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December 5, 2005 -- Vol. 5 Issue 49 Written by Jack R. Simpson (unless otherwise noted), owner of J.R. Simpson & Associates, Inc. and contributing editor to The Waterways Journal.
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 In This Newsletter:
Ever Wonder
Why isn’t there mouse-flavored cat food? A Personal Note From Jack
 Thanks to Jeffrey L. Yates, a longtime friend, I have been able to read a lengthy evaluation of Hurricane Katrina’s visit to the Gulf and its aftermath. The article, which appeared in “Commentary Magazine”, is titled “The Storm Over Katrina.” Author Wildred M. McClay formerly served on the faculty of Tulane University in New Orleans from 1987 to 1999. He now teaches history and humanities at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
I will draw no conclusions here in writing, though I have formed a few, but I hope the URL I provide will get you to the article so you can read it for yourselves. My only additional comment will be that Jeff lived three years in New Orleans and found that he agreed with the writer’s comments. It is a rather lengthy article, but it brings to light many issues about which we have given little thought or about which the press has reported erroneously. Good reading to you all! Fair And Unbiased Press? A few days ago when Democratic Congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania made his presentation about bringing troops home from Iraq, the liberal press had it plastered all over, along with his picture. A few days later, Democratic Congressman Joe Lieberman of Connecticut said he had returned from his fourth trip to Iraq and he thought President Bush’s plan is working. He saw progress on all levels. The liberal media (for the most part) didn’t even pay lip service to it. My own area daily, “The St. Louis Post-Dispatch” did exactly that. If I missed a story about Lieberman, it was because it was so small and buried that it was all but invisible. I find nothing wrong or unpatriotic about not liking the war or with disagreeing with President Bush’s policies, even though there are a few I don’t like. However, if the liberal press wants to express its “aginner” attitude in editorials that’s one thing. No publication should bolster its position by sins of omission, that is, leaving out the other side of the story. Iraq doesn’t make anyone happy. Nor should it. But the argument over weapons of mass destruction are phony at best. Saddam Hussein, and we all know this, poisoned Kurds and others with gas, which fit the bill of WMDs. One small container of anthrax is said to be potent enough to destroy a lot of people. The Christian press, those reporters who are working over in Iraq and nearby, have reported for years that truckloads of materials were moved out of Iraq before we moved in. So what is the argument? I’d say the President was more right than wrong. Time may eventually prove that he was. How the war started is water under the bridge, aside from the fact that most Democrats voted for it. We must look at where we are today and do what is best for today. The number of coalition forces killed in Iraq is tragic. But we kill more than 40,000 people on our highways annually without good cause. We abort millions of babies without, in many cases, any other cause than the mother doesn’t want the baby. The number of soldiers killed in action in previous wars (from a hard-nosed militaristic viewpoint) makes this war look as though it is not as bad as some think. How many patriots died in our revolutionary war to gain freedom from England? Thousands of thousands of soldiers on both sides lined up and walked into the jaws of death. Hundreds and hundreds died every time some officer said “Fire!” Unfortunately, it was a battle technique as old as Roman days. How many good and faithful northern and southern boys died in our Civil War for what they believed? The method of war was pretty much the same on the front line. We separated ourselves from England because we wanted self-rule and a lot of other things. Self-rule is what the Iraqi people want. If you see the reports that are coming from the troops (not the liberal press), you begin to understand that they are trying to give them that opportunity. Plant the seed