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Story
June 3, 1861
The Shreveport Weekly News
Shreveport, Caddo County, Louisiana
What is this article about?
On the steamboat Buzzard, the owner remains unflappably calm, continuing to play his violin as the vessel strikes a snag, floods, and sinks amid passenger panic. He swims ashore with his fiddle.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
A Cool Fiddler.
The New Orleans Picayune tells the story of the snagging of a steamboat, with the owner on board, who was very fond of playing on the violin. The captain, pilot and engineer were in the cabin playing cards one day, when her bow struck a snag with a force that knocked a hole in her as big as a hogshead. The shock upset the faro bank and those gathered around it, and caused a general confusion and consternation among all except the owner, who having righted himself in his chair, recommenced his tune where he left off, and went on as though nothing had happened.
"She's a sinking," shouted an Arkansas man, dressed in a hickory bark coat, who was making his way out of the cabin, with a pair of saddle bags on his arms. "Tomahawk me if she ain't a sinking sure."
The owner heard it out fiddled away as unconcerned as Nero at the burning of Rome.
"Three feet in the hold! Run old Buzzard ashore if you can," shouted the captain. The startling words reached the ear of the owner, but he continued to saw away.
The passengers ran to him and bawled out, "did you know the boat was snagged?"
"I suspected something of the kind," cooly answered the owner, as he laid his left ear upon the violin a la Ole Bull, and appeared perfectly enchanted with his own strains.
"She'll be lost in five minutes," continued the passengers.
"She's been a losing concern these five years," replied the owner, as he drew more excruciating notes from the fiddle.
"I can feel her settle," said a passenger.
"I wish she would settle with me for what I have lost by her, before she goes down," was the owner's reply, as his right hand moved backward and forward over the fiddle.
"But why don't you speak to the captain and give him orders what to do in the emergency?" asked the good natured passenger.
"Interfering with the officers of this boat is a very delicate matter," meekly and quietly remarked the unconcerned owner, and he still sawed away
The boat careened over, and the next moment the cabin was half full of water.
The Buzzard, together with her cargo and machinery, proved a total loss. The officers, crew and passengers saved themselves by means of a yawl; the owner swam ashore his fiddle under his right arm, and the bow in his mouth. No insurance.
The New Orleans Picayune tells the story of the snagging of a steamboat, with the owner on board, who was very fond of playing on the violin. The captain, pilot and engineer were in the cabin playing cards one day, when her bow struck a snag with a force that knocked a hole in her as big as a hogshead. The shock upset the faro bank and those gathered around it, and caused a general confusion and consternation among all except the owner, who having righted himself in his chair, recommenced his tune where he left off, and went on as though nothing had happened.
"She's a sinking," shouted an Arkansas man, dressed in a hickory bark coat, who was making his way out of the cabin, with a pair of saddle bags on his arms. "Tomahawk me if she ain't a sinking sure."
The owner heard it out fiddled away as unconcerned as Nero at the burning of Rome.
"Three feet in the hold! Run old Buzzard ashore if you can," shouted the captain. The startling words reached the ear of the owner, but he continued to saw away.
The passengers ran to him and bawled out, "did you know the boat was snagged?"
"I suspected something of the kind," cooly answered the owner, as he laid his left ear upon the violin a la Ole Bull, and appeared perfectly enchanted with his own strains.
"She'll be lost in five minutes," continued the passengers.
"She's been a losing concern these five years," replied the owner, as he drew more excruciating notes from the fiddle.
"I can feel her settle," said a passenger.
"I wish she would settle with me for what I have lost by her, before she goes down," was the owner's reply, as his right hand moved backward and forward over the fiddle.
"But why don't you speak to the captain and give him orders what to do in the emergency?" asked the good natured passenger.
"Interfering with the officers of this boat is a very delicate matter," meekly and quietly remarked the unconcerned owner, and he still sawed away
The boat careened over, and the next moment the cabin was half full of water.
The Buzzard, together with her cargo and machinery, proved a total loss. The officers, crew and passengers saved themselves by means of a yawl; the owner swam ashore his fiddle under his right arm, and the bow in his mouth. No insurance.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
Disaster
What themes does it cover?
Bravery Heroism
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Steamboat Snag
Cool Fiddler
Boat Sinking
Violin Owner
River Disaster
What entities or persons were involved?
Owner
Captain
Arkansas Man
Where did it happen?
On The Steamboat Buzzard
Story Details
Key Persons
Owner
Captain
Arkansas Man
Location
On The Steamboat Buzzard
Story Details
Steamboat owner, fond of his violin, remains composed and continues playing during the vessel's snagging and sinking, responding wittily to panicked passengers before swimming ashore with his instrument.