Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-23

them by the oficials and the public. They
got their fuel from the forests along the
banks Of the river. While on the Missis-
sippi the boat caught Ore and had q narrow
escape from destruction. But 1t finally
reached New Orleans In safety and In that
way the steam navigation Of the Missis-
sippi was iuaugurated. The next year two
steamers, called the vesuyius and the Etna.
were built at Louisville
The voyage of the New Orleans was not
without its romance The captain of the
boat fell In love with young woman. who
mad come from New York as Mrs. Roose-
velts maid. and prosecuted his suit sue
cessfuily that they were married at
Natchez
Veterans Passing Away.
some one ought to write book on the
steamboats, of the Mississippi. Mark Twain
mas given us good deal in several of his
volumes, and the proper man could make
history OF absorbing interest; and it should
be done Immediately, because the veterans
who know the facts are rapidly passing
away, and soon there will be no one left
TO tell a truthful tale. Captain feathers.
who was one of the most famous of the old
time rivermen and commanded the
Nafchez was run over by Il bicycle
tnree or four years ago and died from the
injuries. He left a comforta BILE fortune
Cap Cannon of the Robert E. Lee died
In MS bed some years ago-an old man. He
was rival of feathers. and the race be-
tween the Natchez and the Robert E.
Lee beat by three Or four hours, and for
in 1870 was the greatest event in the his
tory of Mississippi river steamboating. A
mllion dollars was staked on the race The
Lee beat by three four hous and for
a time Captain Cannon was the biggest man
In the Mississippi valley. Leathers was
heartDroken and never recovered his pres
tige There used to be many exciting races
between the steamers of rival lines when
a Niger sat on a safety valve" and they
cramn1ed the furnaces with rosin pine
ana even bacon from the cargoes.
The last of the steamboat captains is s.
H. PariSot, now nearly eighty years of age,
who Is living here at Vicksburg. His father
was a Frenchman and fought under Ma
poleon at Waterloo. He came over to New
orleans as an emigrant. went to steam
boating. made a fortune at it and once con-
trolled the Yazoo river trade.
Business Section Disgrace
Vicksburg is making some improvements
mostly in residences. There are a good
hotel several fine churches, city hall and
court house that are commendable and the
First National Bank is putting up a mod
ern eight-story building But the business
section of the city is a disgrace, and there
is no greater assortment of dlapidated and
rusty rookeries in the south than can be
found on the main street. Trinity Church
would be a credit to any community. ].
was built about twenty-five years ago and
contains a memorial window dedicated:
ITO the soldiers of both armies
Engaged i'll the siege and
Defense of Vicksburg'
The population of Vicksburg, by the last
census, was Il, 1874, an increase from 1873
in ten years. There has been very little
growth since in the white population. Near
ly all the increase has been among the col
ored people who have drifted in from the
plantations. The proportion of colored to
white people is about five to three. This
slow growth is due to apathy. This is
purely an agricultural part of the state;
no manufactures except sawmlls and cot
ton-seed oil mills: the land is all taken up
and there is nothing to attract settlers And
Vicksburg has had the reputation of being
very tough" town. The city govern
ment, for the last twelve or fifteen years,
has been controlled by ring of profess
Slonal politicians. who have made their liV-
ing out of the offices and ignored the pub
tic interests.
Finally the people became exasperated.
Conditions became intolerable. and last
out of office and the best peo-
pie in town were elected to succeed them.
The president of one bank is now mayor,
the president of another is chairman of the
common council and business men of SINH
lar standing now fill the other offices. Vari-
Gus reforms have been inaugurated. The
diSreDuta BILE dives have been suppressed. so
far as POSSIBLE; the saloons have been closed
on Sunday and a good many of them will
be abolished as soon as their licenses eX-
pre. The new officials are now engaged in
reorganizing the finances. The city has a
heavy bonded debt and floating debt OF
$16O, O10 The expenditures have exceeded
the revenues for several years. and there Is
very little to show for ii. Already the eff
fects of the reforms are apparent. New en-
terprises are starting, real estate has in
ceased in value and people are showing
public spirit There is plenty of business
and great deal of wealth and the soil
is of extraordinary richness.