of self-rule in the Middle East, and great things will happen, Bush argues. Hopefully that is true. I do think one mistake is being made. Since a rose by any other name is still a rose, I would quit talking about Democracy and focus on “self-rule.” Democracy is always associated with the U.S. and for good reason. But many hate the U.S. because they are envious of what we have. I would keep plugging for self-rule, self-rule, self-rule! And when it is achieved, there will be a Democracy. I also believe it is wrong to try to make soldiers (who think fighting for self-rule in Iraq is a noble cause) believe they are wrong. Those who do that are fighting a political battle against President Bush, whom they are trying to smear. They can tear Bush up one way and down the other if they wish, but they should be honest about it and not present totally biased news by committing the sin of omitting the viewpoint of those with whom they disagree. I don’t like war. I simply acknowledge that we are in it and must bring it to a successful end. Terrorism began around the world and in this country long before 9/11. Iraq is part of the war on terrorism. Our problem is the definition of a “successful end.” I don’t mind those who disagree with me. That’s their right. And it is my right to say what I believe in my own freely distributed newsletter, whether it matches the regular subject matter we cover or not. Merry Christmas! That greeting is still used around this house. — Jack  Since there is usually news in this section about issues related to Hurricane Katrina, we thought we might just show you a piece of her handiwork. Newsletter News
Setting the record straight In the November 7 issue of B&B we published a story verbatim that we had received from “The Argus Leader” (Sioux Falls, S.D.) titled “River Reveals Sunken Steamboat.” The story by Nestor Ramos was interesting but not quite accurate. It was several days after reading that story that I began to question parts of it. (See B&B archives for details.) So let me explain. If Grant Marsh, the famous old Missouri River master-pilot was in charge of the North Alabama when she sank on the Missouri River near Vermillion, S.D., I knew the boat would be listed in the book “Conquest of the Missouri”, which gives very minute detail about Capt. Marsh’s activities on the Missouri. Sure enough, I discovered that Capt. Marsh was on a different boat at the time but that he had been the master on a successful North Alabama Missouri cruise the previous year. The North Alabama, it was feared would be trapped in ice, but circumstances changed and the good captain was able to bring the boat out safely. So then, I checked “Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994” and found that the boat was built in Brownsville, Pa., in 1864, not in Pittsburgh in the 1860s as Ramos had written. Most importantly, in charge of the North Alabama was Master A. Townsend. She was owned By Barton Able, et al. The sunken boat caused the channel to change, and she was covered by sand. In July 1906, another change exposed the wreck, then swallowed it up again, the late Capt. Frederick Way, Jr., wrote. I notified the editor who had sent me the story, thinking it might interest him. Who knows if it got through to him? I got no response. But at least B&B readers now know the correct version. We wouldn’t want Capt. Marsh turning over in his grave because we credited him with sinking a vessel over which he wasn’t in command. — Jack  Web Site News
We have added for your Christmas gift-buying pleasure a new section offering book-package deals that make it possible for buyers to save many dollars buying their own gifts and stocking stuffers for others. For Those Inclined To Pray
 We have modified the steps for joining our Prayer Circle. If you visit the Prayer Circle link on at www.littleriverbooks.com, you will find that those who sign up are completely anonymous. We do not ask for first names nor states of residence. Joining is as simple as providing an email address to which we can send future prayer requests. Each prayer request list includes a link for including requests.
By joining our Prayer Circle, you can tap into the prayerful support of circle members wherever they are. Membership and prayer requests are open to everyone.
