M.Q. Fireroom Pics

It looks like the only part of the MQ that is in decent shape.

Boarders

DId you notice any evidence of people staying on board: vagrants, crackheads, etc.? As accessible as she is, I would think that would be a distinct possibility.

I did not venture into the crew holes but did notice several indications of others having been using her. I did not notice any signs of anyone setting up "housekeeping" but others had been aboard. Groups of beer bottles, a number of cigarette butts in a local area, mostly the same brand. Some may have been from Perry St. but others looked too fresh. I was suprised that there were several items laying around that would have some pawn value but no one had removed them. There was one main deck room that still had beds and matterres but too messed up to think anyone was staying in that room.
No sign of "works" or it being used as a "shooting gallery". It was too hot inside to be used during the day.

Gee , It All Looks The Same To Me !!

Greetings From New Orleans ,
Gee , Fred the Engine Room on the MQ , looks just like it did when I was there ! Did anything really change ?? Well , you know Engineers always did have their own sense of tidyness about them !!
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson

Fred Carmichael;22043 wrote: I did not venture into the crew holes but did notice several indications of others having been using her. I did not notice any signs of anyone setting up "housekeeping" but others had been aboard. Groups of beer bottles, a number of cigarette butts in a local area, mostly the same brand. Some may have been from Perry St. but others looked too fresh. I was suprised that there were several items laying around that would have some pawn value but no one had removed them. There was one main deck room that still had beds and matterres but too messed up to think anyone was staying in that room.
No sign of "works" or it being used as a "shooting gallery". It was too hot inside to be used during the day.

During my time in Engineering on the D.Q. + M.Q., uless in transit to other locations, I do not remember ever seeing any deck officers venture into the fireroom on either boat. I never knew if this was based on professional respect, or fear.
The unknown does create a sense of fear. Some visited the engine rooms but wonder if this was due the more openess of the locations and a feeling of a way out quickly. :-0.

I guess now it can be told that a few of us were allowed in the fireroom of the DQ on our last trips. Narrow, noisy, hot place that, yes, if you were not familiar with what was going on and what the machinery around you was doing, you'd be fearful. Hmm, and if you thought the boilers needed inspecting, I suppose you'd be a little nervous too! Heh heh heh.
I think the temperature down there was about 110, great staff weight reduction program!!
I have great respect for those who toiled in such conditions so we could travel the rivers.
S'
David D.

Ed Smith

Ed Smith was the Fireman on the DQ for many years and I believe other well known steamboats before that. He spent almost all his time down in that hot boiler room. This photo was taken by me on his last day of work before retiring. Unfortunately I did not put the date on it. I imagine Judy or Bob Reynolds or some other might put a date to it. Ed was a true legend and a great guy. Very quiet and unassuming.

As mate, I made frequent trips to the DQ boiler room as there was a bilge siphon down there. I worked with Ed Smith quite a bit when I was pilot. (He knew more than he let on.) If we were going to be locking or landing, I would call Ed first, then the engine room. The engine room was actually supposed to notify the fireman, but some engineers (not the regulars) would forget. Automatic controls were non-existant then.

Great picture, Ted. Yes, Ed came to the DELTA QUEEN with Capt. Wagner after the AVALON ceased operations. His partner from the AVALON, Bubba Chinn, came also. In the 1970's Ed's brother John came aboard for several years as fireman. Never one lick of trouble out of the Smith brothers as far as firing went, and I cannot say that for some who held that position. The only thing I did that Ed did not like was I liked to warm up the capstan and the stage hoist engines prior to using them. If I let it capstan turn more than 3 or 4 revolutions, Ed was out there to tell me to "quit wastin' my steam!" Shipyard Sam can elaborate on this.

Yes, we had to go in the fireroom at least once a watch, sometimes more, to handle the siphons for the mid-body hull compartments. The potable water tanks were also down there, and the mates were responsible for checking the water levels and switching tanks, if needed.

One more anecdote about Ed: the day Capt. Wagner died, I learned it upon waking up at 11:30 am to work the after watch that day. I collapsed on the bow of the boat with tears running down my face, and Ed came and sat by me and just put his arm around my shoulder.

I remember when ............................

Greetings From New Orleans ,
Fred , I distinctly remember when Capt. Wagner would visit both the Engine Room and the Fire Room and in my opinion he would go there to escape from both the passengers and the crew alike and then " Hold Court " and tell a story of times and events from the past and needless to say , I would just be mesmorized by how only Capt. Wagner could tell a story !
I do however remember one time , in the Fire Room when Capt. Wagner was chewing on Gabe and showing no mercy and then when he spoted me , I was draged into the fray and only made my escape when " Big Capt. " , decided to renew his onslaught on his First Mate ! Believe me it was not a pretty sight and I could hear Capt. Wagner scream at Gape all the way out by the boat's captsain !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson

Fred Carmichael;22031 wrote: The adventure of last Wed. was somewhat spur of the moment and I was not well equipt. My trip to the fireroom was without flashlight and except for a small amount of light from above deck, these pics where point and shoot in total darkness. In some ways, the fireroom was left in better shape than when I worked down there as a fireman in '77.

Plunder

Any guess of what has been 'plundered' for good from the MQ?

Oh, yeah, Ted! And Capt. Wagner wasn't the only one to do that, either.

Once when I was watchman, I was hanging around in the engine room talking with Jim Bryeans, Capt. Gabe and Dave Rainbolt. It was departure evening on the first trip of the season. We were standing there talking and some newbie porter comes rushing in, looking around. He said, "David Martin told me to come down here and get some towels - fast!" Rainbolt looked at him and with that dry wit only Rainbolt had, said, "In the engine room?!?"

Plundered

Casey Herschler;22120 wrote: Any guess of what has been 'plundered' for good from the MQ?

Anything brass... since the company gutted her in '07, its hard to know what was 'acquired' and what was just pitched. One steering lever was left when the NATCHEZ people saw the pilothouse. They've noticed a washer and dryer missing since their first visit, and of course the inflatable raft that inflated as someone was making off with it.

Towells ??

Greetings From New Orleans ,
Towels ?? Was that all that the green porter was asked to get from the Engine Room ?? All I can say, is that whom ever gave him that order lacked a certain sense of imagination or humor !! When I was there we would have demanded far much more from him to go and retrieve than towels !! We (my generation of DQ Deck Officiers) would have demanded something in the catagory of a Portable Bulkhead Stretcher or a Bucket Of Steam or even much more important , One Hundred Feet Of Chow Line !!
Now I realize that in all likelyhood this particualr event took place well after I had departed to go pilot the ships between New Orleans and Baton Rouge , but did not you younger guys learn anything from those of us whom had gone before you ?? So much to learn and in so little time !! Ma Green would have turned over in her grave !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson