Evening star., 1907-08-18
: coz S0ZVT 3AR ND,

in the summer evening sun Wnen
at 6:25 o'clock The Star man
hustled along the dock at the
foot of 7th street and up the
gangway of the river liner. Making his
way through the swarm Of passengers to
the upper deck and forward along the
port rail to the pilot house he found the
captain. watch IN hand, at the rail. walt
Ing the pleasure OF the creeping minute
hand to give the signal to clear away and
begin the halliday run down the rippling
Potomac and through the choppy white
caps OF the Chesapeake.
Six-thirty The captain closed his watch
with snap and leaned over the rail-. The
dock gong whanged brazenly.
Let 'er go, Mr.. Wilson," called the cap
tain To the first officer. who stood at the
head OF the gangway below.
A sharp command or two from Mr. Will
son and the husky negro dockhands lifted
the heavy two-inch bow and stern lines
from the wharf pins. Four men manned
the gangway and drew It laborously upon
the dock. They paused half way to allow
the passage OF a breathless. stout man.
the inevitable, almost-missed-it passenger.
The strongly ebbng tide drew the steamer
gently into the channel. In the pilot house
the quartermaster swung down on the
departure echoed from the wharf buildings
and flung itself against the western hills.
'Half ahead" called the captain to the
second mate, who leaned from the pilot
house door. The mate disappeared and the
Clang OF bell in the engine room followed
The ship trembled the propeller blades
slowly gripped the water-then surged
gently forward.
The captain left the rail and moved
toward the pilot house. The Star man ad-
vanced and introduced himself.
Captain, my name is I'm with
The Star. and am making the trip with
you to write a Sunday story on Plotting
the Potomac"
Glad 10 meet yOu," and the two shook
hands warmly.
With the adjuratlon to make himself at
home and ask all the question he wanted
TO the captain led The Star man into the
pilot house. Inside the little wheel house.
with its deep arc front of small square
windows. the second mate stood looking out
upon the glstening river. the chief quarter
master at the wheel and the quartermas-
ters mate lighting his pipe In the after
starboard corner. The Star man was in
troduced. Real names can't be used but
some sort of names are a necessity
This Is Mr.. -- of The Washington
Star" said Capt. McMann. MIR Thomp-
Son. our second officer; Mr.. Jones our quar-
master. Mr.. Evans. quartermaster's $
mate. and here comes Mr.. Wilson our first
officer as a stocky little dark-haire man
stepped in from the deck. Mr.. - is
going to write up for The Star He
wants TO know how we jerk this steamboat
around the corners of this brook, and it's
UP TO US 10 SHOW him
The captain pulled chair up to one OF
the port windows and bade The Star man
sit and observe He took his place at a
forward window and directed his attention
20 his ship and the river channel.
Port your wheel little"
Port a little" repeated the quarter
master. as he twisted the spokes that con-
trol the steam steering gear. Back OF him,
lashed down for emergency use was the
big Old-fashioned hand wheel.
The steamer slowly slid past the line OF
docks and cleared the southern point OF the
regenerated Potomac flats. Capt. McMann
reached down and tugged at a brass handle
set in the wainscoting OF the wheelhouse
The gong in the engine room rang sharply
and the vibrations of the hull grew steadily
stronger. 1t was full speed ahead" and
as the pretty ship forged into her fourteen
knot stride the arsenal and Potomac Park
points dropped astern. At the word the
quartermaster put his wheel another notch
to port, swinging his ship toward Alexan-
dria five miles away
Red buoys on the port hand and black
ones TO starboard Is the order OF things
going seaward. and the run to Alexandria
was made without a OF the compass
In its big brass binnacle. Capt. McMann
conned his ship by port or starboard orders,
the Quartermaster repeating the order in
accordance with the time-honored nautical
custom The channel held well over to-
ward the Virginia shore as Alexandria was
Approached. and the captain tugged at the
whistle cord-one long and two short
blasts-to herald his arrival and intention
to make a stop.
Mean place 10 land" said he. with this
tide running as she is. Have TO be mighty
particular to bring her alongside the dock
parallel and make sure OF my stern lines