The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-07-24
M AN UNLUCKY
initial FOR BOATS
Long List Of Accidents That Have
Happened TO Mississippi River
Steamers In the
Past.
RIVER sUPERsT1T1oNs
Old Boat Captain Recounts Loss Of
Numerous Vessels Whose Titles
Began. With unlucky
Letter.

began WIN OnIuCky
Letter.
That to a certain extent supersti-
ton has much to do with river life,
there Is no denial, says the Quincy
.Whig, and from the naming of boats
craft to be floated, river men " no
have followed the game for years
generally steer clear OF anything Of
which they are superstitious.
Captain John N. Boflinger. former
ly of ST. Louis, who was prominent
boatman in the early days, prophesied
something to q certain extent was
true even in latter days, as late as
the wreck of the great excursion
steamer, the Majestic of the Wisherd
line, which was wrecked near Alton
two years ago.
He contends that most boats that
were given a name the first letter OF
which was "M," were doomed to a
short career, and he says that they
were either burned, sunk, destroyed
as the result of an explosion, or
were Improbable to their owners.
The Majestic. it will he remember
ed, was one of the most complete in
construction and the most beautiful
in architecture of any In recent years
to travel western waters, and 1T
made excursions in this section OF
the river, but was in the service but
few months when it came in con-
tact with an intake pipe near Alton
and went down.
Captain Boflinger says that the
earlier boats experienced like fates,
that is, those given a name the first
letter of which was en- He allows
for a few exceptions, but not many,
and cites the Mediator, Monarch,
Marie, Michigan, Mary, Missouri, Mis-
sissippi and others.
When the Metamora was built by
Captain John Pierce, Captain Bofin-
ger attempted to persuade the builder
to give her different name, but the
plea was regarded as notional, moth
ing of consequence and was laughed
at.
Career Was Brief.
However, the boats career was
brief, though the craft was success.
She went down above Shoctow Island
while yet in her prime. Captain
Charles Davis about the same time
built fine boat, but like his old
friend Pierce, would not listen to the
plea of the superstitious boatman.
Davis named his craft the Midas,
but after a brief career it, too, went
down. Captain Joe Brown built the
Mayflower and she was burned near
Memphis. There are other boats that
were given a name with the first let
ter ''M," and they suffered practical
ly the same fate.
Norman Cutter one time bought a
hull that had been built at Hannibal
and her cabin and machinery were put
on at ST. Louis, where the craft was
given the finishing touches, complet-
ing one of the best boats on western
waters in early days.
Captain Bofinger was asked to take
charge of the boat, which was named
the Charles Belcher. This sounded
good and Captain Bofinger was about
to take charge Of her when he learned
that when the hull was built and
christened it was named Magnolia,
and that settled it with Bofinger, who
refused to pilot the boat, which was
burned at New Orleans on her sixth
trip.
SdpldlH PIttllh I1lChS Ill ICiO, DullI
a boat at Metropolis, ILL.,, and they
for the craft, and Captain Bofinger
failed in his persuasive efforts to in
duce the captain to change the name
of his craft, but again he was laughed
at. The boat made few trips to
Vicksburg and while there burned
with a full load on board
Another Majestic.
The late Majestic, which was
wrecked two years ago, is not the
only one by that name. Before the
civil war Majestic was on the wat
er for about nine years, made money
for her owner and was dismantled
for her machinery. Regarding the
letter NJ, the Fowler, the Mary Hunt
and the Music, two Of the latter nam
ed boats made money for their own
ers during about nine years of serv-
ice. The Mollie Molder, with a dou-
BILE M of the Schulenberg & Boeckler
Lumber Co., ran successfully for
many years, was finally dismantled
and new boat built on her hull.
The last Magnolia, owned by Cap
tains Shute and Thomasson, was the
largest cotton boat before the war and
was purposely destroyed during the
war, but the Magnolia before her ran
for nine years and was dismantled at
New Albany for her machinery.
Inquiry reveals that there are 9TH
er exceptions to the fear Of the let
ter NJ, the Mary Houston having run
nine or ten years, while the Marcella
lived for about IA years and the same
is true Of the Mollie Moose, double
M, by the way; the Minnie, Major,
White, Maria Louisa and Mary Ida.
These boats not only ran continu-
ously. but changed hands but little,
If any, during periods ranging from
five to twelve years, but the convinc-
ing argument is that boats given a
name with M the first letter were
s.4:x a.