In This Newsletter:

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  Quote of the Week

"There is nothing so powerful as truth -- and often nothing so strange."

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  A Personal Note From Jack

Elizabeth M Incident Still Not Fully Explained

No doubt I am not alone in wondering "what is the real truth about what happened to the Elizabeth M?" In fact, I have selected our "Quote of the Week" for that reason.

The stories being transmitted over the river telegraph do not jive with some of the things that reportedly came out of the Coast Guard hearings into the sinking of the vessel and six barges at Montgomery Dam on the Ohio River on January 9.

B&B warned immediately that early reports were vulnerable to unintentional inaccuracies and that the stories would change as the investigation proceeded and the facts came in. That is precisely what happened. However, now we are at a different phase in this matter. At this point everyone but everyone is trying to dodge accountability. Victims and company alike are seeking to escape responsibility for the terrible tragedy. The company is trying legally to limit its financial liability. So the Coast Guard has its work cut out for it.

We said in our last report that the matter of establishing a time line for the incident was ignored. At least that's the word coming from someone who attended all of the hearings. A time line is critical. One of the crew claimed that the incident took place over an estimated 30 minutes, not the five-minute period estimated by others. There are numerous reasons to believe that the whole problem began when the Elizabeth M, working from the port hip of the six-barge tow, got the barges started toward the long wall, then tried to reposition itself and reattach its face wires on the fly.

The master of the vessel, who reportedly heard the alarm and rushed to the pilothouse where he took over the helm, told hearing officials that he had the tow heading up river when one of the barges began to sink. But the word moving on the river telegraph is that it may not have happened just that way.

We predict that the story closest to the truth will come out when Coast Guard officials pick the brains of Corps employees who were on the lock wall when the incident occurred and then compare the different versions and cross examine witnesses. Once lockmen were beyond the point of being helpful in the locking process, they were most likely in a perfect position to observe the entire episode.

What seems to be certain--at least we do not know of it being contested--is that the pilot of the Elizabeth M did not move the tow a short distance out of the lock, tie it up and then return to the stern of the tow to reattach face wires. It was done on the fly, which means the barges were moving toward the long lock wall on their own while the towboat dropped back with the intention of facing up again. Several have said that maneuver was never completed successfully.

We could conclude erroneously that it doesn't matter, because it is merely a battle over who will pay the bills. But four men died. If the value of the ancient coal barges, their coal cargo and the Elizabeth M were only worth an aggregate $105,000, why would anyone risk life and limb to save them?

From a legal standpoint, the big question is to what degree is Campbell Towing Co. responsible, or does it have any responsibility at all, if the cause of the accident boils down to pilot error? The Coast Guard, perhaps even the courts, will have to decide whether the crew ignored company directives to wait for a helper boat, as Campbell's lawyer said. The boat's master argues that the orders were not clear. Another pilot's testimony supports that contention.

Once again we are forced to fall back on our old standby:

Stay tuned!

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  For Those Inclined To Pray

Join our Prayer Circle so that you can tap into the prayerful support of the circle members. Membership and prayer requests are open to everyone. The activity of the Prayer Circle is confined totally outside of our weekly newsletter. With the exception of this segment, all contact is made, ultimately, through jacksimpson@littleriverbooks.com. To learn about the prayer circle click here.

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  Newsletter News

Along with the addition of pictures to our newsletter, we will be making changes to our Photo Center in the future to accommodate pictures that may not be of vessels but deserve to be preserved. At this point our plan is merely to categorize pictures. When a visitor goes to the Photo Center, there will be a brief menu that allows the visitor to select the desired category. However, each week as we list new pictures posted to the center, we will list all pictures posted that week, not just boat pictures. Each week as new pictures are listed, pictures for the previous week are categorized. That is where the menu will come in handy. Those who want to look just at boats will be able to do so. Others will be able to select the categories they wish to view.

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  Web Site News

We also want to remind web site visitors that we have had recent additions to the dessert section of our recipe collection. Furthermore, we welcome more. We'll never be able to publish a recipe book if we can't get the recipes. Like Joyce Cochran-Loyd, whose letter follows, you too can help our cause by submitting your favorites.

