Remembering where you "started"

Hey Pete so that was July of 79? I was Releif Mate at the time going back and forth between the DQ and MQ. I believe I was on the MQ around then be cause I was on the DQ for the first Great Steamboat Race to Cincy in may of 79, then went on days and back to the MQ. Jimmy Carter and family rode 30 years ago this month.

mel hartsough;17936 wrote: Hey Pete so that was July of 79? I was Releif Mate at the time going back and forth between the DQ and MQ. I believe I was on the MQ around then be cause I was on the DQ for the first Great Steamboat Race to Cincy in may of 79, then went on days and back to the MQ. Jimmy Carter and family rode 30 years ago this month.

It was indeed! I was supposed to go on the Carter trip....but I couldn't due to my school starting the next week...so my grandparents & my 2 cousins went in the August time frame with the Carters...I have posted about it extensively on the old forum here...

http://www.steamboats.org/talkshop&msg_num=198 4">1979 Delta Queen Presidential trip - List Thread

I was trying to think of Henry Mitchell's one brother who was our waiter that cruise????

Henrys Brothers names were Luke and Artie and they were both waiters. Most likely Harry Louden was one of the Pilots and Oren Russel may have been the other.

mel hartsough;17938 wrote: Henrys Brothers names were Luke and Artie and they were both waiters. Most likely Harry Louden was one of the Pilots and Oren Russel may have been the other.

Arthur...that's it!!!

I well remember Luke as well!

first DQ trip

Sept. 18, 1954 - first time I saw her. She was laid up here after running through herself
Sept. 1968 - first time I set foot on board. Dad and I went to Muscatine to tour her. Doc was playing the calliope as we walked along the levee to the stage.
Aug. 20, 1973 12 noon - departure time of my first trip, a 3 day from St. Louis to Davenport, a Dick Billings State Bank of East Moline charter... and the rest is history.
Ernie Wagner was Master, Rip Ware and Walter Karnath pilots; Gabe was a Purser; band was: Vic, Mom and Pop Tooker and Pete Eveland. Dan came aboard in July of '74. Reuben was my waiter, can't remember if Pete and Louise were on that year or if they started in '74.

There was another Mitchell brother named Ralph.

Although this was getting toward the end of my time on the DQ, I returned from time off at St. Louis the day you got off, I guess. Sharon and I married May 26th that year, and took 6 weeks off for a honeymoon, so I guess I was returning from that. She had already gone back a few days prior. Capt. "Rip" Ware and I were aboard the same plane to St. Louis, and shared a cab to the boat that day. I remember Capt. Ware (in one of his "cantankerous" moods) telling me that "I'm not gonna let the President in the pilothouse 'cause the law says not to." I pointed out to him that officers of the U. S. Navy were exempt from exclusion from the pilothouse -- that Carter had been a naval officer and was furthermore Commander-In-Chief of all the armed forces, and thought we could let him visit. Capt. Ware didn't think much of my logic. He informed Capt. Fred Martin (relief Captain that trip) of his intent not to allow the President access to the pilothouse, and Capt. Martin informed Ware, in his usual laconic manner, "I'll take care of that."

I grew up on the Ohio River and can remember the DELTA QUEEN blowing for the locks above our place and begging an adult to take us to the river so we could jump her waves this would have been in the '50's.

First time on her for a visit September, 1977.

First time to ride her September 13, 2001 for a three day round trip out of Cincinnati to Portsmouth, OH with a stop in Maysville, KY. Garland Schumacher (is the spelling right) was Master.

As they say - the rest is history - with 16 passenger trips under my belt and one working trip. And already 5 nights on her as a hotel in Chattanooga with 6 more planned in September.

Oh, how I love that boat!

Lol Robert I can hear Rip saying that now! I was on the MQ that trip and we were stuck in Elizabeth town illinois due to low water for 2 days if Im not mistaken.

President Carter Photo

Wow, what a coincidence to read just now that it was 30 years ago this month that President Carter took his trip on the DQ. It just so happens that I brought my photo to work today to show someone and then had it scanned. I hope I have attached it to this message. Can it really be 30 years???

