The Washington herald., 1909-06-27


candOr cOmpels me 20 say we had select
( ed II with great care. We had a little-a
very hitle-to discharge al Natchez, a 1T
I Tie Tor Nicksburg and Memphis. but the
bulk OF # was for Sin-LOo-what We had
Tor way points was merely 10 make good
Tom Leathers' declaration that he was
making an ordinary trip. loading and IN
loading, and taking OF passengers
The levee was crowded far into the
night and al Baton Rouge. which We
! passed about 80 In the morning. ten
minutes behind the Lee. the whole town
was out 10 salute both boats IN vocife--
Gus fashion.
AT Natchez the Lee made landing az
lo:o4 on the morning Of the lst. stop
ping but four minutes 70 take on coal,
long line OF stevedores. each with a
bag Of selected coal. Deing ready 10 race
on board as soon as the gangplank was
pushed ashore. dump the bag OF coal on
the deck forward. and rush back on
shore Indeed. the Lee did not tie I'D.
but was merely warped during the
progress OF the coaling.
Ten minutes after the Lee had again
got under way we tied up az Natchez.
discharged freight. took on a few pack
ages and half a dozen excited passengers.
and were out again al 1920. with the Lee
dedantly blowing her whistle some miles
up the river. This did not disconcert Us.
as we felt sure we could overhaul her az
Memphis. more than a days sail ahead.
The current was running strong. but
there were few snags in the river. and we
were not within twenty pounds OF our
steam We were not racing yet-just be-
ginning.
That evening at $50 we got to Vlcks-
burg. fifteen minutes behind the Lee. bur
gaining on her despite her advantage in
breasting the Mississippi light while we
were well down IN the water. Shortly
after leaving Natchez. a little below
Helena. we had our little stroke OF hard
luck. We broke pump. and lay 10 half
an hour making repairs. After we got
going again. Capt. Leathers. who had not
been 10 bed the night before, went below
and held a conference with the engineer.
preparatory to going to bed for a few
hours. as a result Of which the Natchez
belched a brOwnish yellow smoke and
the engines began to thrOb ike ali pos
sessed- The steam was rising 70 the limit
one Of the limits-and we darted for
ward perceptibly faster.
There was a great game OF bluff the
parent Of draw poker. going on IN the
mems cabin, and Dad Harris, In charge
Of the bar. was making the smashes and
juleps. for which he was famous. but
even the excitement Of bluff could not
sufficiently satisfy the passengers. Time
-
and all hands would go forward and peer
cut into the darkness to see II we could
pick up the Lee. At midnight everybody
was worn out. and all the passengers and
such of the crew as were not on watch
went TO bed. I had the middle watch.
and I can tell you when the cabins were
deserted, and only the members OF the
crew on watch went silently about their
duties, while the engines pounded and
thrObbed, my nerves were at a tension.
A man may light his pipe IN a powder
factory dozens OF times and get BY with
H. but when he fails the coroner IS called
in. not the doctor
1 turned in at 1 q. m on the second
OF July, and slept until noon. and when
our watch went 10 dinner we heard the
Old man was going TO start in with the
-e.-A~A- -oA1 NuAAAAb Nie afternoon, as the
crowds along the levee were thinning out.
and reports indicated that the Lee was
two or three hours ahead OF US 1t was
not an eventful day. although every one
realized the boilers were being pressed to
the limit as the result OF feeding the fires
with lard AS night fell, however. the
levees below Memphis were crowded. and
we picked Up several excursion boats at
o'clock. from which we learned that the
Lee had gone on ahead OF them an hour
before. Like our adversary we soon left
the excursion boats astern. and a few
minutes after midnight docked st Mem
phis, one hour and forty minutes behind
the Lee.
Here misunderstanding lost US the
race Tor we were delayed half an hour in
departing. as the Lee had merely warped
IN, made an excuse for a landing, and
swung cut, while the Natehez took or
freight and coal but the latter was, as
the result OF the misunderstanding, IN
bulk. taking much time IN the handling.
Nothing daunted. Capt. Jeathers set
out in the wake OF the Lee. and the great
est boat race OF the world was 10 be de-
termined between Memphis and the
mouth Of the Ohio II was a singular
coincidence, and one that calleS for much