Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1904-12-01
THE RULE or
THE ROAD =
WHATTHE DIAL TOLD
y yonN rLsss.xo WILSON

II HE cargo steamer Alnphion wal
drumming through the fog OF TIL
iamook Head on the Oregon coast. The
skipper was tamping back and forth on
the bridge, volubly imprecating olsen
Enforcement on the weather god. NO"
and then he put his hand irresolutely Oh
the lever of the engine room telegraph
which pointed. in spite of rules and reg
ulations, to Full Speed" Once or twice
he addressed q question to the thiro
od1cer. The latter refused to commit
himself. Finally his superior glanced 81
the clock under the hood, listened to'
an answer in the night to the below Of
the siren, and said: II guess we'll let
her 60. II we can keep up the gait we
can make Astoria by the morning tide
and there's no shipping to be afraid OF
tonight. Halt speeds all right for thu
lower coast, but UP here there's no neet
Of losing time that way"
From the note of indecision in the
captains voice, the third mate thought
that encouragement was wanted. Bu'
he stared into the blind haze that bic
from view the very wash from the cut
water, and only grunted..
~ don't see why we shouldn't hit hel
along" the skipper went on, irascibly
1--WE aren't more than a good 80 from the
light, and when we get off there we can
slow down and crawl in by daylight:
amt a coward to lay her to when there's
no need"
d tShall I keep her at full speed?" the
mate asked.
well, wouldn't slow down yet
awhile. Maybe If it gets much thicker.
and amt on the bridge, you better let
her down to half speed. Just tell the en-
gineer to drop her couple OF revolu-
TONS"
Z The watch officer nodded. He had
served on several seas, and it was no
new thing in his experience for con-
scientious captain to put his telegraph
at half speed, or even dead slow, and
warn the engineers not to obey too lit
orally. 1t can't be done any more, for
the new telegraph marks revolutions
and must tally with the indicator on the
engines. The mate did not like the look
of the night, and the perils marked on
the chart rose before him distinctly.
But he understood quite well a young
masters anxiety to get into port on
time, and moreover he told himself that
# they ran down anything It wasn't his
fault. So he nodded again and walked
over to the speaking tube.
The chief engineer answered him
from the working platform. captain
says when he rings to slow to half speed,
Just to drop her a couple" came the
drawing voice of the third mate.
The chief looked up at the dial where
the Indicator pointed steadily at full
speed ahead. "All right" he replied.
:. ''The shippers keeping her going in
this fog." suggested the assistant en-
gineer.
b Eyes, he wants to get in. It's pretty
thick weather to be steaming good
H." g*
bad coast, too" continued the assist
ant, flirting his lamp into the champing
eccentric well. ~
It's always the way with youngsters"
the chief responded, acidly. "They don't
like to lose time by rules. Petersen's
all right, so he thinks, but he hasn't
been on this coast as long as have, or
he wouldn't be driving her in this muck.
He's always throwing it up to me that
i amt the skipper, so l reckon I'll make
no fuss II he is trying to hit the Amphion
through contrary to rules"
'Well," said the other, glancing up
at the dial. IF anything happens, all
we've got to say is: 1t was orders from
the bridge. That telegraph won't lie.
Shall I ease her only couple when he
signals half speed?"
The gray-haired engineer put his hand
on his subordinate's shoulder. His voice
rose above the whirr Of the dynamo and
the clank of the main pump. THAT isn't
ORDERS" he said. "Our orders are on
that dial there. If that says half speed,
by Jimmy Grips, half speed it is"
u Then no talk from the. deck goes,
sir"
Take your orders from the telegraph,
when,it' working" the chief responded.
IF it isn't working then the speaking
tub will do.''
An hour later the Amphion was still
beating away through the big, oily seas,
the fog streaming away from her bows
to swirl back and across the yellow glare
Of the deck lights before piling up in a
murky wall astern. The captain kept
watch with his mate on the bridge. The
engine-room telegraph stood at full
speed. Down below in the engine-roo;n
the third engineer went quietly about
his work, while his chief stood on the
working platform under the huge steam
valve. smoking his pipe.
After his rounds, the assistant came
across and stood by the old mans side.
TITS an awfully dirty night" he said.
"In the stoke-room you can see the fog
pouring down the ventilators like steam.
Strikes me the shipper is running big
risks
eyes, he's reckless tonight. I'm pref
ty we'll ased to young chaps with hot
headed notions, but the older grow
the less like the captain who boasts in
meet that ha nover wont ho1f epooi