Harry G. Dyer
The Log of Harry G. Dyer: Steamboatman,
Upper Mississippi, 1881-1902 Excerpts from
Upper Mississippi River Rafting Steamboats
Edward G. Mueller, Ohio University Press,
1995.
1886 and 1887
Harry Dyer left no record of his river
activities in 1886 and 1887, but from other
records he indicated he was on the LILY
TURNER in 1886 and the HELENE SCHULENBURG in
1887 and we resume his account in 1888.
1888 Aboard the LOUISVILLE, NETTA DURANT and
K1T CARSON
After spending the winter on the lower
river, I shipped on the steamer LOUISVILLE,
one of the Knapp Stout fleet. This was the
first time I had been on a Knapp Stout boat
since 1885. There had been a great change
since that time. John H. Douglas was now in
charge of the boats and one of his first
moves was to cut the crew's wages five
dollars a month. Before his reign, the Knapp
Stout boats always had a first-class crew;
now it was anything they could get.
The LOUISVILLE was in charge of Captain H.
C. Walker; Mr. Dobler, second pilot; Henry
Horton, chief engineer; Ladd Gault, second
engineer; Al Stone, mate; and Chas. Buchler
in charge of the kitchen.
We were towing lumber from Read's Landing to
meet the BART E. LINEHAN generally about
Burlington, Iowa. The LINEHAN took our raft
on to St. Louis and we went back to Read's
for another one. Our pilot, Mr. Dobler, was
one of the best on the river, but Captain
Walker and he didn't get along the best. I
only stayed a month or so. The idea of
working for five dollars less than anyone
else made me sick, so I "hopped" her and the
next day shipped on the NETTA DURANT with
Captain Al Duncan, towing logs to the
Clinton Lumber Company of Clinton, Iowa. I
wanted all the experience I could get with
different men as I was to go for my license.
We soon found that Bailey was a "pet
man" one who always has a man in the crew
who doesn't have to do anything. Some call
him the handy man.
Mr. Dyer shipped later in the season on the
KIT CARSON and we pick up his narrative when
he is on that craft.] The KIT CARSON was
towing logs from Stillwater to Burlington.
One trip, we were getting near the foot of
Lake Pepin. It was about five o'clock P.M.
Bailey came and called the crew to "tighten
lines." I noticed he didn't call his pet,
but he said to me, "Harry, you and your
partner go up and sweep the boiler deck."
Tom grabbed a broom and we started for the
boiler deck, but we went in the office and
got our money. Bailey wanted to know what
was the matter, and Tom told him he was
getting tired of doing another man's work. A
short time after that I saw Bailey get the
sweetest licking I ever saw one man give
another and Gene Reeser gave it to him, and
he didn't use anything but his hands and yet
he never struck him with his fist. He simply
slapped him to sleep. I finished up the
season of 1888 as I started it, on the
steamer LOUISVILLE. I left her at Rock
Island, Illinois, October 22 and headed for
Louisville, Kentucky and the coal boats.