Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-04
SAILING ALONG SALT RIVER
Gentle Stream in Kertueky Which
Calls Defeated Candidates.
SCENIC WONDERS OF THE ROUTE
Diversions of various KINDS Provided
for the ~sOrrowtRg Throne-
Recollection. OF Henry
CIay's Trip.

yet neither of these idols Of the republican
and democratic parties respectively, has
as keanedged an adherence for his par
ticular enemy as the American politician
Has for Salt river.
When a testing friend mentions Salt river
to a candidate the seeker for public favor
shudders. To him Salt river 10 serious
business. It spells bitterness and defeat.
Every American schoolboy speaks Of Salt
river during political times as what is
going to happen to the fellow his father
isn't going to vote for. Yet how few know
that there really is a Salt river, that its
history has a page in 1t that is connected
with the name OF Henry Clay, one OF
the country's greatest statesmen. but
whose career was marked with singing
defeats. To him is credited the record of
having established the precedent and put
ting into action the unwritten law that all
defeated candidates be required to go up
Salt river to a deserved oblivion. Old-timers
in the stage setting of the old Salt river
tragedy that is said to have wrecked the
life of Clay declare that the story OF his
journey up Salt river on the very eve Of
the election is true, that he really was
rowed up SaU river bS an anti-Cfay boat
man who had promised to take him to
Louisville in time TO permit him to deliver
a closing speech In his campaign,
Henry CIay's Trip.
The best story of Henry Clay's disap-
pointment and it's effect on American poll
tics is told by Captain Ring Helm. the
old negro ferryman, whose boat piles the
mouth of Salt river at West Point, Ky,
~twenty-one miles from Louisville, on the
Illinois Central road. West Point is a con-
fluence of the Ohio and Salt rivers.
yes, sab, dey is a ole anicdote bout
Mistah Henry Clay gittin' hisse'f sent up
Salt rivah whilst he wuz a-runnin' To-
president, an how he nevah did git ovah
bein' heartbroken; yes. sah." Captain Helm
relates to every stranger that walks, slides,
flies or tumbles down the steep Salt river
bank to his old-fashloned, sweep-oar ferry
boat, that the patrons facetiously call the
stung, because of its reputation as a craft
tina pilots defeated candidates up Salt
river to the, despised oblivion.
"Co'se hit may not all be dis as true as
Gospel" the somber-hued but good
natured old ferryman goes on, but a
good many ole folks whut has ben Twin
round de pint heah To- a good many yeahs
says dat hit is mos ~suttinly true dat Mis-
tab Henry Clay did git in some bad COM
p'ny heah back in de '4Os an got steered
cleah off'n his c'ose. How come hit so
was lax dis: Mistah Henry wuz a-gwine
UP de rivah to Loui'vilie to a speakin' an
to git home to vote. an all to once he
miss his boat an has to walk or TEX a
skiff. WAL, somewhat down heah abouts
he hired some man who wuz ag'in him to
row him to Loui'ville, not KNOWN dat de
man wuz agin him. WAL den de man,
Std o. tekln' Mistah Henry on up to Loui'-
| .-gII, I1,, t..-s 81 - - -
up Salt rjvah an, kep' fhim dab till de
lection wuz ovah, an Mistah Henry didn't
git 'lected des lax Mistah Bryan hain't.'
Late Passengers Coming
Just like Mr.. Bryan isn't?" the passen-
ger always asks after Rings prophecy.
Then the old negro cackles and gives his
oars long, easy sweeps.
mo, sab, l spec 1 gwine to git Mistah
Bryan TO- a customah bout Novembah de
f~ou'th-day aftah lection" laughs the Salt
river boatman. Yes, sab, Mistah Bryan
an Mistah Kern comm down heah TO- a
little boat ride with ole Ring Helm sho's
yo' born"
You must be n republican. The belief
seems to prevail throughout the country
that the boatman on Salt river play no
favorites."
"Oh, l ain so awful nasty bout politics,
same time I got my favor-ites. Mistah
Tai look mighty good to me, Co'se yo'
can't always sometimes tell, an II Mistah
Tar come heah to Salt river 70 a boat
ride he mos sho'ly will git a pleasant
trip an ole Ring sutinly do know whah
de bes' chicken fries I'M located up dis
rivah. Chicken TO- Mistah Tar If he come,
sldemeat and beans To- Mistah Dimacrat
Bryan. Ha! ha! hat
Special Rates.
For the information of those who may
find 1t necessary to travel the Salt river
route the ticket agent at West Point an
nounces the following railroad rates to
Salt river from interesting and interested
points on Wednesday morning, November
Ethe morning after:
From Cincinnati, o., to Salt river, $3.43;
from Utica, N. Y, to Salt river. S17.ES; from
Lincoln, Neb.. to Salt river, S17s4; from
indianapolis, Ind, to Salt river, 1904,
Tourists seeking 10 TAX the Salt river
Journey may reach Captain Helms ex-
cursion boat also by travelling down the
Orio from Louisville or upstream from
New Orleans and Cairo. To make the
way less 'sombre for the sait-river-bound
tourist a kind hearted government has
placed a light on West Point hill, above
the conjunction Of the Ohio and Salt
] FlNtES. west yin h6AA eau AAANNNS ~
the place where Captain Helms Stung lies
anchored. Passengers arriving after
night are cautioned 10 approach Captain
Helm with care. The complexion of the
captain blends so perfectly with that OF
the night that a collision might result and
prove embarrassing.
salt river now is at low tide, Mud lies
in huge cakes on either shore, thus afford
ing all politicians who may have INDUCED
In mud-slmging during the campaign the
privilege Of further pursuing their favorite
pastime.
Salt river comes from away up In the
heart of Kentucky. II winds among hills,
touches the farm that was the birthplace
Of Abraham Lincoln, visits the salt ticks
that we're the rendezvous OF deer and
some mighty tough citizens back in Daniel
Boone days. and finally drops down TO the
Ohio to help Cap'n Ring Helm. the
sunny. though cloudy, master of the ferry
boat stung, gain a livelihood Of bacon
and beans on week days, with chicken for
Sunday.
earn Helm assures a safe voyage to
those who must journey up Salt river
- -.nl8K,alxy aTanOpROlalRl-N6