Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1883 — The First Whistle. [ARTICLE]

The First Whistle.

The story of the first whistle on the Missouri river is amusing. Its introduction dates back to 1844. At that. time the settlers on the Missouri river were on the habit of making regular yearly visits to St. Louis to do their trading for themselves and friends. They were not provided with daily intercourse with the outside world, and many who lived back from the river seldom, if ever, saw a steamboat more than once a year. It happened that during the fall of 1844 the new steamer Lexington started up the Missouri river, loaded down to the guards wdth freight. The steamer was provided wdth a steam w-histle—the first used on the Missouri river—and as it happened no one knew about it except Warner, who was a wag and a lover of a joke. The night after leaving St. Louis the passengers were collected together playing cards (for fun) in the cabin, when the talk turned upon steamboat explosions, then very common. “I feel perfectly safe on this boat.” said Warner, as he dealt the cards. “Why?” inquired Yocum,the planter. “Why?” echoed the rest of the company. “I w ill tell you why,” said the wag. carefully studying his cards. “This boat t is provided with a new patent safety valve, which notifies passengers on board when it is about to blow up. It is a concern which makes a most unearthly noise, and -when you hoar it, it is time'to get back aft or jump overboard.” Notwitstanding the fact that Warner told his story with the most solemn and earnest countenance, some were skeptical. Not so, however, with the planter. Next morning, when the Lexington was steaming up the long, straight stretch of river just b'elow Washington, Mo., the passengers were at breakfast. The meal had been called, and all were busily engaged in doing justice to the kind of meals they were accustomed to serve on steamboats in those days. Suddenly the whistle commenced to blow', the first time on the trip.. The passengers looked at each other a moment, and horror and dismay spread over their faces. The first man to realize the situation and act was Yocum, the planter, who, with hair erect and blanched face, jumped up, crying as he pulled over one after another of the passengers: “Bun, run for your lives; the d—d thing is going to bust! Come with me and le£s save ourselves.” - -* Of course there was a stampode for the rear of the boat, and i t was only by the exertions of some of the crew that the more excited were restrained from jumping in the river. -Kasnas Ci ty Star.