Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-03-23

But I've tender recollections of those
days in boyhoods spring
When mother did the whaling and
the blubbering.
The Tyre.
The Rule Of the Road.
The cargo steamer Ampnion was
drumming through the fog off Tilla-
nook Head on the Oregon coast. The
skipper was stamping back and forth
on the bridge, volubly imprecating
Reinforcement ON the weather god.
Now and then he put his hand irreso-
lutely on the lever Of the engine room
telegraph, which pointed, in spite Of
rules and regulations, to Full Speed"
Once or twice he addressed question
to the third officer. The latter refused
to commit himself. Finally his supe-
rior glanced at the clock under the
hood, listened for an answer in the
night to the below of the siren, and
said: II guess we'll let her go. If we
can keep up the gait we can make
Astoria by the morning tide, and
there's no shipping to be afraid of to.
night Half speeds all right for the
lower coast, but up here there's no
need Of losing time that way"
From the note of indecision in the
captains voice the third mate thought
that encouragement was wanted. But
ne stared into the blind haze that
hid from view the very wash from
the cutwater, and only grunted.
Il don't see why we shouldn't hit
her along" the skipper went on iras-
chilly. I'VE aren't more than good
thirty from the light, and when we
get on there we can slow down and
crawl in by daylight. l amt coward
to lay her to when there's no need"
Shall l keep her at full speed?"
the mate asked.
well, wouldn't slow down yet
awhile. Maybe if 1t gets much thick
er, and amt on the bridge, you bet
ter let her down to half speed. Just
tell the engineer to drop her q couple
Of revolutions"
The watch officer nodded He had
served on several seas, and it was
no new thing in his experience for a
conscientious captain to put his tele
graph at half speed, or even dead
slow, and warn the engineers not to
obey too literally. 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 under.
stood quite well young masters anx.
tety to get into port on time, and
moreover ne told himself that if 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 halt
speed, just to drop her 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. GAN right" he
replied.
'The shippers keeping her going in
this fog" suggested the assistant en-
gineer.
Eyes. he wants to get in. It's pretty
Thick weather to be stear,,,s11s 49, =
twelve"
bad coast, too" continued the as
sistant, flirting his lamp into the
champing eccentric well.
Its always the way with young
sters," 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
Nas l have, or he wouldn't be driving
aer in this muck. He's always throw.
ing 1t up to me that amt tine skipper,
SO / reckon I'll make no fuss if he
is trying to hit the Amphion through
contrary to rules"
WELL" said the other, glancing up
at the dial, eff anything happens, all
we've get to say is. 1t was orders
from the bridge. That telegraph won't
lie. Shall 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.
II that says half speed, by Jimmy
Cripps, half speed 1t isl
"Then no talk from the deck goes,
sir?"
Take your orders from the tele.
graph. when it's working" the chief
responded. "If 1t isn't working, then
the speaking tube 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 tine
yellow glare of the deck lights before
piling up In murky wall astern. The
SSPtohA hCpI WdlIu Will Ills IUdIe Oh
the bridge. The engine room telegraph
stood at full speed. Down below in
the engine room the third engineer
went quietly about his work, while
his chief stood on the working plat.
form under the huge steam valve,
smoking his pipe.
After his rounds, the assistant came
across and stood by the old mans side.
Its an awfully dirty night" he said.
I'm the stoke room you can see the
fog pouring down the ventilators like
staam. Strikes me the skipper is run.
ming big risks"
Eyes, he's reckless tonight. I'm
pretty well used to young chaps with
hot-headed notions. but the older ne
grows the less like the captain who
boasts in port that he never went half
speed. Sooner or later he gets les.
son. Sometimes the engine room pays
for it. Mostly, l might say"
The youngar resumed his rounds
through the machinery, his light hand