Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-06-19
The Usage MONSTER.
How a Steamboat Whistle A.
fected Missouri Pioneers.
STORY OF A HISTORIC HUNT.
Armed For tho Fray, tho Frightened
but Determined Old Settlers Sought
tho Fcrocious Beast With tho Fear
full. scrccohing Voice.

tho Fcrocious Boast With tho Fear
full, Scrccching Voice.
The first steamboat that over turned
her Prov against the muddy Usage wa
tiers was the Flora Jones In the spring
of 1914. 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 uucnrthly shrili
screcch of banshcc- like 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 MS far ia
Harmony. Mo. In Rates county. His
tory records the fact that when the
Flora Jones puficl her way along the
st. Clair county shores ana the wall of
her siren was tossed back ana forth
by the limestone bluffs many of the
old settlers were not only frightened
figiirativcly out of their boots. but lit
orally out of their homes. Matthew
Arbuclle. n plouccr. tradition tells M,
was blowing In his field about mile
lioiIi tilt NV Va " htii VIZ NUli VI hIhA
whistle struck his ear. He unhltchcd
his horse from the plow. managed to
get on It's bnck and, wild With terror,
struck for the hills. In one hour he
was nj rapinvillc. fifteen miles dis
tant, the horse white with fonm, the
rider white With terror. He had bnre
~ strength to tcll OF IAN awful ami
NAL" from which he had made his ca
cape. He had not seen tho fearful
beast. he confessed, hut he had heard
It's voice. by which he knew 1t TO be
n monster Of terrific proportions.
Arhucklc's ncighbors were brave and.
though much disturbed by his account,
determined upon n campaign Of cxter
mination. They had defended their
homes against Indians. and they rea-
soncd that no wild animal. however
fcrocious. could withstand their rifles.
They gathered Mt Uncle John Whit
lcys. He Ind seen service under Jack
son Mt New Orleans. His home wna
up the tortuous stream from Ar
buckles farm.
The next morning n crowd of hardy
pioneers. with guns and dogs. wero
ready Mt Uncle Johns. The gallant
band numbered among It's members
Uncle John Whitley. James BrcclScn-
ridge. Benjamin Norris. William Bn-
con, Hamilton Morris. Benjamin
Burch. William Roarl. Frank Roark,
Benjamin Snyder, Snowden Morris
and Matthew Arbuckle.
They were agreed TINT there should
be undertaken n quest for the mys.
nt.Nt ~.
homes and families
lust before the signal to start was
given Matte. n daughter OF Whitley's,
went down to the river 800 yards dis
tant, for water. In her absence the
Flora Jones. which had tied up for
the night Mt bend In the river below.
again sounded the terror inspiring
whistle.
Charge. men, roarcd Whitley SELF
Ing lil gun. Matt went to the river
for watcr. AMI | reckon she's dead
nforc now"
The crowd rushed 10 the river. deter
mined 10 rescue the girl II she was yet
alive. But Nett, Il is hardly neces-
sary TO state. was met on the way.
She was headed homcward. her hair
streaming behind and her face
blnnchcd with fear
With their weapons ready for instant
action the determined hunters contin-
ucd riverward. The crow OF the Flora
Jones. proud of her whistle. continued
to sound IT Mt frequent intervals. and
It's reverhcrationa rang from bluff to
blum increasingly Each fresh blast
added 10 tho uncasincss of the band OF
settlers. Frequent ccrncils were held.
Tho failure of The dogs to take the
scent nonpluscd them.
Tho hunters secured the Osngc thick
cts all day. breckenridge lost faith in
hounds and declared that he would
go TO st. Louis for Ncwfoundnnds.
Meanwhile the Flora Jones had pro
ceedcd up the river to Harmony and
her whistle WINS no longer heard AS
night came on storm broke, and the
hunters took refuge in cave
With The return OF dawn there began
again the hldcous wall Of the nlysierl-
Gus monster. Tho Flora Jones was
making mn early start on her return
trip down the river. Nearer and near
e. sounded tho whistle. until the hunt
crs. who had tumblcd hastily fro.l
their cave, could distin"uishFa pulling
and blowing. supposed TO be the shorts
of the advancing foe.
The moment Of drcisive action seem
Ell ut hand. The hunters rushed to the
river bank Each selected tree to
stand behind and loo!sad TO the printing
Of his gun.
an instant later ehe Flora Jones
rounded bend and foomed into view.
Upon her deck WASP a gay crowd of
passengers watchingsthe early sunrise
flooding the water with rosy light
Uncle John Whitleyt Jimmy Brccken-
ridge and their hand of heroes were