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

The stage of the river at 4 p. m
yesterday was $50. showing rise OF
i in twenty-four hours.
The Stacker Lee arrived from St
.ouis at 1:45 p. m. and left for Mem.
This at 5 p. m. yesterday. She had a
light freight trip, but was full of peo-
lle.
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 q bath. In view OF the fact
hat they have not had a bath since
asst summer 1t is rather hard on
hem. and their elaborate prepare
ions seem 10 be for naught, but AL
hings come TO him who waits" Their
ouseboat has been refitted and is
wing at the Barrett fleet idle. Last
ear it 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 it gets down
DIV enough the dog days will be here,
md some people are opposed to bath
ng in the river in dog days.
The large white house. which is in
he rear of Birds orchard on the Mis-
issippi shore about midway between
he Missouri Point and the town OF
birds Point, has been a familiar land
mark to pilots for many years. and ii
snown as the Bird house. II is 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, II is an old-fash
oned house upon the universal plan
II plantation houses OF the South
This house was built by John Bird in
SAL II was built on the Missouri
hore, but stood where the point OF
Illinois now is. the river then being
,etween the present site of the Halli-
lay elevator and the present location
Il 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
ime erosian began on the Missouri
hore and the river rapidly ate its
way toward the Bird house and
threatened to take II away, but to pre-.
ent this /; was moved back from the
liver bank about one mile. but acre
fter acre of the rich farming land
vent into the river and the former
tie OF the house with It's cisterns
nd innumerabIe appurtenances was
Don gone and nothing left TO mark
Is existence. Thompson Bird lived in
his house at this time and after il
ras moved so far back !, was felt
hat It was secure, and II was for
lumber of years. but the erosian did |
OF entirely stop when the river was |
Nv. Mr.. Bird became quite a pilot |
4 his study of the current of tina |
liver when Il begin 20 work out tho |
hannel, for it was a very important |
latter to him whether the channel /
as going down the Missouri shore or
ie Illinois shore. Time went on and |
10 bank line gradually approached
be house. some seasons taking in but
tile lanl and in others more. until
hange in the channel above Birds
Oint threw the current down the
lore and In one summer Mr. Bird
1T zoe acres Of land and when the
sc came in the fall and the erosiar
,ased the house was again danger
Isly near the river bank. II was Mr.
ird's intention 10 move the house
sck again that fall. but he was pre-
snied from doins so by sickness in
S family and when the high water
the spring came steamboats, ran
ny close to The house The water
ent over the bank that spring and
y nearly MP to the lower gallery.
ne night there was q big wind from
p north and the swells rolled
ne night there was high wind from
rough the lower han. hut the old |
aIse weathered it. but It was an aw-
! night for the family. who were all
stairs with feelings and apprehen-