Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-02-17
THE Usage MONSTER,
How a Steamboat Whistle Al
fected Missouri Pioneers.
STORY OF A HISTORIC HUNT.
Armed Far tire Fray. tire Fsishsenec
bit Determined Old Settlers Sought
the Faroeieus 5eas. With :ssr Fear
fuI. s-reeehins Voice

kA@ %F@~A%~% 1&@@~ ssAsE -tF~
fal. sSreeehins Voice
TIE first steamboat that ever tugue.
her prov against the muddy Usage wa
tiers was the Flora Jones in the spring
81 fS44 There was 10 commercial
club IN those days to stimulate river
traffic. no telegraph or Telephone 10 her.
til - the hardy pIoneerS ilse approach
Of The boai-only the uuearthly sh-ili
screecl o. q banshee-llke whistle
enough 10 blauch the cheek of the sim
pie minded folk who had lived far
from The worlds progress.
The i.ttlr boat went up IS FaE as
Harmony Mo- In Bates county. His
tory records the fact that when the
Flora Jones puaei her way along the
| st. Clair cSanty shores and the vail Of
| her siren was tossed back and forth
| by tie limestone bluffs many ~ the
| old settlers were not only frightened
| aguratlyeiy out 81 their boots. but lit
| orally ont 81 their homes. Matthew
| Ariurklc. n pioneer. tradition tells Us.
| was blowing IN his field about mile
| from the river when the wall Of that
| wh Sils struck his car. He unllfched
h!s horse from the pillow. managed TO
| Get on it's back aud. Wild with terror.
struck for the hills Ia one hour he
| was NJ rap.uylIle fifteen miles dis
! tant. the horse white with foam. the
| rider white With terror. He had bare
| Is strength ~ tell of ian awful AMI
| mar from which be- had made his ~
| cape lie bad not secn the fearful
| beast. he comics se,i but he had heard
| It's voice. by which he knew IL 10 be
a monster Of terrific proportions.
ArOgcklr's ueighbovs were brave and
though much disturbed by his account.
determined upon campaign If exter-
| IMITATION. They had defended their
homes against Indians. aud they rca-
soued that nn Wild animal. however
| scvoc!0us. could withstand their rifles
| They gathered az Uncle john Whit
| ley'S lie had seen service under Jack
son II New Orleans. Ills home was
mp the tortuors stream from Ar
| buckles farm.
THE next mornlnf crowd II hardy
pioneers with guns and dogs. were
ready ~ Uncle Johns The gallant
band numbered among ifs members
| Uncle John Whitley. 1ames Brcckcn-
| ridge. Eeuia uIa Morris. William Ia
cou. Hamilton Morris. Benlamln
Eureh. Wulam Guark Frank Eeark
BENJAMIN suyder Soowdcn Morris
and Matthew Arlucele
They were agrcel that there should
hc undertaken q quest for the mys-
ierfous monster threatening their
hos.cs and families.
Just before ihe signal TO start was
given Matte daughter ~ Whitley 3.
went do'sn To the river. 800 yards dis
tauf. for water In her absence the
Flora Jones. which had tied mp for
the night NJ Il bend In the river below.
again sounded the terror inspiring
whistle
charge. men" roared Whitley. seiz-
Ing his gun Matt went To- the river
for wafer, and reckon she's dead
| afare now
The crowd rushed to the river. deter
mined Go rcscue the girl II She was yet
a'5ee Dgt Matt. &, Is hardly ueces-
. ,e~g 81 state. WIS met on the way.
. Size VAS headed homeward. her balr
| streaming hehlud AMI her face
blsuchea wits fear
With 'hetr weapons ready fer lustan,
action the detcra ned hunters coutln.
ue,i rlserxarI-- Tho crew 81 the Flora
- Jones. proud % her whistle. continued
" "a sound IL ~ frequent Intervals and
its Teverhgraflans rang from bluff e.
. hlur increasingly Each fresh blast
added So The uncasiuess II the band 81
settlers Frequent councils were held
The failure II the dogs 20 take IN,
!, scent nonplused them.
TIE hunters secured the Usage thick
;, 80 all day breckenridge host faith II
" hounds aud declared that he woult
e. II 81. Louis for Newfounilands
: Meanwhile the Flora Jones had pro
:, ccetled M the river - Harmony. ans
:. her whistle was no longer heard A.
!" night came on a storm broke. and ia
= hunters took refuge in cave
!, With the return OF dawn there begal
= again the hideous wall OF the mysteri
: ons monster The Flora Jones wa
making IN early start on her retur1
= trip down the river Nearer and near
:; pr sounded the whistle. until the hunt
ers. who had tumblest hastily fror
their cave. could distinguish a putin
. and blowing. supposed 10 be the snort
II the advancing foe.
The momeut % decisive action seen
=, 81 At hand. The hunters rushed TO q
=, river bank. Each selected tree |
- r;snd behind aud looked to the primin
,n Of his gun
~ IN Instant later the Flora Jons
-, ~3undeSl bend amd doomed into yiev
=. pon her deck was 2 gay crowd {
:. passengers watching the early snnvis
=, f,odln- Ire water with rasy lgh
=. Uucle john Whitley. Jimmy nreckel
=. Ridge and their band Of heroes wet
= too astouis she'd to answer the friend
- halls as he boat swept down 70 q
- uext bead. her whistle mcckiug the