Topic starter
07/06/2007 8:44 pm
Every person who tried becoming a steamboat pilot, whether or not he became one, has one teacher who ranks as his hero. Samuel Clemens had Horace Bixby. C. W. Stoll's was Selby Crader. G. W. McBride's was Joe Hughes. I think Lexie Palmore's may have been Harry Louden. In my instance that man was Harris D. Underwood. He was an A-1 handler. He was a double-ender and held licenses as master, pilot and engineer.
The day that I announced to him that I intended to become a pilot he told me I would never make it because I was too old. I was 41 at the time. Even so, he tried. He taught by words and by example. The words could be galling. He would say, "Other pilots may do it that way, but I don't," and I resolved to avoid the methods of those 'other pilots'. He made a habit of jotting down the drafts, forward and aft, the weather, who was on watch and other data that attracted his attention. I never saw him refer to those notes, so I suspect he wrote them to better imprint them in his memory.
He had marks all over the boat by which to judge distances. Where two guy wires crossed told him how far it was to the nearest obstruction, whether it be bridge pier, shoreline or another boat. A particulr rail post in line with a special utility pole on shore told him exactly where the head of the boat was in relation to the wharfboat. He had dozens of them.
He could accurately gauge the speed of the boat by the sound of the bow wave, or the scapes, or by the vibrations of the pilothouse.
He was absolutely nerveless when danger loomed.
You could sleep when Harris was on watch!
And he was right about my dream of piloting. I didn't make it.
08/06/2007 11:24 am
Capt. Harris Underwood was the first "honest to goodness" steamboat pilot I ever knew and I always was in AWE of him! A true southern gentleman, he was a "no nonsense" person and I saw him, on several occasions, eject obnoxious loudmouths from the sanctity of the Belle's pilothouse! As Alan commented, Harris had phenomenal piloting abilities that often left many of us speechless. Two exciting occasions that I especially remember were during steamboat races. In 1969 the BELLE and DQ actually bumped on the upstream leg of the race. The DQ had won the "coin toss" for the desired Indiana side of the river. Harris was determined to get as close to that side as possible and he brought the BELLE so close to the DQ that the suction drew them together briefly! When he was admonished for this, he immediately quoted from the "Rules of the Road" which proved that what he had done was legal!
In the 1970 race there were two turns and Harris flipped the BELLE around at Jeffboat, coming within inches of a moored barge. It looked like we were going to plow into that barge no matter what, but Harris was as cool as a cucumber, spinning that big pilotwheel around with the utmost of confidence as the BELLE steamed on to victory!
I treasured my friendship with Capt,. Harris and his wife Mabel (they lived at Chattanooga) and kept in touch with them long after his retirement from the river. Although it's been my privilege to know many fine steamboat captains and pilots since first meeting Capt. Harris in the early 1960's, he will always stand out as my personal version of "Capt. Horace Bixby" from Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi. A whistle salute in memory of Capt. Harris and Miss Mabel.
Topic starter
08/06/2007 11:48 am
I was in the engineroom when Harris Underwood made that hair-raising turn just above the Big Four Bridge. We passed so close to a moored empty barge that our stern wave splashed against the side of the barge and into the engineroom windows. After the excitement died a little bit I went to Harris. I asked, "Cap, how did you know she would make that turn?"
He replied, "Aw, I knew she'd make it all the time."
I then asked, "What would you have done if I'd been steering?"
He answered, "I'd have jumped overboard!"
08/06/2007 12:31 pm
I can just hear him saying that! Your mention of being in the engine room reminded me that Capt. Harris also had the rare distinction of being a "double ender", holding licenses as both Chief Engineer and Pilot. I recall but one occasion when I saw Harris function as Engineer and that was due to a last minute emergency when Charlie Dietz became very ill and had to leave the boat just minutes before we departed with a capacity crowd aboard for an afternoon excursion. Capt. Charlie Brasher left his office duties on the wharfboat to run master, Capt. Doc Hawley was pilot and Harris presided in the engine room.
I reveled in the stories that Harris told of his river experiences -- such as having a boat blown out from under him by a tornado! He had served as trip pilot on the GOLDEN EAGLE and imitated Capt. Buck Leyhe as he directed the roustabouts on the forecastle from the roof. Harris ALWAYS wore his uniform coat no matter if it was 105 in the shade and often kept the pilothouse windows closed on the warmest of days. Sometimes he even had the steam heat on, making the pilothouse a virtual sauna!