On The Waterfront
(Editor’s note: With my first entry into the river business at “The Waterways Journal” in 1974, I heard about Scott Chotin, Sr. He has been a big influence on the marine industry forever, it seems. It is totally irregular for me to publish lengthy obituaries. But I’m sure readers will agree this is in order. We salute his accomplishments. This material, provided by the funeral home, has been widely published (including in “The Waterways Journal” of November 28), but in case you missed it, here it is — edited to fit our needs.) Scott Chotin, Sr., A River Legend, Dies at 89 Capt. J. Scott Chotin, Sr., a legend on the Mississippi River, died Monday, November 21, 2005, at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans. He was 89. Inducted into the National Rivers Hall of Fame in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1986, he was also, the recipient of the 2002 Seamen’s Church Institute Lifetime Achievement Award. When Seaman’s Church honored him, the executive director introduced him fittingly as a “man Mark Twain would instantly recognize and appreciate”. In addition, he was the subject of a book titled “100 Years on the River; The Chotin Family and Their Boats.” Capt. Chotin began his career on the river when he was 10, trimming the window panes of his father’s boats during breaks from school. He graduated from Alcee Fortier High School at 17, began working full time as a steersman on the Str. J. N. Pharr, running from New Orleans to Monroe, La., on the Ouachita River. He was a veteran pilot by the time he was 24. At one point, he and his father, Capt. Joe, had the distinction of being the youngest and oldest licensed pilots on the river. Together, their life’s work spanned nearly a century on the waterways, first in the bayous of south Louisiana, and eventually the Mississippi River and practically all of it tributaries. In 1936 while aboard the second Str. J. N. Pharr, the vessel was overturned by a tornado near Paducah, Ky. Five men were drowned; the Chotins and several others were spared. With a series contracts with Standard Oil Company in the 1930s and the many innovations he developed, Chotin Transportation, Inc. was launched on its path to success propelling it into one of the largest independent carriers of refined products in the nation. Truly a pioneer, he developed the insulated and heated asphalt barge. These double-skinned barges were developed to keep asphalt in a semi-liquid form allowing easier unloading. Capt. Chotin was among the first to operate these barges. He was instrumental in developing the concept of integrated tows with long-raked, high speed-lead barges and is credited with helping General Motors engineer its marine diesel engines. He was among the first to install automatic pilots on boats’ steering systems and was the first to experiment with bow thrusters. He also designed and built the first vinyl chloride barge as well as developing independently controlled flanking and steering rudders. When his father died in 1970, Capt. Chotin merged the company with Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates. Chotin Transportation then owned 13 towboats and 166 barges, hailed to be the most modern fleet on the river. It remained as a wholly owned subsidiary with Capt. Scott as its president. Ever enterprising though, he started another company called Canal-River Towing Ltd., which was run by his son Scott Jr. and former Chotin employee Lynn Sherill. Later the company merged into Scott Chotin, Inc. It prospered, owning eight towboats and 26 tank barges before being sold to Kirby Corporation in 1992. Revered for his revolutionary engineering accomplishments and knowledge of boat and barge design, Capt. Chotin’s advice was sought out by many long after retirement. In 2003, he passed the rigid U.S. Coast Guard exam for his master’s license, which was renewed for the 15th consecutive time, making him one of the oldest licensed masters in the United States. He was a founding member of the American Waterways Operators, Inc., a member of the National Waterways Conference, Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association, Marine Transportation Council, the Propellor Club, Plimsoll Club, the International House, Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans Country Club and the Ft. Lauderdale Yacht Club. He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years Patricia Carter Chotin. Services were held at Metairie, La., and burial in New Orleans. Donations may be made to the Seamen’s Church Institute, “Ministry On The River’, 241 Water St., New York, NY 10038 or National Rivers Hall of Fame, 350 East Third St., Dubuque, IA 52001. Prisoners May Help Rebuild Mississippi Coastal Area Word is out that Mississippi-Coast officials are considering ways they might use several hundred state prisoners to help in Hancock County. It is believed that such an exercise could save the coast governments millions of dollars. As envisioned, the prisoners could help remove debris and rebuild. It would be the largest inmate-labor deployment the state Department of Corrections has ever attempted. Among those prisoners are electricians, plumbers, painters, carpenters, and roofers. Stay tuned! (Editor’s note: Just don’t let them rebuild the jails!) Mv. Vulcan Loses Power Above Hannibal Locks, Crew Swims To Safety On the night of November 30, the towboat Vulcan lost power above Hannibal Locks and Dam and its six crewmembers swam to safety. According to the “Pittsburgh Tribune-Review”, the vessel was about to enter the lock about 7:30 p.m. when the incident occurred. (The Hannibal