboat coming up the
chute made no observance of the
rule, and if il had been a chute that
the down stream boat could have
steared instead of having TO flank
the head of the island, there would
lave been collision, as the boats
We're entirely obscured from view By
the point
Another swell incident Of swells,
hut wind swells this time. The Elk,
which is now running from Vicksburg
tc Davis Bend. was carrying corn out
Of the Mississippi TO this port. Jim
Smith was Captain: Henry Cassidy.
clerk. ana John Merryweather, mate.
she had been to Prices Landing and
was coming down loaded with corn
The wind was blowing from the north
and consequently up stream al
Thompsons. which kicked mp a gooi
swell It was about 10 o'clock AT
night when the Elk came over from
Brooks Point and Strengthened down
stream at Orient Field The swells
raked her fore and aft and wet the
corn and some water Went into her
hold. Upon the advice of Henry Cas-
siiy, Capt Smith landed just above
Niger Field, on a false point As
soon as she struck the bank all OF
John Merryweather's crew went out
with the lines and made them fast.
but would not come aboard again. pre-
ferring the solid ground to the rock.
ing Elk The swells rolled aboard Of
her and considerable water got into
her holl where the deck was open
around her boilers. with every swell
She rolled threateningly. and every
body Went ashore, except Capt
Smith and her clerk. They put their
heads together and decided she was
bound TO 90, and in any event, they
could do nothing alone Henry got
together the few coins and books and
they followed BY this time the rous.
tiers had fire going ont some dis
lance from the bank, and the entire
crew of the Elk gathered around il 10 /
wait for daylight and then walk to
Cairo and tell the story of the last of 4
the Elk. 1t was not long tin all the /
rousters were sound asleep with tho
smoke Of the big log fire blowing over
them. Capt Smith entertained Clerk
Cassidy with many experiences along
these lines in his long career, many
OF them being very sudden. and IN.
der conditions, which prevented walk
ing ashore in good order. as in this
case In fact, many OF these expert
chces had entailed the necessity OF
swimming and or one occasion in ice
water Another had been sudden
ana IN xpected going mp higher than
the tops of the trees on the bank.
which niece 5sitated a coming down.
which fortunately. had its landing in
the water 81 Capt Smith would not
ne by that Jog hre 10 tell the story.
About . o'clock in the morning the
captain had talked Clerk Cassidy 70
81 ep. and being without an audience.
and at loss for something to do. AMI
unable TO sleep, thought he would
walk over to the river bank and see
how much, If any. of the Elks chin
lies were ont Of the water Upon ar.
irving at the bank of the river and
looking over, he was much surprised
10 ind her just as they had left her
He went back and got everybody uD
ana the officers went aboard. but the
fireman and John Merryweather's
rev would not go aboard TIL day
light ana the Elk came on out u
Cairo