Carter DQ trip

Yep, it was Aug. 17-24, 1979. We were on a shore stop in Chester Illinois on the 9th or 10th when the Secret Service visited and inspected the boat and gave the OK. Capt. Martin announced it that afternoon to the passengers. I don't know if you were told ahead of us or not. From then on, it was a 'beehive' of activity. I remember saying something to then-DQ President Robert Mosier, and he replied, "We're merely doing a year's worth of maintenance in a week." Those were the times when all the money was being poured into the MQ and the DQ just rolled along on a shoestring while Big Sis got the goods. That changed in a hurry that week!

Oh What A Ride

Judy is right about the Chester, Illinois stop. And no, the crew heard the news as the captain announced it to one and all over the PA system after we left Chester. I think the exact words were something like this "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. You were probably wondering who our visitors were this morning in Chester. They were Secret Service Agents here to look over the Delta Queen. The President of the United States will be taking a cruise with us in two weeks." We were obviously all stunned. We had been wondering earlier in the day just who was planning on chartering the boat. All we were told prior to stopping in Chester was that potential charterers were coming to inspect the boat. They all dressed just like you expect to see Secret Service men dress in their dark suits and ties. When we saw them, not knowing who they really were, we figured it was really going to be a "fun" charter.

Charterer

Remember that a Mormon group had the MQ chartered that week, and it was rumored it was they who were looking over the DQ for the following year's charter? I remember I was stretched out on the deck in the sun when the group walked around me - I made no effort to get out of their way and I do remember it being a solemn-looking group.

I could have been one of the pilots too. I made almost all of those Cinci/St. Louis trips, both ways. Harry Louden was probably pilot most of the time but had to get off/on at Cairo. That would leave Russell for the Upper to/from St. Louis. I would always get off/on at St. Louis, as the DQ then headed for St. Paul where I wasn't licensed. I got so tired of the St. Louis airport that I started riding the train back to Texas.

You were... I was sitting in the pilothouse with you when Capt. Martin made the announcement. Later in the week he announced our galley had been inspected and got a 100% rating - and I asked "Which way?" Also remember our educating the new riverman about always being prepared if an artifact came in range? You showed him your handy dandy tool keychain....

Where was Rep. Oberstar when he was needed? It is hard to imagine that the USCG and the Secret Service permitted a sitting president to ride a firetrap. Heads should roll for this negligence. Did the President survive the desperate chance he took?

I think the greatest concern was if the decks would hold up to the President's jogging.

Ew! Whatta mistaka to maka!!! Conveniently, I remember nothing about such a presentation.

Lexie Palmore;18015 wrote: I could have been one of the pilots too. I made almost all of those Cinci/St. Louis trips, both ways. Harry Louden was probably pilot most of the time but had to get off/on at Cairo. That would leave Russell for the Upper to/from St. Louis. I would always get off/on at St. Louis, as the DQ then headed for St. Paul where I wasn't licensed. I got so tired of the St. Louis airport that I started riding the train back to Texas.

I don't recall who the pilots were frankly!

Maybe I can find my album that has the "steamboatin' times" inside of it...as I think it states most of the crew???

Lexie,

Yes, you were indeed the pilot on the afterwatch during that Cinci to St. Louis trip when the Carter's upcoming cruise was announced. I remember that very plainly, because I was asleep, off-watch when Capt. Martin made the announcement that day. When I meandered up into the PH later that afternoon, you were on watch and the first words you said to me were: "What's the strangest thing you think could happen aboard this boat?" Considering that it was the DQ we were talking about, my mind literally reeled at the infinite possibilities of the "strangest thing that could occur on board" (many of those things probably having actually taken place over the years, as a matter of fact!) Anyway, it was at that point that you broke the news to me. A flurry of "home improvements" followed during the next week or so. Touching up the painting on the fru-fru around the after end of the Sundeck roof by the calliope, repainting all of the main deck siding, purchasing new furniture and carpeting in St. Paul for room 339 and 340, and one last minute touch an hour before departure: painting a red "H" and a blue "C" above the handles on the faucets in the shower stall in the Carter's cabin. Good memories of a wild and crazy summer!