Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-04-17
A FAAkO US STEAMB0A
The Story of the Old Mississippi
Racer, the j. M. White.

The Story OF the Old Mississippi
Racer. the M. White.
Steamboat days. on the Ohio and
Mississippi have given rise ton nnythol-
.ogy entirely American, III which GER!
tain famous names are repeated end
lessly One hears old river men re-
counting tales that seem to 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 j. NJ.
White, for many years the unrivaled
holder of records Of river speed.
There was but one J. M. White, and
no other could be built. The story is
related by Archer B. Hubert in his
book on the Ohio river
The j. M. White was built at Eliza
BETH Pa. in 1914. Billy King, a boat
man famous 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 it when
under way. Then he SO located the
side wheels that they should strike the
second wave at Its crest and SO CON
vert this obstacle to speed into ben
left. !.
Mr.. J. M. Converse, who was to build
the boat, objected strenuously to this
plan for putting the wheels twenty
feet aft of the accepted place.
: 1T
all" said King. Converse appealed to
Mr.. Chouteau 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 it 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
nil nine minutes, fully a day under the
best previous time. .s 4.
/ 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. 81
When any man designs a boat to
beat the time Of the White, then will
draft one to beat his =
4 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 hull. So after few
short years-for the life Of a river boat
Is brief-the only draft Of 1T was that
which the. designer had kept, and this
he refused to let any man see. He had
gone to st. Louis, and from there he
wrote home to a friend:
Bring my wife to st. Louis as soon
4 as she can get ready. Go into the
lattic of my house, and under the comb
i Of the roof YOU will find a model in a
4 box. Bring that box with you Do moi
Il open It or allow any one to see it
4 Lock 1t in a stateroom on the boat and
Il leave it there till you. reach st. Louis
4 viii pay all expenses"
i When they reached st. Louis his frs
i inquiry was for the model, and upor
q securing it he took 1T at once to his
house. He opened 1t In the presence Of
Ibis wife and his friend and showed
/ them a beautiful model OF the White
i In walnut and pine several feet long
Il With a saw he cut 1t to pieces an6
Il with a Ratchet reduced it to kindline
i wood. n q! 81. sl
4 Il could have done that at home jus1
1 as well, Billy" said his friend, stand
saved the expense
j Yes, but should never have beer
Hatisfed, . replied King.
His fame rests secure on the achieve
1 ment Of the j. M. White, whose record
was never equaled until the r. 3. Lex
4 cut it to three days, eighteen hours an6
4 fourteen minutes twenty-six years
4 later. He was wise enough not to try
4 another and by destroying the las
draft kept the actual plan Of the boa
forever secret. Youth's Companion.