The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-06-16

and out and wait for no one. His wife
went ashore at Burlington one day to
do some shopping, telling Silas not to
leave her. AS he was backing away
from the landing, Mrs. Haight appear
led on the levee waving her handker-
chief in the air, but it had no effect
on the old man. He told her to go
to the Barrett House and stay there
until he returned from Keokuk. That
he was not laying around with a
steamboat waiting for women to stock
up with needles and thread
think Captain Haight's last service
or the river was as commander and
owner of the steamer Countess AS
II remember It. the Countess was a
side wheeler and equipped with six
Tubular boilers, 1t was during the
l60's or 70s. At that time there were
four passenger boats in operation be-
tween Keokuk and Davenport, and
great rivalry between the companies
t--all fighting for the business. AS
the veteran Haight stood on the shore
and watched the contest, he conclud-
ed to take hand in it and he went
around on the Ohio river and purchas-
ed the Countess, and put her into the
Keckuk and Davenport trade He en-
lployed Deck Dickson as chief engi-
ineer, knowing that Deck was not
afraid of steam and low water and
remember that Mills Ruby was one of
the pilots. With this boat Captain
Haight commenced the contest, de-
claring that he would whip the four
passenger packets, and whip, them to
ia finish, and he made good He took
them by turns, and with big steam,
j the Countess would keep from one to
, two miles ahead of her rival every
day in the week. Captain Haight
, would not wait for a large lot
; of freight, and never made tie at any
, Eof the towns Holding the steamer
up to the shore with the outside wheel,
: he would take the light packages and
T being far in advance of the other
] steamer, would get all Of the passen-
gers. He was skinning the packet
companies six days in the week, and
II made them sore. but this cut no
figure with the veteran Haight. He
whirled the Countess UP and down the
river, and got the business. The PEG.
. pie always ride on the swift boat, re-
], CARELESS of the danger. Dickson was
carrying an enormous steam pressure
the boilers were old and steamboat
men along there who knew the dan
4 ger, were expecting the old tubulars
to go up in the air l was standing
On the Keithsburg levee one day
j when the Countess rounded In to thu
landing, on her down stream run. TIL,
boat was enveloped in cloud o
steam, and every timber on her wa
trembling. Through this cloud 0
steam Mills Ruby came ashore. and h
was carrying his grip. He told me h
had quit his Job in the pilot house
asked him why he did 1t. THE trou
hle is,'' said Mills, the boat has
i ID fool for an engineer, and / vii
not ride another mile over his boilers
> I shall take the train for my home Il
Fort Madison" From the engin
room door, through the cloud of steam
saw the familiar face OF Deck Dicl
son. He was laughing. swinging hi
hat in the air and roasting Ruby 70
d leaving the boat. But Mills was just
f fable in going ashore. The way thing
4 We're running, would not have az
b cepted free round trip ticket, wit
meals included, and rode on the Coun
ess We were all expecting to hea
r of her being blown to pieces. Blu
E Deck Dickson enjoyed these trip,
d knowing no fear he regarded it a
i great amusement, to be cutting til