"I am a cook for ACBL on the W. A. Kernan. This is and has been my regular boat since I started with them on March 6, 2002. I love my job and my crew. Great bunch of guys to work with. Will submit many more of my favorite recipes if you like. ( I do love to cook only I never measure anything -- it just seems to come together for me out of habit.) LOL Been working on river since my late husband passed in 1995 after 25 years of marriage and two children. My son also works on the river for ARTCO as an assistant chief. We are a boat family, for my brother-in-law (Chief) and ex-husband (Captain) also work for ARTCO. I love your site. You do a wonderful job!!! Keep up the good work."

Joyce Cochran-Loyd
Maynard, Ark.

Visit our web site and see the recipe section.

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  On The Waterfront

U.S. Economy and Waterways

A February 14 Op-Ed Piece in the "St. Louis Post-Dispatch" speaks to the issue of transportation and says: Our economy relies on improved waterways. The authors are Jo Ann Emerson of Cape Girardeau and Kenny Hulshof of Columbia, both republicans and both representing Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Those who follow the river are familiar with the standard facts comparing transportation modes. So we will skip them. However, the story includes other statistics that may not be so well known.

First let us say that the story presents the case that "An upgraded river transportation system also will reduce stress on America's crowded highways." We've said that before, too. But what we did not report because we did not know is that Interstate 70 was originally intended to handle on 18 percent trucks in the traffic flow. Today, truck traffic makes up 45 percent of the traffic flow. This has aroused all kinds of safety concerns.

Not to be overlooked is the viewpoint by Emerson/Hulshof that "The century-old navigation machinery in use in some places on some rivers is seldom mentioned among transportation priorities. As the system grows older, down-time of navigational locks is up more than 100,000 hours of outages in 2001, 2002 and more than 90,000 in 2003. Outages are expensive. In September 2003, a three-week inspection became a two-month closure in Greenup, Ky. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, towing companies alone lost $14 million."

Emerson/Hulshof say, "If we do not improve the locks and dams on our waterways, Americans can expect $526 million in lost farm income, 30,000 lost jobs and $245 million added to our record trade deficit by 2020. All of this in addition to increases in food prices and that of nearly everything else Americans buy that would have to be shipped by rail and truck instead of water."

The writers go on to remind us that "Governments in South America and China are investing heavily in water infrastructure to avoid such problems and remain competitive.

As we have reported previously, countries in the European Union also have recognized the value of water transportation and help facilitate the shifting of cargo from trains and trucks to the water mode. They believe it will improve the environment and contribute toward a better quality of life.

As for South America, that country is butting heads with us in an attempt to take over our export markets. And it is being successful to some degree.

Grain shipments via the Mississippi in the U.S. are declining. One reason is that more grain is being used in ethanol plants, giving farmers a market much closer to home. Another reason is that more grain is being moved by rail to the West Coast for shipment to Asia. The key factor is that at the U.S. Gulf, the cost of moving grain to Asia last year was $58 a ton, more than $21 higher than the $37.59 charged at Pacific Northwest ports. While moving cargo by barge is cheaper than by rail, the difference is not sufficient to overcome the larger cost to ship from the Gulf of Mexico. So grain is moved by rail to the West Coast.

The Port of South Louisiana in LaPlace is the largest grain port in the nation in terms of tons handled. Last year its shipments of corn, soybeans, wheat and animal feed fell 7.5 percent. Port data revealed that the decrease was actually 23 percent from 2002.

Typically, reports the "New Orleans Times-Picayune", 60 percent of the U.S. grain has been moved from the Midwest to the Gulf by barge, where ocean-going vessels carry it through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific Ocean. But for a variety of reasons, barge rates have climbed. They include the increased cost of chartering new barges to replace old, tariffs that have interrupted the flow of steel on back hauls, and the growing unreliability of the waterways. The tariffs have been removed but they still slowed the flow of steel imports. With less steel to move up river, the towing companies were forced to charge more for their barges.

So we repeat, the ultimate result has been that the grain moves via train to the Pacific Northwest and still gets to the Asian countries more cheaply than if shipped from the Gulf.

One added note: Though it will take years to develop, establishing container-on-barge service throughout the waterways can be a big plus for water transportation. To some degree it will provide back hauls for the grain barges that moved cargo south.

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Howard Steamboat Museum Plans 13th Annual Event

The Howard Steamboat Museum will hold its 13th Annual Arts, Crafts, Garden & Antique Fair "Here Comes The Showboat", "A Victorian Chautauqua" on the museum grounds in Jeffersonville, Ind., May 21 and 22. The museum is located at 1101 E. Market St.

