The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-11-02
yas whipping the water into foam.

ileI Is on the west Sld6s near tAS AIia- souri shore, but at this season of the year there is water enough on the east side for the boats. The Richardson was the first to make the crossing. The Bald Eagle and the Dubuque followed her, the Bald Eagle having come over from the west side of the river to take advantage of the saving cuts between the bars.
 The Richardson began hugging the shore again when she reached the Granite City water works pumping sta- tion. She passed the Chain of Rocks almost brushing the williws upon the Illinois side. The pilot seldom rested. He was on the alert. He kept in from the swift current as much as possible. Fishermen rowing along in the lee of the pillows padded out in the stream to let the boat pass It was effective work The Richardson was holding her own.
 Beyond the Chain of Rocks there is long stretch in which the river sweeps around to the west from the mouth of the Missouri. The Illinois shore there is one long, caving bank. Many thousands of acres of rich bot tom soil have been swept away by the never-resting and highly-erosive cur rents. The very crops of the fields hang over the banks.
 Plenty of water here," said the pi- lot, and the Richardson all but famed the bank. In one place she passed a pumpkin patch so close that the pilot said:
 We can almost water those pump kin vines with our wheel"
 In another place the boat ran so close to a potato patch in which two men were digging that one 30uld have toss ed ball down on their heads from the pilot house. The Richardson's wash leaped the bank, took down some more soil, and with it some potatoes. One felt that the farmer would have been justified in rushing upon the boat and demanding of the captain that he take his steamer out of the potato patch; but the farmer stood leaning on his hoe, apparently undisturbed. He was used to 1t.
 T know somebody that's falling back" said the mate, looking back as the Richardson passed the mouth of the Missouri.
 They've let her cool off considerably the last fifteen minutes,' said the pilot. It was plain that the other boats were pulling up on the leader. They were so close that it seemed that the three boats might turn the big bend and srsraighten out for Alton in a neck and neck race. .t
 The current eased off wonderfully when the Missouri was passed. The speed of the boats quickened, and the passengers began to come up from the 1 middle decks and scatter over the up- per decks of the boats, the sun having settle so far down upon the horizon that it had loss it's heat and glare. The Mississippi was perfectly smooth. It was brimful from bank to bank, wide and beautiful and. roomy for boats. What sight from Alton--to 1 see these boats turning the bend in a beautiful race up the long homestreteh, How the people would wonder which boat was which, just how they stood ! relative to each other and which would win the choice place at the wharf. .s. The engineers had all gone below 1 The captains were out on the upper deck, forward. The boats were pulling quicker and harder. The black smoke 4 was rolling from their stacks. They were racing in earnest now., They didn't have ''nigger on the safety .valve,'' as steamboats did in the old days of exaggerated tales of racing for steamboatmen are very cautious in this day, and, while they are not aVerse tt a little speed, they don't crowd the boats enough to take any chances. l At the foot of Baylie's Island the Richardson was still holding first place by length She was wheezing as only a boat can wheaze, but the others crep' up on her steadily and slowly
 "The 'Buque Il catch us,' said thu mate.
 "No she won't. They're hitting it III down below now" said the pilot.
 The puffs of the Richardson cam, quicker and sharper. She had two miles of straight running ahead to tn, bridge Could she hold her place? Tn, pilot thought she could. He held he
 straight, turning every moment or st
 to look back at the Dubuque, The bi' Diamond Jo boat was running Ihagnifi
 gently. She had never ceased to gail
 from the moment she left her wharf
 It was g. gain of only a few feet in ;
 mile, but it was counting at the en of twenty-five miles. Her passenger
 were waving and shouting to those ol the Richardson. "We'1l catch you!
 cried those on the Dubuque. Your
 too slow!'' the Richardson's passenger
 shouted back to them.
 The pilot of the Richardson locke back for the Bald Eagle.
 "She can't get up now-the runs to
 short" he said.
 But the Dubuque had a chance. Sh came up slowly until her bow 1appe the wheel of the Richardson. The peo pie aboard her shouted joyously Tn roustabouts of the Richardson piclSe
 up rope and made a united move ment of throwing it back.
 "Well tow youse!" they cried, show
 ing their white teeth as they laughe and danced about on the lower deck. . The Richardson's whistle blew once for the bridge.
 ''The 'Buque Il blow to pass in
 minute" said the mate, as he left tn pilot house.