The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-06-14
How a Steam Boat Whistle All
fected Missouri Pioneers
STORY OF A HISTORIC HUNT
Armed for the Fray, the frightened but
Determined Old Settlers Sought the
Ferocious Beast With the Fear
full, Screeching Voice

The first steamboat that ever turned
her Prov against the muddy Usage wa
ters was the Flora Jones in the spring
Of 1874. There was no commercial
club in those days to stimulate river
traffic, no telegraph or telephone to her
aid to the hardy pioneers the approach
Of the boat--only the unearthly shrill
screech Of banshee-llke whistle,
enough to blanch the cheek Of the sim
pie minded folk who had lived far
from the worlds progress.
The little boat went up as far as
Harmony, Mo-, in Bates county. His
tory records the fact that when the
Flora Jones pulled her way along the
st. Clair county shores and the wall of
her siren was tossed back and forth
by the limestone bluffs many Of the
old settlers were not only frightened
figllratlYeIy out Of their boots, but lit
orally out of their homes. Matthew
ArbuclzIe, a pioneer, tradition tells us,
was blowing In his field about a mile
from the river when the wall of that
whistle struck his ear. He unhitched
his horse from the pillow, managed to
get on its back and, wild with terror,
struck for the hills. In one hour he
was at Paplnville, fifteen miles dis
tant the horse white with foam, the
rider white with terror, He had bare
II strength to tell OF IAN awful ami
NAL" from which he had made his es-
cape. He had not seen the fearful
beast, be confessed, but he had heard
its voice, by which he knew it TO be
a monster of terrific proportions.
Arbuckle's neighbors were brave and,
though much disturbed by his account,
determined upon campaign of exter-
mination. They had defended their
homes against Indians, and they rea-
soned that no wild animal, however
fcrocious, could withstand their rides.
They gathered at Uncle John Whit
ley's. He had seen service under Jack
son at New Orleans. His home was
up the tortuous stream from Ar
buckles farm.
The next morning crowd OF hardy
pioneers, with guns and dogs, were
ready at Uncle Johns. The gallant
band numbered among its members
Uncle John Whitley. James Brecken-
ridge, Benjamin Morris, William Ba-
con. Hamilton Morris, Benjamin
Burch, William Roark, Frank Roark,
Benjamin Snyder, Snowden Morris
and Matthew Arbuckle.
They were agreed that there should
be undertaken quest for the mys-
terious monster threatening their
homes and families
Just qefore the signal to start was
given Matte, q daughter Of Whltleys.
went down to the river, 800 yards dis.
tant, for water. In her absence the
Flora Jones, which had tied UP for
the night at bend in the river below
again sounded the terror inspiring
whistle.
Charge, men" reared Whitley. seiz-
ing his gun. Matt went to the river
for water. aud l reckon she's dead
afore noww
The crowd rushed TO the river, deter
mined to rescue the girl II she was yet
alive But Mat, It is hardly necess
sary to state, was met on the way.
She was headed homeward, her hair
streaming behind and her face
blanched with fear
With their weapons ready for instant
action the determined hunters condn-
ued rlyerward The crew Of the Flora
Jones, proud OF her whistle, continued
to sound it at frequent intervals, and
fits revcrhorations rang from bluff to
bluff increasingly. Each fresh blast
added TO the uneasiness OF the band Of
settlers Frequent councils were held.
The failure OF the dogs to take the
scent nonplused them.
The hunters secured the Osage thick
cts all day, Breckenridge lost faith in
hounds and declared that he would
60 to SIT. Louis for Newfoundlands
Meanwhile the Flora Jones had pro-
ceeded up the river to Harmony, and
her whistle was no longer heard. AS
night came on a storm broke, and the
hunters took refuge in cave.
With the return of dawn there began
again the hideous wall of the mysteri-
Gus monster The Flora Jones was
making an early start on her return
trip down the river. Nearer and near
or sounded the whistle, until the hunt
ers, who had tumbled hastily from
their cave, could distinguish a putting
and blowing, supposed 10 be the snorts
Of the advancing foe.
The moment of decisive action SEEM
cd ak hand. The hunters rushed to the
river bank. Each selected tree 70
stand behind and looked to the printing
of his gun.
An instant later the Flora Jones
rounded bend and doomed into view
Upon her deck was a gay crowd of
passengers watching the early sunrise
flooding the water with rosy light
Uncle John whitley, Jimmy Brecken.
ridge and their band Of heroes were
too astonlshed TO answer the friendly
halls us the boat swept down to the
next bend her whistle mocl1iug their
past fears.
Little was said rs the hunters track.
Cd homeward Unostentatlously each
sought ont his home And SO ended
The historic hunt for the monster OF
the Usage valley Kansas City Star.