For river watchers and boat lovers, especially those who have never visited the museum, that is the key attraction. Fabulous exhibits await you. Other weekend events include a Tom Sawyer fence painting contest, about 80 quality booths, a large herb and perennial sale, music, book signings, food-drinks-snacks, a Victorian style café, a mansion tour, children's activities and a carriage house antique show.

The hours are Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the grounds is $3 for adults and children under 12 free if they are with an adult. For information, call 812/283-3728.

(Editor's note: Little River Books has exhibited at this event at least twice, accompanied by James V. Swift. If you have not visited the museum and live within reasonable driving distance, I recommend it highly. Further, if you think that you might want to exhibit there, they are presently soliciting participants. You can write to: Howard Steamboat Museum, P.O. Box 606, Jeffersonville, IN 47131-00606 for information.)

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Oil Removal Begins on Barge in Chicago Canal

The removal of oil from the barge that exploded and sank in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal on January 19th has begun. The blast killed barge worker Alex Oliva of Oak Lawn, Ill.

The project, being overseen by the Coast Guard and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, is expected to take two weeks and cost up to $2 million. The canal will remain closed to barge traffic until cleanup is complete.

In related news, inspection of the Hopkins thermal fluid heater that was blown off the barge and into the canal has dispelled any thoughts that the heater might have contributed to the explosion. The inspection was requested by the Coast Guard, and many observers were on hand to witness it. The heater, the burner and even the paint were intact to a very high degree. This would not have been true if the burner had exploded investigators said. (For additional information, see "The Waterways Journal" Letters to the Editor column of February 21.)

In the same issue of the "Journal" is another letter, the second from William Riley, LCDR, USCG, retired forensic examiner, American Admiralty Bureau, Ltd., who calls attention to the electronic fence built across the ship canal to discourage the advancement of undesirable fish. Riley says that since reports have been issued about arcing near the fish barrier during the tow-making process, "due diligence requires that the underwater electric fence be considered as a possible cause [of the explosion], if only to rule it out by conclusive evidence.

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Judge Says Okay To Ferry-Passenger Searches

A U.S. District Judge dismissed on February 17 a lawsuit seeking to block random searches of passengers and vehicles using ferries that cross Lake Champlain. Judge J. Garvan Murtha described the searches as unintrusive and reasonable.

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Mv. Bill Dyer Sold

"The Waterways Journal" Reports that the Mv. Bill Dyer, formerly owned by Tri-River Marine in Bethel Park, Pa., has been purchased by Paul Inman of New Johnsonville (Tenn.) Marine Service Inc. and that the 3,000 hp. boat will be renamed Vikki Inman. The vessel was built in 1951 by Avondale (La.) Marine Ways, Inc.

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Permit Sought for Ohio River Bridge

The Ohio Department of Transportation has applied to the U.S. Coast Guard for a permit to construct a two-lane fixed highway bridge to replace the existing U.S. 52 Bridge at Mile 327 on the Ohio River.

The present bridge has been determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

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Retired River Historian Busier Than Ever

Chuck Parrish, 62, an Army Corps of Engineers retiree, is finding that after retirement, he is drawing as much attention as before he retired. Parrish surveyed the huge site where a 1,200-foot lock is being built at McAlpine Locks and Dam in Portland on the Ohio River. To read about what he has been up to these days, click here.

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  Boat Photo Center

Twelve new pictures grace our Photo Center this week. Five of them are those from the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium at Dubuque, Iowa, as we promised last week that they would be. This is one of those times when the rule is broken. They will be in the Center under the museum name. The photographer was Dennis Stehben. Also in the Center this week: the Mv. Gambler from Dan Owen and the Boat Photo Museum; and six pictures from Brent Maletic: the Lillian G, Aliquippa, Vesta, Col. Davenport, Polly Crain and Joe Sokol.

We are now at that point where would can use more pictures. We have a group of Missouri River pictures showing work being down by the Corps in the way of environmental restoration. There are differences of opinion as to whether the work is good or whether it is destructive to the river. We don't know that much about river restoration, but the argument will be presented in an issue of B&B soon. You can make your own judgements. But the subject is timely, however, since the President's proposed 2006 budget allows for millions to be spent on restoration of side channels, etc., and nothing for flood control or channel improvement.

