The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-07-14
General River News.


The stage of the river at 4 p. m
yesterday was 800, showing a rise OF
4 in twenty-four hours.
The Stacker Lee arrived from st
-ouis at LAS p. m. and left for Mem
his at ) p. nj. yesterday. She had a
light freight trip. but was full of peo-
lie
The Paepcke finished repairs to
oiler and left yesterday afternoon
or points below with empties.
The Gondola departed for Grand
'ower for one barge OF rock. Geo,
lark was her pilot
The Cairo Bathing association il
,oing rather late into the summer
Without a bath. In view OF the fact
hat they have not had bath since
asst summer, it is rather hard on
hem, and their elaborate prepare.
ions seem TO be for naught, but 'all
hings come to him who waits" Their
louseb boat has been refitted and Is
ying at the Barrett fleet idle. Last
ear ii was kept anchored above the
ridge and was visited by the club
vice a week, but the river Is too high
~ yet 10 resume these very pleasant
outings. BY the time ii gets down
ow enough the dog days will be here
Ind some people are opposed to bath
ng in the river in dog days.
The large white house, which is in
ho raas ~ Dtrd'e oroharI an tho Mic
issippi shore about midway between
he Missouri Point and the town OF
birds Point, has been familiar land
mark to pilots for many years, and III
,nown as the Bird house. II Is a two
tory house with cellar and attic and
IN upper and lower gallery running
Is entire length on the side facing
he river. In short. It is an old-fash-
oned house upon the universal plan
If plantation houses OF the South.
This house was built by John Bird in
lS4l. 1t was built on the Missouri
shore. but stood where the point OF
Illinois now is, the river then being
the present site of the Halli
lay elevator and the present location
II the Illinois point. the river bed
hen being where that body OF land
low lies, which Is commonly referred
o as the cotton woods" About this
line erosian began on the Missouri
ihore and the river rapidly ate its
way toward the Bird house and
threatened TO take 1t away. but to pre-.
rent this 1; was moved back from the
liver bank about one mile. but acre
Ifter acre of the rich farming land
vent into the river and the former
lite of the house with its cisterns
md innumerable appurtenanccs was
Don gone and nothing left to mark
Is existence. Thompson Birl lived in
his house at this time and after IL
vas moved 80 far back /, was felt
hat il was secure, and IL was for a
lumber of years. but the erosian did
lot entirely stop when the river was
DIV. Mr. Bird became quite a pilot !
n his study of the current of tho /
iver when it begin 20 work out tho
hannel. for Il was a very important |
natter 10 him whether the channel |
ras going down the Missouri shore or
he Illinois shore. Time went on and /
no bank line gradually approached /
he house, some seasons taking in but |
tile lan1 and in others more until n
hange in the channel above Birds
oint threw The current down the /
bore and in one summer Mr. Bird
,st 100 acres of land ana when the
Ise came in the fall and the erosiar
nased the house was again danger
nsly near the river bank. II was Mr..
ird's intention to move the house
ack again that fall. but ne was pre-
enied from doing 30 By sickness in
Is family and when the high water
/ the spring came steamboats, ran
cry close 10 The house. The water
ent over the bank that spring and
~ nearly up to the lower gallery
ne night there was q big wind from
10 north and the swells rolled
ne night there was a high wind from
rough the lover hail. but the old
sise weafhered II. bat It was an aw-
i night for the family. who we're all
) stairs with feelings and apprehen-