The Washington herald., 1909-06-27

guarded comment later, that the Lee
| coaled three times from barges between
Memphis and the mouth OF the Ohio:
that each cOaling was done above &
I bend IN narrow channelway. and that
the barge and tux in each instance drop
ped down stream until the Natchez hove
/ In sight, and then painfully proceeded
+ upstream ahead Of Us until the channel
widened 20 permit US 70 pass. We lost
fully an hour in these maneuvers.
Ten miles below the junction OF the
Ohio We learned We had lost the race.
The slowest OF q feet Of steamers so in
formed US, but we kept on at our best
speed. notwithstanding
When We reached Carondelet We saw
the great crowds which had assembled
, 20 see the race. and from there 10 Bis
sells Point, about ten miles. the shore
was tEronged with holiday cr0wds-it
was the Fourth OF July-and az St Louis
fully 2e,oo0 people were along the river
front when we passed Bloody Island. an
hour and seventeen minutes behind the
Lee.
We were a glum crowd when we went
ashore az 'Sin-Loo.' with the exception
Of Capt Leathers. who appeared
strangely satisfied. He did not see the
reporters for the afternoon papers. al
though we were tied up by 12.4O p m.
but that night all the rive7nen OF the
newspapers. local and visiting. assembled
on The Natchez FOR the story OF the trip
Capt. Cannon had furnished a copy Of
his log 10 the afternoon papers. showing
his actual sailing tine as three days.
eighteen hours. and thirty minutes. while
our log showed. with the half-hOur lost
al Helena, half an hour at Memphis. and
the hour lost through interference by
the Lees barges. we were only one hour
and seventeen minutes longer bringing I'd
loaded steamer than the Lee Was with
light one and that Il was common
talk on the levee at Sin-Loo that there
was trouble in the engine room OF the
Lee because Of the action OF her boilers
at critical stages. while the Natchez
came in prepared TO get away IN an hour.
This. Capt. Leathers affirmed. waE all
the argument he needed with the mer-
camille interests. AS for the gamblers.
they had lost their money IN a brace
game, as the race was not under work
Ing conditions However he may have
felt about K. the consensus Of opinion
among the river men was that Can't.
Cannon had made his own conditions, and
that he was entitled to make them: also
that on the return race Capt. Leathers
could make the conditions.
But there was no return race; the
newspapers OF that day amounted 20
something inconceivable to-day. They
could accomplish in a week or two what
the press OF to-day-no less powerful IN
mOlding public opinion-would REQUIRE
months to do. and a chorus OF protest
went up against the practice OF racing
passenger boats, the Cincinnati ENQUIRER.
in its issue OF July 3. 1870. saving editori-
ally: II there Is no statute 70 Justify
prompt interposition OF the Mississippi
River towns TO stop the dangerous strife
now in progress between the steamers
Robert E. Lee and Natchez. lawmakers
should supply the deficiency: and II the
ability OF the State be doubted. We might
invoke Congress to help US in the emer-
gency'
This plant OF the Cincinnati paper.
then the particular champion OF that sec
ton. excited the rlsibilities OF the river
men OF the ST. Louis. Louisville, and
Memphis papers, who printed lengthy
extracts from the editorial IN question.
and pointed out that the Cincinnati-buIIt
and owned Natchez was an hour and
half and hOpelessly behind when the edi-
torial was penned.
However that may have been, the edi-
tors OF the influential papers IN the val
ley took up the matter and inveighed
against the practice. and It was stopped.
Since then have made numerous trips
between 'Sin-LoO' and the old town but
always pick a slow steamboat. whose
cap'n Is averse 20 racing. and even when
go aboard take those broad WASTED
efght-day boats. which have no reputa-
tons. the upkeep Of which tempt their
officers 70 take undue chances. had all
the excitement OF that kind I shall ever
care for in the race betv cen the Robert
E. Lee and the good but not good
enough Natchez"