Also - we are laying the groundwork for lighthouses under their own category in our Photo Center. Photographers have begun sending pictures so that we can build a file and open with a bang when the time comes. Pictures of any lighthouse in the world will be welcome. We will need the name of the lighthouse, specific location (land site and water site), date it was taken and name of photographer. At such time as our collection holds a few dozen pictures, we will open up the new center on our web site. We welcome the pictures as soon as you can send them. Keep in mind that our web site is visited by people around the world. We believe lighthouses can provide some very picturesque scenes and bodies of water, which will heighten the interest on our site. A final point. We realize that some, perhaps most, lighthouses on inland rivers are merely for show and are not working lighthouses. But many are viewed by those passing in boats and have become landmarks. Pictures of them are welcome, too. -- Jack

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  Nautical Gift Shop

American Towboater Caps are here! These high quality canvas caps are adjustable to all sizes.
$18 plus S&H.

Weems & Plath Binoculars - Since 1928, navigators have relied on the Weems & Plath name for safe passage. These rugged all-weather binoculars are hermetically sealed and nitrogen purged for true waterproof and fog proof performance. Navy One and Apache optics are extremely sharp and bright. By using high purity index lenses and prisms, aligned to perfection, the best possible image quality is achieved. Exclusive SPARC (Stimulated Penetration Anti-Reflection Coatings) optics eliminate internal glare and ghost images resulting in very high light transmission at night or in low light. The anti-corrosive, lightweight aluminum body will pass the military specification drop/shock test from 6 feet, and withstand a vibration test equal to 20 gravities of force. Extreme temperature resistance and waterproofing make the Navy One and Apache perfect for marine use and other tough outdoor activities. All Navy One and Apache binoculars have a five-year limited factory warranty against defects, fogging, or leakage.

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  The Book Beat

This week we will present a poem from If Ships Could Talk", a volume of poetry mostly about the river and the sea. Our selection recounts three historic river mishaps as seen through the eyes of three fictional rivermen as they sip beer one late stormy night in a riverside tavern. A good natured barkeep is all to eager to lubricate their tongues with free liquid refreshments as their tales unfold.

The book includes numerous river poems and several from the hands of guest writers. Of particular interest might be "Delta Queen Fantasia" and "The Ohio Is On The Rise", the latter by Larry K. Wilson.

"If Ships Could Talk" was written in 1980 and reflects a certain pride in the work towboat crews did as they moved cargo to tidewater for export. Read the following and see if you remember the incidents discussed in Jack R. Simpson's:



Rapt in a gloomy backstreet pub,
Three men sat sipping beer.
A clocked ticked t'ward the witching hour.
The subject turned to fear.

"What's the worst you've ever faced?"
Asked he behind the bar.
"While working on the waterways,
I know you've traveled far!"

The clocked ticked on, more drinks were brought;
A sob'ring mood prevailed.
As each man probed his memory --
Recalled the waters sailed.

For twixt the three a lot of years
Of river life they had.
They'd seen an awful lot of good. . .
Along the way some bad.

Finally, as the clock struck twelve,
The tender closed the bar,
And, pouring one more round, he said,
"Stay seated where you are!"

The other patrons he turned out;
They packed off home to bed.
Then locked he up the barroom doors
And to the trio said:

"The weather took a nasty turn.
Remain (it's dry in here)
And conjure up your river tales
Of danger and of fear."

The eldest of the three spoke up:
"Perhaps I should be first.
I've seen some trouble in my time,
And some, I think, the worst.

"I recall back in seventy-nine
Upon the lower Miss;
Our Mr. Pete a tanker struck.
Soon came a flaming kiss.

"That collision with the Pina
Set fire to her bow.
The Mississippi seemed aflame
As I remember now.

"Like bees to honey fireboats came
To fight the spreading blaze.
Heroic efforts of the men
Were in the news for days.

"I felt no danger for my life.
Two barges in our tow
Kept both the vessels far apart
When came the awful blow.

"What got to me, I tell you true,
It sure gave me a fright
To see that big Italian hulk
Approaching in the night!"

They shook their heads and each agreed
The story had been scary.
For each one knew a dread of fire --
The danger it did carry.

Again the barkeep filled each glass
And settle back to wait,
While others in the tiny group
Relived their bouts with fate.

The second inland seaman spoke,

His tongue was thick with brew:
"The incident that I recall
Near took the whole boat crew!

"The Clare E. Beatty pushed into
The ice at Markland Dam.
I winced each time the giant floes
Into the boat would ram.

"Some barges we'd gone there to save;
The snare was closing fast.
Then, 'fore you know, our luck ran out;
Our Clare was caught at last.

