|
|
 |
 |
| Kathy, author of three river books with more to come, is a retired river captain's wife and has "been there, done that." She knows the river and has spent hundreds of days riding the boats and collecting information for her books. She is also a tireless supporter of water transportation and water resource development. Visit www.LittleRiverBooks.com often and find "TOW TALKIN'" a delightful new experience in river chats. It will be posted each week. |
|
Tow Talkin’ May 5, 2008 The river is going down and the tows are moving again. Last week before they started locking again, there were two boats on the cell above Lock 13, the Mvs. Loree Eckstein and the Jane G. Huffman. The Mv. David L. Griggs was nosed into the Iowa side below the lock. It was crew change time for the Griggs the afternoon I went up to the lock to see the high water. I was able to talk to their first mate, Shane Marczak, who has been on the river for 16 years and lives in Grafton, Illinois. The second mate was Jerry Ryan from Paducah, Kentucky, who has been working on the river for six years. They told me that Fred Tate and Mike Cottum were the captains. I’ve spent three days, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., up in Heritage Canyon in Fulton, Illinois, talking to people about the river for Fulton’s annual Dutch Days celebration. Rivermen know Fulton best for the full size real windmill on the riverbank. The Heritage Canyon was a quarry that is now an old time village with church, school, shops, log cabin, “farm house” and all in it—all strictly for education purposes. Ingram’s Mv. O. H. Ingram spent several hours Sunday lying along Beaver Island across from us to do some rat killing. After having Ingram’s Richard E. Waugh over there for almost a week during the high water, it seemed empty without a towboat to look at. Other than this little bit of news, not much happening on the river. So long until next week from the old river rat. |
|
Click here to e-mail the Old River Rat!
|
|
|
Click here to read previous "Tow Talkin'" columns by Kathy Flippo! |
|
Beaver Island Remembered - by Kathy Flippo 112 pages. Generously illustrated. Soft cover. Now in its third printing. This popular book is a history of some of the people who lived on Beaver Island (just off the Mississippi River right bank at Clinton, Iowa) from the time Charles and Ann Meyers settled there in 1840 until March 1995. We get a glimpse of the “Beaver Island War,” which took place in 1842, clearly establishing that the Clintonians ruled the island. From then on, the upper end of the island drew many settlers, mostly of Swedish and German descent. The island was a sportsmen’s paradise, and Kathy Flippo describes what it was like to work on the island, what residents (128 when the population was at its peak) did for fun, for transportation, for education, and for groceries, and how they survived during high water. Usually same-day shipping!
List Price: $11.00 Our Price: $9.00 You Save: $2.00 (18.2%) more info larger image |
Between The Saints: Louis and Paul - by Kathy Flippo 325 pages. Generously illustrated. Soft cover. Nonfiction: Upper Mississippi. This marvelous book is a must for anyone even thinking about working on the river or for those just wondering what river life is like. Author’s captain husband spent 50 years on the river. She spent much time on towboats and tells all (almost). Describes river towns and displays pictures of hundreds of boats. It will keep you turning pages. Usually same-day shipping!List Price: $29.95 Our Price: $25.00 You Save: $4.95 (16.5%) more info larger image |
Back To Beaver Island - by Kathy Flippo 216 pages. Soft Cover. More than 250 illustrations. This book is a sequel to Beaver Island Remembered. The author delves more deeply into the lives of those residents of Beaver island (just off the right bank of the Mississippi River at Clinton, Iowa). The island became populated in the middle of the last century and remained so through the mid 1900s. Ever wonder what people did on a small island in the Mississippi? They had a blast - and some hard times, too. If you missed the first book, don't miss this one. If you have the first book, it's still worth the chips, because the author invited all of the surviving island residents and their families back to the island for a get-together. This meant scads of new pictures and tons of new information. Usually same-day shipping!
List Price: $24.95 Our Price: $20.00 You Save: $4.95 (19.8%) more info larger image |
