The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-08-05

the current, we Carried up dioiiSsldS
and gradually drew ahead. The ex-
element was intense. We were
gradually getting ahead in the mat
Ter of language. as we'll as in the
race. when one of the ladies on the
Ruth yelled out to me, Captain.
you've got your red light on the
wrong side.
Bill Slade. my redheaded mate.
was leaning out of the pilot house
window and his head was certainly
the reddest thing that ever hap
pened when he finally grasped the
Joke. The little bald spot made a
crimson bullseye in the middle.
Like other disciples of the bare
headed cult. he was too proud 70
retire. So even if We did get ahead
and kept our lead until dark when
we both tied up at Tobacco Plains
We had all the worst of it in the
chatting.
Captain Sanborne said that he
would leave at 400 next morning.
gave orders for steam at the same
time but told the Waterman TO keep
a close eye on the other boat and
if he saw any signs of activity TO
call me.
Slips Away in the Night
The next thing that | heard
was the pat, pat of the Ruth's pad
dies passing US. We got away as
soon as we could but we never saw
her again that day
The day was very hot with thun-
der storms in the evening How
ever, in spite of the darkness and
the bad river below Fort Steele. we
reached the point about II o'clock
and went through the bridge
THE Ruth was about to leave for
Jennings at a. m. I had to 90
about six miles further and load
some ore at the North Star landing.
If We could get back TO Steele by
8 o'clock there was every chance
of overtaking her before getting 10
the canyon and further than that |
did not expect TO 60 as the water
was rising fast as to make il dan
gerous
All hands and the cook went 10
it, and we loaded 40 tons of ore in
40 minutes, and left Steele at ex-
actly 3 o'clock.
Al Wardner. Jim Wardner hailed
me but | would not stop.
Decides TO Go to the Canyon
Arrived at the head Of the can
yon. there was no Ruth. although
the water was at a dangerous stage,
as shown by rock over which It
was breaking White-my own dan
ger signal. Still if he could do It
with larger boat, | could, and
down We went
I must explain that the canyon
makes an elbow 70 feet wide at the
narroWest point About 400 feet be-
low were two big rocks, since re-
moved The water follows the left
bank, but it is SO piled up against
it that a large vessel cannot follow
it, her own gravity making her
slide off to the right, and so onto
the rocks.
Our way to negotiate the place
was TO stop the engines before we
got TO the elbow and start back
ing as soon as we were abreast Z.
That would throw the stern into the
eddy water under the point, her
bow would sweep away from the
right bank, and by giving her full
speed ahead while still heading for
the rocks, the current would take
US past them and into smooth water
below.
we carried. on according to pro-
gram until we reached the elbow,
when Slade. who was at my side,
cried, There's the RUTH She sure
ly was there! Her nose was on one
Of the rocks and her wheel near
the right bank: she blocked the
channel as completely as did the
Vindictive at Zeebrugge.
Full Speed for the Elbow
There was nothing for it but ii
60 full speed ahead and to try q
make the channel at the left of tn,
rocks where the bulk of the water
was going | gave the signal to the