The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1904-12-31

SSAbAs f.
An old fashioned boat was tied up
at the decaying and totte,ine wharf
a dark form sat in the pilot house
looking out at the crowd az It emerged
rom the train. A danger light hung
from the port side, and at the an.
proach OF the train, dark smoke. in
termingied with bright red sparks,
snot skyward from the smoke-stack,
Contemptible tin-soldiersl" NUT
terea the man in the pilot house.
Fine lot of dudes come here 10 shoot
down our fishermen. But they will
not shoot them tonight"
Then he turned the pilot wheel
back and forth to see that the rudder
was in working order. The boat gave
lurch and trembled as if frightened
at being disturbed while swinging 40
quietly to it's moorines.
i will give these assassins q trip
tor their money tonight" muttered
The man at the wheel in meditatiye
tones. "When they find the fisher
men they will be 30 sick of the sea
that they will do we'll to handle
themselves let alone q gum"
A company Of the state national
guard filed off the train at the COM
mand of their officer, Captain Bud
long. The sheriff of the county led
the way to the boat. The soldiers had
come under indefinite orders az to
time and brought along a sufficient
amount of luggage for siege. Most
OF the men were clerks in stores, and
some of wealthy men who had Joined
the guard for a good time and they
were poorly drilled. 1t required more
than an hour to get their baggage
aboard the boat. The man in the pilot
house watched them patiently. He
did not care how long they were kept
there. He was out for delay and
would just as lief have it at one point
as another.
The pilot of a Columbia river boat
is universally called Captain" He
is acquainted with the river as one il
acquainted with his own neighbor-
hood. He knows every snag in the
river and every point, as is required
of river pilot.
When the soldiers were aboard il
was found that it only contained the
pilot, engineer and one deck-hand
There was no one to instruct the off
GERS as to the point at which the fish.
eImen were assembled.
"This is STRANGE" remarked the
sheriff to Captain Budlong. 81 ex.
pected a man here to give US the in .
formation as we should proceed. W.
will 60 aloft and inquire of the cap
tain"
The boat was now pulling at it,
moorings. The steam was up and the
captain was trying the wheel. It wal
stern-wheeler and the great, we
thing turned over like a sea monster
as the long arms from the engine-roon
played on the crank at it's axis.
The sheriff and military commander
ascended the little iron stairway which
led to the roof Of the boat and ap
preached the pilot house.
"sorry, gentlemen, but you CAM
ENTER" said the pilot.
"But this is the commander of thu
militia and he wishes to direct thu
course of the boat when the scene o
the trouble is reached" said the sher
if.
"The government regulations pro
h1bit all persons except the captain
from riding in the pilot house." sale
the pilot. Besides, there is NJ
necessity for it. 1 know where thu
fishermen are and will take you t.
them. They are a harmless, hard
working set of fellows like myself anc
will give you no trouble. They will
dispense as soon as they see US com
ing"
Why have the owners of the boa
which we have chartered through thu
state sent a southsider as pilot
inquired the sheriff.
"Because there is not man on the
north side of the river whom the own
ers would risk with the boat" was thu
quick reply.
The &C G, etary of state had wired {
big company at Portland to supply thu
militia with a boat to convey it to th'
seat of the trouble between the fish
ermen of the two states and which thu
northside state chartered for an in
definite time. The steamboat men al
lived on the south side of the river
the seaports all being on that side
In sending out boat under an emer
gency the company had picked up
pilot who was related to and more o.
less identified with the southside fish
ermen.
He knew of the proposed midnigh
attack of his friends upon the north
siders and did not intend to reach the
actual scene of conflict in time for in
reference on the part of the militia
He had Intentionally left the repre-
sentative of the northside fishermen
who was to have accompanied the ex'
pedition as a sort OF scout, ON the
south shore and was prepared to evadt
q collision with the belligerents unit
his friends should have the oppoTtun
ity to do all the damage they desired
The officers knew that under thu
government regulations they had NJ
right to enter the pilot house and attel