Evening star., 1921-04-05
By the Associa ted Press.

By the Associa ted Press.
NEW ORLEANS. La. April 5.-Mem-
cries Of old days on the Mississippi
when stately packets piled in the pas
senger traffic are revived by the re-
sumption of traffic between Pittsburgh,
Pa. and this city by way of the Ohio.
Barges have carried freight traffic
on the great river for many years since
the packets were driven out by rail-
road competition. In the days of Mark
Twain the Mississippi packets were
celebrated for their "eats," their famous
races, their pilots and even for their
poker games.
1t used to be no uncommon sight to
sells. from the palatial packet to the
5weather-beaten tramp. leave the New
Orleans landings daily for upriver points
Coming of the railroads with quick
service for perishable cargo, many lines
almost paralleling the river between the
traffic to lose it's prestige. Shippers be-
gan sending cotton and other non-per-
ishable freight by rail and the stops of
the river packets were fewer and fewer
as the years went on.
River Voyages Pleasurable.
A river voyage in the olden days was
a pleasurable affair if the boilers did
the shifting sand bars, mud Jumps or
hidden snags. A comfortable berth.
wonderful meals. dancing at night, wa
termelson parties, well stocked bars.
stud and draw poker games for the
patrons of that form of amusements, and
negro roustabouts all combined to make
things pleasant for the traveller.
In the heat of the afternoon, behind
shielding mosquito bars. the passenger
if he SO desired, could quaff mint juleps
or sip corn whisky cocktails, not to
mention the old flat-bottom toddies made
with sugar, water. pineapples and orange
juice and, of course, whisky. The old
timers here. with scanty stocks OF
liquor and facing the coming years with
visions of nut sundaes, never tire OF
telling the younger generation of the
old hard liquor" days of the river
steamboats,.
The card games were for big stakes
Veterans vouch for the truth of stories
of a planter embarking in Mississippi
worth "a plantation. with 200 negroes
and disembarking at the Canal street
landing in New Orleans with only some
bills of lading for something he nc
longer owned.
Saturday was usually the sailing day
for upriver packets from this port
There was great rivalry between boat
owners and crews, and usually from one
10 a uOZcn DOdL races were pulltu OIL d.
the vessels chugged up the river II
was then that boilers blew up with
marked frequency.
Most Famous of Races.
The most famous of these races was
run by the Natchez and the Robert E
Lee, two Of the largest of the river
packets. So keen was the rivalry that
early in the seventies it vas planned to
have them race from New Orleans to
st. Louis. No passengers or freight
were carried. and for weeks the coming
race was the chief topic of conversation
along the river. The Robert E. Lee was
commanded by Capt. Cannon, while
Capt Leathers was master of the
| Natchez No stops were made excep,
! for fuel. The trip to st. Louis was
made in just a few hours over three
days, an unheard-of record then, with
| the Robert E. Lee the winner by small
margin.
Another famous race, between the
| White Rose of Memphis and the Grand
Republic, ended in disaster. After
| racing upstream for hours in a meek
and neck" contest the White Rose
| struck a snag and sank. Before the
boat could clear a nearby bend hel