Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-09-23

herself over the bottom by winding up
the line.
When we were on our short journey
up the river, we frequently grounded on
bars but, while an intensely interested
observer, i was too young and too
ignorant of mechanics to analyze the
process which eventually took us off
There was always an immense clatter
from something up forward, l heard
called a donkey engine" much running
about of deck hands stimulated by pro-
fame commands from the mate; the ring
ing of bells and the sound of what
seemed to be chains drawn upward and
then let fall. All those connected with
the boat who could aid In what was
going on, worked hard. The passen-
gers, feeling themselves helpless to offer
suggestions, watched proceedings with
that peculiar pleasure always afforded
by sitting idly by and seeing others
labor. They had no fear Of the result;
they put their trust in Dollinger," or
whatever the captains name might be,
with utmost confidence that The would
see them through" n he did
1t happened now and then that sound
ings were necessary to learn the depth
Of the channel. A man at the front of
the lower deck threw the lead, and
withdrawing 1t called the number of feet
10 dllOllcT uldIl Oh Jllt tlillQ QSIh wiz
passed 1t on to the pilot. The first
soundings on our boat were taken q
little after sunset as 1t was growing
dark, In the gathering twilight the
chanted calls in a deep bass n a boys
shrill soprano suggested the sea and
not the river up which we struggled
the river called by Captain Bixby of
the lower Mississippi, THAT rainwater
creek above Bismarck"
First Boat Up in 1919
On my first river journey l did not
visit the upper deck nor the pilot
house. 1 noticed the cabin on the third
deck and heard it called the Texas. .
How 1t came by that name, later years
disclosed. 1t is said that at first. the
boats then being smaller, the names
of the different states of the Union
were given to the cabins. Texas is our
largest state and 1t was fitting that the
largest cabin should be named for 1t.
This method of designating the cabins
was later abandoned, only the Texas
remaining unchanged.
The first steamboat to navigate the
Missouri was the Independence" which
in 1919 ran to Charlton, to be soon
followed by the Western Engineer" that
managed to reach Council Bluffs. These
boats were not at all calculated for SO
shallow a river, drawing as, they did
CAA ACGb " WdLtl AK LIEU 4tllOn0bOAlt
drew five and a half feet when loaded
1t was found that flat-bottomed boats
driven by stern wheels were more suit
able for the Missouri, and the later
boats were built on this model.
Their initial point of departure was
generally st. Louis. 1t is to be ex-
pected that the walters employed woull
be colored, as was frequently the stew
ardess, laundress, or whatever the one
was called. The meals served
were excellent, especially in the COS.
Table etiquette placed the most dis
tinguished passengers at the head of
the board. These given precedence, the
rest could sit where they chose.
The cabins were fairly good except
on h older boats. That the latter
should not equal newer boats was not
surprising, as some of them-for example
the Far West"-had seen hard service.
We saw no Indians on the lower river
in 1868, nor did we at Omaha. I'm
doubtedly they noted the passage Of the
boat, but had learned by this time that
1t was unwise to attack q Fire Canoe,
as they termed the steamboat.
There was but a short time during
high water that boats could reach Fort
Benton In 1866 the Peter Balen"
steamed up to within six miles OF the
Great falls of the Missouri, and two
other boats, the tom Stevens" and the
"Gallatin," are reported to have gone
farther.
The days OF Missouri river steamboat
ing with Its mingled danger and fascina-
ton are gone forever, but they still live
In the memory of those who were so
fortunate as to nave known them. The
time may come when our great water
ways Will again be utilized both fof
pleasure m profit.