Locks and Dam structure spans the Ohio River at Mile 126.4, between New Martinsville, W.Va., and Monroe County, Ohio. Early reports indicate that Capt. Matt Dillon steered the barges into shore before the six men leaped into the water. He told of the incident to his wife, Carolyn, who told the “Tribune-Review” that the men locked hands and all jumped together so they wouldn’t lose anyone. The Coast Guard is investigating the incident. Barge Capsized In Gulf Struck Sunken Oil-Industry Platform Sunk By Rita (Update) Reuters, reporting information provided by the Coast Guard on November 30, said the oil barge that capsized November 14 in the Gulf of Mexico struck (on November 10) a sunken oil-industry platform that had been sunk by Hurricane Rita. The barge, DBL 152, was part of an integrated unit (earlier identified as Rebel). The incident put a 35-foot gash in the hull. The double-hulled barge was owned by K-Sea Transportation, New York. The sunken platform was marked by unlighted buoys at the time of the incident, Reuters reported. The Coast Guard says it has now set four-mile safety zones around the locations of the barge and platform and marked them with lighted buoys. Of the 31, 166 barrels of heavy fuel oil aboard, a large portion leaked out and settled on the ocean floor, initial surveys indicated. Another 9,523 barrels were taken off the barge. Grounded James River Barge Leaked More Than First Thought (update) Though no cause for the grounding has been reported, the amount of hot asphalt that was leaked into the James River on November 28 is now being reported at 63,000 gallons, twice as much as first reported. “The Virginian-Pilot” reports that most of the product is concentrated beneath and along the sides of the 250-foot, nearly submerged barge Piney Point. She was in tow of the tug Barbary Coast en route from Baltimore to Richmond’s Deep Water Terminal for unloading. Crossing The Bar
Kenneth G. Robbins, 66, a marine engineer and consultant, died November 24 at his home in Loranger, La. He was the owner of Marine Propulsion in Hammond, La. advertisement
The River School - Deck and engineer licenses, radar observer, tankerman, fire and water safety courses, video programs. Travel classes in convenient locations. (800) 238-7113 www.riverschool.com From Our Readers
Re: The Marsha L Just a quick note to let you know that I really look forward to receiving your email publication Bitts & Bytes. I wonder if you could help me with a question? Do you or any of your readers know of the whereabouts of the Mv. Marsha L? She was a sister boat of the Mv. Principio, currently owned by Brown Towing of Kittanning, Pa. The Marsha L appears to have disappeared from the “Inland River Record” in the mid to late 70s. She at one time carried the name of NACCO. One of her former owners, Ken Williams of Crown Metal Products, changed her name to Marsha L in honor of his granddaughter. Ken’s son Bert is a good friend of mine and he and I, along with Marsha would love to find her again and if possible get a current picture of her as well. Jim Arnold Re: Marsha L Inquiry The short answer: She was sold in 1976 to Hill’s Marine Enterprises, Inc., Florence, Ala. The vessel was dismantled about 1986, when I took it out of the IRR. I have a half-dozen or so photos of the MARSHA L with Crown Metal Products markings. I also have photos of the boat under all of its previous names, going back to FROG. (Editor’s note: Some may not realize how much boats move around, so here is additional information from Dan.) Built as FROG for Lea River Lines in 1940 Sold June 1945 renamed CORSAIR by Wheeling Steel Corp. Sold Feb. 1952, renamed NACCO (North American Coal Corp.) by Powhatan Mining Co. Sold June 1967 to Bel-Mon Towing Co. Sold May 1969 renamed MARSHA L by Crown Metal Products Co. Sold July 1970 to Nasbitt Marine Service Sold April 1976 to Hill’s Marine Enterprise, who owned it until dismantled.  Dan Owen (Editor’s final note: As it turns out, Dan and Jim got together via email and continued the discussion. On another note, Jim submitted a nice picture of the Winnie Mae, taken on the Allegheny River, and it appears in the Photo Center this week. And on still another note, it is not unusual for B&B subscribers to make acquaintances among river folks who have similar interests. Try it, you’ll like it.) Re: Howard Steamboat Museum The Howard Steamboat Museum [at Jeffersonville, Ind.] will have a Holiday Open House on Sunday, December 11th, from 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. Admission (normally $5) will be free that day. Music will be provided by Capt. Bill Ray and The Big Muddy String Band. Santa will be “on deck” from 1:00 - 3:00, and refreshments will be served. The museum gift shop will be offering a 10 percent discount on river books, prints and other stocking stuffer items. The museum website is www.steamboatmuseum.org and contains driving directions and other information. Keith Norrington Re: If I were King Again, good thoughts about many things. You’ve my vote for KING of whatever. How’s that for being a good salesman for yourself? Glenn Hensley Kirkwood, Mo. (Editor’s note: I’ll cherish your vote any day!) advertisement 2/4
 Collectible Towboats / Barges / Models for sale. Custom design or choose from large list of inland waterway companies. American Towboater Logo Wear for sale includes T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Golf Shirts and Hats. For info and price list, call 502-241-1118 (Fax No. 502-241-1976) or email cherokeebb@insightbb.com. Order now for the holidays. For closer look, check out web site: http://www.cherokeebarge.com.
