The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-06-20
A FAMOUS STEAMBOAT.
me Story II the Old Mississippi
Racer. ths .. NJ. Whlks.

Racer the =. ~. Whlka.
ssteamboat days on the Ohio and
Mississippi have given rise to a uiythol-
egy entirely American. IN which GER
tain famous names are repeated end.
lessly. One hears old river men ne
counting tales that seem 10 have to do
always with the Eclipse and the Shot.
well, The Lee and the Natchez or some
other pair Of famous racers which
were the fastest in their day. But
there Is one name which always stands
alone, that of the steam packet ]. II.
White, for many years the unrlyaled
holder Of records Of river speed,
There was but one J. NJ. White. and
no other could be built The story IS
related BY Archer B. Hubert in his
book on the Ohio river.
The J, AZ white was built at Eliza.
beth, Pa iii 1914. Billy King. boat.
man fattsous for many years, drew the
plans. he figured to a nicely the con-
tour OF the hull SO that there should be
but two waves dragged By L when
under way. Then be % located tia
side wheels that they should strike the
second wave at Its crest and so con.
vert this obstacle to speed into a BEN
eft. $500,
Mt. J. NJ. Converse, who was to build
the boat, objected strenuousIy to this
plan for putting the wheels twenty
feet aft OF the accepted place.
ALL" said King. Converse appealed to
Mr. Chonteau Of st. Louis, who was
furnishing the money.
LET King do what he thinks best"
was the owners answer. So the White
was built as planned, although river
men scoffed,
On its first run 1t placed the designer
at the head of his profession. 1t ran
from New Orleans to st. Louis against
the full current Of the Mississippi In
three days, twenty-three hours and
nine minutes. fully day under the
best previous time.
River men In st. Louis fairly be.
sieged Billy King to design them a
boat to beat the White. They offered
him unheard OF sums. To all his re.
fusal was the same.
When any man designs a boat to
beat the tine Of the White, then / will
draft one to beat his'
The builders draft of the White was
lost, and until the boat was worn out
and cast away no one thought to take
another from the hun. SO after a few
short years-f for the rlfes of a river boat
is brief-the only draft OF It was that
which the designer had Kept, and this
he refused to let any inm see. He had
gone to. st. Louis. and from there he
wrote home toa friend:
Bring my wife TO st Louis as soon
as she can get ready. Go into the
attic Of my house; and under the comb
Of the roof you will find model In a
box. Bring that box with you. Do not
open 1t or allow any one to see it
Lock 1t in stateroom on the boat and
leave 1t there till you reach st. Louis.
I viii pay all expenses"
When they reached st. Louis his first
inquiry was for the model. and upon
securing 1t he took 1t at once to his
house. He opened It In the presence of
his wife and his friend and showed
them beautiful model OF the. White
In walnut and pine several feet long.
With a saw he cut 1t to pieces and
with Ratchet reduced 1t to- EiRdIlng
wood.
81 could have done that at home just
as well. Billy" said his friend, 'and
saved the expense
Yes, but l should never have been
satisfied" replied King.
his fame rests secure on the achieve
ment of the ]. NJ. White. whose record
was never equaled until the r. E. Lee
cut 1t to three days, eighteen hours and
fourteen minutes twenty-stx years
later. He was wise enough not TO try
another and by, destroying the last
draft kept the actual plan Of the boat