"We'd tied her up the guide wall,
But fast our chances shrank.
Our crewmen climbed to safety
Just 'fore the Beatty sank.

"We heard the groaning of her hull
And taut lines as they strained.
She settled down in sixty feet.
I felt my blood had drained."

Once more the pitcher made its round
As woozy each man sat
And fathomed what had just been said --
An eerie tale at that.

And finally as the minutes passed,
The youngest of the three
Said "Comrades! You will not believe
What happened once to me.

"So settle back! And down the hatch!
Because I'm going to tell
You everything that I recall
About an hour in hell.

"For it was one of those strange times
Your gut says things are sour. . .
That something's about to happen
Just as it did that hour.

"Does the George Prince ring any bells?
The Frosta was there, too.
And such a sight I've never seen,
Nor have the likes of you.

"We'd gone to visit New Orleans --
It was time off for me --
We thought we'd go to Destrahan
A longtime friend to see.

"Now as the George Prince left the shore
To make the fateful run,
Some passengers aboard, like me,
Thought crossing might be fun.

"The Greater New Orleans Harbor
Is quite a sight to see,
But two whistles from the Frosta
Sure put an end to glee.

"And my stomach then got queezy,
I tell you, Boys, no lie,
For the tanker tried to warn us,
We gave back no reply.

Now I don't know the harbor rules,
But something seemed dead wrong.
You don't ignore a whistle blast
And stay alive too long!

"And then the strangest thing occurred --
The ship was drawing near --
The ferry's engines were shut down,
And then I knew real fear.

"Only thirty yards between us,
No power to make us go,
I knew that we had met our end;
That tanker did not slow.

"From off the port the Frosta came
And fatal blow she struck.
The stricken George Prince breathed her last,
No help from Lady Luck.

"The ferry then turned belly up. . .
A real tragedy.
Then vessels came from everywhere
To save those they could see.

"Far more than seventy people died --
The Captain, he was one --
Before the ferry had gone down
The rescue was begun.

"They found me clinging to the hull,
And others there as well,
But many more had met their fate;
Their stories they can't tell.

"I dream about it now and then
And break out in a sweat.
I hear the Frosta's whistle call.
It's not been answered yet."

With that the speaker paused to look
Into his comrades' eyes,
Wherein he recognized the fear
That haunts man 'fore he dies.

Then spoke the barkeep, voice pitched low,
(the tale had touched him, too)
"Did anyone e'er learn the truth. . .
Explain the cause to you?"

The youngest seamen spoke once more,
But stared he off in space.
It came clear to the other three,
That fear still on his face.

"When we ignored the whistle call,
A Coast Guard probe had learned,
The tanker used its radio,
But that call, too, was spurned.

"They later found the man in charge
Among recovered dead.
And so there's much we'll never know,
Investigators said.

"A confusion of the signals
Blamed probers for the fate
Of the unsuspecting dozens
Whose warning came to late."

It did not take his list'ners long,
For each man he declared
The youngest speaker's tale was the
Most dreadful that was shared.

Then, as the sun rose o'er the hill,
The session stopped at last.
The barkeep poured one final round
And toasted they the past.

If you should enter river bar
And see men huddled 'round
Just sidle close to where they sit
To hear their tales profound.

Among themselves they will confess,
As seamen ofttimes do,
The fears that drive strong men to drink. . .
Partake of devil's brew.

And now, Dear Reader, you know, too,
Three stories from the past,
Revealed to us by rivermen.
Our tale ends here at last.


This hard cover, jacketed book is a dandy for anyone's library and as a gift for others. It is available on our web site for $4.50 per copy plus S&H. That's more than half off the release price of $9.95.

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  Tow Talkin'

February 21, 2005

By Kathy Flippo

Monday comes around so soon! [Tow Talkin' is due on Mondays] I've been tearing my house apart (again, yet, still) and the time flies. We landlubbers aren't the only ones who remodel, so do towboaters.

Towboats are just like homes, and the crews try to keep them up like they do their houses. New paneling gets put on the walls in hallways and rooms. If a wall isn't paneled, it gets fresh paint. Kitchens get new cupboards and counters. So do laundry rooms. New flooring is laid too. And of course, ever couple of years in the summer, the outside of the boat gets painted. That is quite a project; the old paint gets chipped off, the metal gets...

"The most important link in the national highway between…to continue reading this column, click here.


See you on the Web,


Jack
Little River Books
jacksimpson@littleriverbooks.com
Don't forget to visit our website!