Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-12-05

Is sturidly built, alert, eagle-eyed-a
typical rlverman of the old days. His
initial appearance in wleelhouse was
made on the Sallie West ia 1915. He
quit the river eight years ago because
Of an injury received on land.
Rlchey is stall, smooth-shaven man,
whose IS years hang lightly on his
stalwart frame. He has absorbed
health from the American Nile, by way
of the marine engine room, for fifty
three years. Every old engineer, pilot
and captain on the lower Mississippi is
a thumb-marke1 book to these gray
veterans.
There was a clash of small bells in
the center of the room and Richey
jumped to the polished wheel that
sends the steam into the Florence'S
cylinders. The big wheel astern began
making cataracts and snow showers
as the ferry's nose bumped against the
current.
IF the Natchez people had put John
Bennett in the engine room," said
Richey. after he had things going right
to make the crossing, you folks
couldn't kept in sight of the Natchez'
stern lights. Bennett could have got
more out of her engines than the build
ers believed was in them. There wasn't
his equal on the river at any time, but
he was as fretful as a mud turtle in
fryin' pan. Guess that's why they
didn't take him along"
ANDY Pauly was all right" said the
old pilot, "and he knew his machinery
like a good little boy does his Sunday
school lesson, but he didn't like to take
chances. He was careful"
That's just what beat 'em. When
a man takes a hand in a boat race he
wants to keep movin' and leave the
consequences to Providence"
you bet; we'd 'a'run that fog IL
we'd "a known Uncle Charon was
waitin' for us midway" said Jamison
grimly. when it began dropping
down on US as we shot by Davips ISL
and. Enoch-my pard in the wheel
house, Enoch King-turned to me and
said:
"sWe'n cut right through IT, Jesse ~
"'Of course L said.
"You could have knocked me down
with the wing Of butterfly when /
heard the other fellows had tied I'D.
They had been holding on like bull
dog to book agent clear up to Cairo.
and when Enoch and l were waited
out into midstream on a coal scow to
hunt easy water for the Robert L. into
st. Louis we could look down the bend
and see the Natchez' smoke filing the
air like the battle of Waterloo. The
river then between Cairo and ST. L.
comprised about 200 miles of the
toughest plotting you ever saw around
these parts anywhere. There wasn't
light house from end to end of the
run and there were snagS, bars and
operhanging trees enough to discour-
age a pilgrim ghost. Jim Pell and
West Corners, who had steered all the
way out of New Orleans, were as
tickled as schoolboys to see US. You
see they had only studied the river to
Louisville and were sent down by rail
to take the racer into the terminal.
Captain William Holiday of Cairo
had telegraph orders from Memphis to
meet the Lee at Birds point, at the
mouth of the Ohio, with a couple of
barges of coal. A tug was attached
to each barge and the fuel supply was
unloaded on each side of the big steam
er on the fly. The Louisville passen-
gers had to walk the gangplank on to
the tumpin coal fats. 1t was a bit in
terestin' for the ladies, who regarded
it as very ungallant. but the Lee didn't
have time to be polite that day.
81 never say two barges emptied
quicker The coal beavers swarmed
over them Ike ants and the coal melt
ed away almost while the passengers
and baggage were being rushed across
the planks.
THAT was on the morning of the Sd.
Enoch and l never saw q bed until
noon the next day. The fog shook
hands with us at Devils Island We
supposed as matter OF course the
Natchez would tackle 1t, and we never
thought Of doing anything else. At
that stage OF the game a blowup
wouldn't have been worse than to have
trailed In behind.