The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1906-07-11
RIVER c. NEWS.

Ou buo COuLb0, ~ AoLl WOou-
yard, at Great Bend, Mate Oliver
Barton. we'll known riyerman. of q
family of riyermen, fell overheard
of the Greenland and was drown
ed. Searching parties have been
dragging the river for the body.
and it was found Thursday morn.
ing near the spot where it went
down. He was born Jan. Is, 1852.
and leaves wife and two children
He had been on watch for "a hours
and in some unexplained way
pitched into the river from the
boiler deck, with the above result.
Engineer Sike Woods, of K4nau-
ga, is on the Bob Ballard towing
the Ironton transfer boat. The
transfer boat is now on the Kama
wha Docks.-Gallipolis Tribune.
The John Maokey, owned by the
Barrett Co, is here waiting to go
on the Kanawha Docks where she
will receive new hull and general
overhauling, The Mhokey is used
on the lower river. She was origin
ally the Jim Mcdonnell and was
bnilt at Marietta by Capt. Steve
Davis.
The celebrated race between the
two old time rival packets. the
Robert e Lee and the Natchez,
took place thity-six years ago. 40
oording to the statement of an old
riverman while gazing upon the
picture of the packets in the Office
of Captain John Crookard, at the
whsrfboat Saturday. The Lee
was commanded by Captain John
NJ. Cannon and the Natchez by
Captain Thomas P. Leathers. It
was a hotly contested race, and for
many miles mp the river the two
boats were almost side by side
Preparations had been going on
for some time for the test of speed.
and at every point along the river
fuel boats were so arranged that
the Lee could make fast to them
and go on without stopping her
engines. Not so with the Natohez
Captain Leathers was SO confident
of beating his great opponent that
he made no such preparations, and
took fuel for mis- boat just as if on
business trip. Consequently the
Lee gradually gained on him. until
just above Cairo the Natohez was
caught in a dense fog. losing two
or three hours, and the race was
hopelessly lost.
The distance run was about 200
miles. and the time made by the
Lee was 8 days, 18 hours and rs
minutes, and the Nstchez 4 days
Al minutes. The race excited world
wide interest, and thousands of dol
lars changed hands on the result.
This race, however, did not settle
the question as to the superiority
in speed, and run against time to
Natohez was made by the steamer
Natohez, beating the Lees time
several minutes The Lee made a
trial and failed. but Captain Can.
mons friends prevailed upon him
to mske another trial, which he
did, setting the pegs" ahead of the
Nstohez's time several minutes.
where they still remain, and are
likely to forever remain Wheel.
ing Register.
Messrs. P. T. Burdett, Andy j
Wilson and W. o. Wilson. are go.
ing to build a fine launch. It will
be 40 feet Il ng and 8 feet wide, 20
horse power, twin screws, cabin
with staterooms, Toilets. 60 and
electric lighted and finely furnish
ed and finished both inside and out i.
The government through the va.
rious steamboat inspectors. is issq-
ing new set of regulations for
pilots. There are several changes
from the old code, and pilots are
evidenoing quite little interest in
the matter.
Inspectors CLARK and Thomas on
last Thursday and Friday at Mari
eta, inspected and have Issued the
certificate to the Robert Taylor
and Sonoma.
Inspectors Clerk and Thomas
have Issued IL Licenses to gasoline
yacht owners. These Licenses are
issued under a new law which DOM.
pels all owners of vessels of 15 tons
or less which are operated or nsvi
gated for the carrying passengers
or hire The law requires that
L Il