str. ADMIRAL photos

Matters?

Of course it matters.....to us.....I am just expressing disgust at the state of riverboat operations in this day and age.

Also....

I got this great CD yesterday of the Admiral Calliope and other sounds (funnel exhaust, whistle signals, etc.) and I cannot think of a single person around here today that would care. The foremost expert anywhere in St. Louis on Streckfus Steamers, particularly was Monsignor Eichor. He gave lectures from time to time. I always said I would love to spend a few hours with him
picking his brain and talking.......I waited and waited ....until a couple of weeks ago, I stopped in where he lived in retirement and asked to see him and...........they looked at me,, hesitated, and told me he had died the week
prior. A lost opportunity. I am sure he took a lot of tidbits and trivia about the boat to his grave.........never to be rediscovered.

Annie Blum here. I could put holes in my stomach when I consider all the unasked questions of people I saw everyday. All I can say is I have had any pleasurable hours researching and some bits of information can be discovered.

You do not know me, but I do care, and especially when it come to Streckfus-- care, and love.

I haven't checked my slides yet for dates, but IIRC, the photos that I took of Admiral in New Orleans were taken in January and April of 1975. I also have slides of President in St. Louis when it got converted to diesel and also when the interior was redone. I don't recall for sure which trip the new airconditioners were placed on the roof, but I would think that diesel generators were installed at that time since the number of condensers would draw a tremendous amount of wattage.

Thanks for that, Dan. That might have been the trip (back up) that I saw them. Ain't this forum a wonderful thing?

In the absence of Capt. Jim and Annie, I think it should be added that the diesel unit on the stern of Admiral replaced the little "kicker" engine that was used from time to time. I have no idea what type of engine it had even though I remember hearing it. During Admiral's stay in NO in early 1975, the port side unit developed a problem and was pilling itself in a full 360 degree circle. Admiral was rocking back and forth. When the unit was raised to work on it by raising it with a block and tackle, you would be amazed at how the prop was bent up. The prop was removed and sent to Avondale for repair.

Someday, I need to do something with the slides since I don't want to have them disappear like so many photos do when a person leaves this earth.

Stephen, check your private messages...