The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1905-03-25
TIE RULE or
THE ROAD -
WHATTHED DIAL, TOLD.
HE cargo steamer Amphion was
drumming through the fog off Til
BY JOHN TLEr11So WILSON

r HE cargo steamer Amphion was
drumming through the fog off Til
lamook Head on the Oregon coast. The
skipper was tamping back and forth on
the bridge, volubly imprecating disen-
thronement on the weather god. Now
and then he put his hand irresolutely Oh
the lever of the engine room telegraph,
which pointed, in spite of rules and reg
ulations, to Full Speed" Once or twice
he addressed a question to the thru
officer. The latter refused to commit
himself. Finally his superior glanced at
the clock under the hood, listened for
an answer in the night to the below Of
the siren, and said: Il 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
tonight 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
he stared into the blind haze that hid
from view the very wash from the cut
water. and only grunted.
II don't see why we shouldn't hit her
along" the skipper went on, irascibly.
I'VE aren't more than good 80 from the
light, and when we get of there we can
slow down and crawl in by daylight.
amt coward to lay her to when there
no need"
Shall keep her at full speed?" the
mate asked.
well, 1 wouldn't slow down yet
awhile Maybe If it gets much thicker,
and amt on the bridge, you better let
her. down to half speed. Just tell the en-
gineer to drop her couple Of revolu-
tons"
The watch officer nodded. He had
served on several seas, and it was No
new thing in his experience for con-
scientious captain to put his telegraph
at half speed, or even dead slow, and
warn the engineers not to obey too lit
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 understood quite we'll young
masters anxiety to get into port on
time, and moreover he 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 half speed
just to drop her A. 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. "All right" he replied.
1.-THE shippers keeping her going In
this fog," suggested the assistant en-
gineer.
Eyes, he wants to get in. It's prett,
thick weather to be steaming a goot
H."
bad coast, too," continued the assist
ant, flirting his lamp into the champinf
eccentric WELL
Its always the way with youngsters,
the chief responded, 'acidly. "They dom
like to lose time by rules. Petersen:
all right, so he thinks, but he hasn'
been on this coast as long as have, O.
he wouldn't be driving her in this muck
He's always throwing it up to me tina
I amt the skipper, so reckon I'll maxi
no fuss if he is trying to hit the Amphio1
through contrary to rules"
WELL" said the other, glancing VI
at the dial, If anything happens, al
we've got to say Is: 1t was orders from
the bridge. That telegraph won't lie
Shall ease her only couple when h
signals half speed?"
The gray-haired engineer put his han
on his subordinates shoulder. His voic
rose above the whirr of the dynamo an
the clank Of the main pump. THAT ism
ORDERS" he said. "Our orders are O.
that dial there. If that says half speet
by Jimmy Cripps, half speed it is"
Then no talk from the deck goe!
sir?'
Aoho yOuI OIu0T8 lTOUl the LeleSTapK
when it's working" the chief responded
IF it isn't working then the speaking
tub will do
An hour later the Amphion was sti
beating away through the big, oily sea-
the fog streaming away from her bow
to swirl back and across the yellow gla1
of the deck lights before piling up in
murky wall astern. The captain ke1
watch with his mate on the bridge. tn
engine-room telegraph stood at fu
speed. Down below in the engine-roo;
the third engineer went quietly abo,
his work, while his chief stood on tt
| working platform under the huge steal
valve. smoking his pipe.
> After his rounds, the assistant can
across and stood by the old mans sid
> "1t's an awfully dirty night" he sal
I'm the stoke-room you can see the fc
, pouring down the ventilators like stea1
> Strikes me the shipper is running b
, risks"
Eyes, he's reckless tonight. I'm pre-
ty we'll used to young chaps with no
headed notions but the older I gro
| the less like the caDtain who hoasts