Re: Back Reading B&B Again It is good to read your newsletter again after a couple of weeks in The Netherlands. I have had a really good time in a small hotel in Hook of Holland, where I saw and took pictures of many deep-sea and coastal ships. Those giants with containers are a sight to see but also the little tugboats doing their job. Also, a visit to the Maritime Exhibition was great, with all the new improvements made to make ships, tugs and towboats better for use for their work and crews. The winter here has left, and the rain returned, but not for long, I’m sure. We should have no April weather in November, but this is one thing we cannot change. Jan van der Doe Re: photo center under ‘L’ I was told the L. Wade Childress went down at Fort Madison, Iowa, not Louisiana. Is there ice in Louisiana? Your site is fast becoming the place to go for photo archives. John Rybarczyk Prairie du Chien, Wis. (Editor’s note: Whoops! On the other hand, who knows what the Kat (Katrina) may have dragged in? Thank you for calling it to our attention. It’s fixed.) Boat Photo Center
 This week our pictures include a view representing the handiwork of Hurricane Katrina. They include: the Winnie Mae from Jim Arnold; Jerry Tinkey, Laura Elizabeth, Linda Little, Omar, Robert Kopper, and William Goffinet from Jesse Lybarger; a grounded drydock from Butch Bartholomew; and the Sir Robert and Queen City from John Miller.
Recipe Box
Do you have a good holiday recipe you’d like to share? Submit your recipes here! The Book Beat
 We have just ordered another supply of “Steamboats On The Fox.” This large, heavy table-top book is a tremendous offer at $20 and includes a free DVD of “At The Water’s Edge.” 
Steamboats on the Fox River - by D. C. Mitchell
209 pages. Heavily illustrated. Hard cover. A pictorial history of navigation in northeastern Wisconsin. This large tabletop book is a gold mine of pictures of steamboats and postcards, many in color. It is a must for steamboat history buffs. Our Price: $20.00 The Gift Shop
Compass and clock chart weights — the perfect Christmas gift! An excellent company Christmas gift for employees! Each chart weight comes gift-boxed suitable for presentation purposes. Chart weights can be customized with names, company names, and logos for an extra charge. However, to do so requires that the customer call Jack at 314/921-4419 and make arrangements by phone. It cannot be done directly on the website.
Tow Talkin'
December 5, 2005 By Kathy Flippo  If you are a long time reader of this drivel, you know that I live three short blocks north of Beaver Slough. ARTCO fleets MT barges on the Beaver Island side of the slough, so I see the little harbor tug Saratoga running around over there now and then. But today (Nov. 28), while looking out my office window, my eyes about popped out of my head. ARTCO’s big Cooperative Venture is parked down there alongside a bunch of MTs. Looks like a skyscraper sticking above the dike and strings of railroad tank cars in the ADM rail yard.
The Saratoga is 60 by 22 feet, and the Coop Venture is a whopping 168 by 40 feet. Quite the difference! The Saratoga has all of 800 horsepower, and the Venture has 3,800 horses, so there is quite a difference there, too. For some reason, looking out my window and seeing the Coop Venture over there in the Slough reminds me of years ago when Patrick was teaching one of the crew how to steer. Having gone through Pat’s tutelage… to continue reading, click on the rat. See you on the Web, Jack Little River Books jacksimpson@littleriverbooks.com Don't forget to visit our website! |
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