The Delta Democrat-Times from Greenville, Mississippi • Page 17

Delia Greenville, Mis.s- Wednesday, June 20, "60 15 Ole Man River And Industry CAPT. WOODRQW "SOAPY" JOHNSON erf Ccnlerville, river man for 26 years, knows the Mighty Mississippi as well as most people know the name Mark Twain. Once a deck hand he now pilots one of the largest pushboats on U. S. Wind waterways.

An old friend of Capt. Johnson's once made the remark that ho was no bigger than a bar soap after a hard day's wash, and the nickname "Soapy" has stuck. Capt. Soupy likes lo read historical novels and work crossword puules and reminisce about the "good ole days on the River." THE MW HORSEPOWER J. E.

Alqultt, feet wide and 2M feet long, pushes lome of the largest tows on America's inland waterways, and can maneuver up to tons of loaded barges. It operates In every kind of weather and has i i a naviga- tional equipment Including ra- dar, radios, depth sounder, autopilot. Furnished in flnt hotel styling, it has wall to wall carpeting in and guest rooms, private baths, television, lounges and paneling. This floating village is kept as clean and sanitary as any land borne, for this is where 11 men live for 10 to 49 days at a time. Hy A STAFFOHD DU-T a Writer The men oT the Mississippi have a great respect for the grent waterway thai sinuously i winds its 2470 miles from North Minnesota to the Gull of Mexico.

The river is beautiful and ugly; active and lonely; good and evil. And because this she has won the hearts of many a man. Us romance has been the creative inspiration of novelist Murk Twian; its treacherous nature had caused such catastrophic as tho overflow of 1927; its accessibility has created one of the most competitive business, es in the United States. Our Delia city with its Latco Ferguson harbor is of such location that we are able to share dircclly in the profit from the river. The towboat industry in a manner of speaking has "put bread on our tables." Products of all kinds are skillfully and expertly moved up and down stream.

And this skill and efficiency is demanded of all persons aboard a motor vessel. The J. E. Alquist, skippered by Capt. Wood row "Soapy" Johnson and Capt.

William (Dill) Pilkinton, is one of the largest, most luxurious boats on the river. But its pilots and arc typical examples of the kind of men needed lo do tire job are proficient and tyke pridi; in work. The 1 days nf the rwdclk 1 wiioel ploys tlurjs.iruls of pcqile are gone, and the river i i tlic hull of a has mushroomed into one of hsnt to prcsiik.it of a barge modern sophistication thll cnl-'liiiL'. RELIEF CAPT. WILLIAM (Bill) PILKINTON hails from Tennessee and has been on the river for about 20 years.

He has a great respect for the Mississippi which he says is as "unpredictable as any woman." When he isn't on the river, he's tending several acres of land. A Westera musk fan, Capt. Bill tunes in the radio on the lonely affwatches. But to him the dawn of a new day Is (he most beautiful time'on the river. That's when he leans back In his big green leather swivel chair, his feet up and in jest says, "It's a lorry life." "JUST DON'T ever gel the cook mod at you," warn members of the crew, who in jest sny he's the only one on board a really matters.

James D. Ward of Memphis, started cooking when he was in the Army. When discharged, he drove a truck for a whilt 1 but found the job uninteresting. He's been on the river now for several years, and can brew everything from tasty sauces lo the juclesf, fenclerrat stcnks around. AT MEALTIME liie 11 eats on half hour shifts.

Breakfast is at 5:30 and dinner, 11:30 arid noon and supper, 5:30 and 6. Feeding these men doesn't seem to pose any serious problem as the jobs they do create hungry appetites. Well- balanced, three or four course meals from soup to dessert-quickly replenish and restore energy. Gene Herrcn passes hot rolls ID Tommy Spillman of Gloster, Miss. The socially on Saturday night Is T-bone steak, and Roy Sparks ol Oxford, (other side of (able) is making yEiort work of his.

THE ALQUIST culs engines just long enough for a fuel boat to come along side (o replenish the SOOfl gallons per day needed to operate the vessel which hns a fuel capacity of 17,1,000 gallons. At (he port of Memphis gallons nf fuel, drinking water and lubricating oil uere pumped aboard. if THE R4JBY i port of Memphis, comes along side the Alquist to board groceries, laundry and long sought after mall. The cook takes his grocery list, which includes something like 120 pounds of beef, 30 pounds of fish, JO gallons of milk, 12 dozen eggs, 22 T-bone steaks everything from soup lo nuts to (he skipper radios Ihe order In the boat store (Iho nearest supply area.) A Solute To The J. Alquist IT'S A WARM 151 degrees in the engine room.

In the foreground is a chain hoist In pulling engine heads for overhauling. The huge round cylinders carry the engine's exhaust through smoke slacks atop the vessel. ENGINEER RUSSEL DcLuunu of I'aBulonn, watches the gauges thai record the vessel's pulse. In the engine control room he can efficiently monitor and control operations from a central point. The beauty and luxury ol tho Alquist arc secondary to the engine room which is the very heart of the vessel, 'the boat employs an automatic grease lubrication system which services propeller shafting, rudders and steering linkages.

Your OTASCO Man says: AT HEI.KNA, the harbor boat Jim Waldcm takes Iwo barges. Crew members "lopped" barge (shifted its position in order (o make the tow stronger and sturdier). On this par- (iciilar upstream trip the Alquist towed 32 barges filled with grain and molasses. When barges are added or dropped the Alquist's engines are not shut down, only Ihe forward motion is stopped. (Staff Photos by Jane Stafford) NOTICE- Of SALE OF LAND I C.

FOWIEZ. ond w.f*. DElCif H. deed irus- d.Ved i-f dat cf fB.o-d*d in 60S Pcge 213 of teto-dt 11 foe oif.i* of Chancery lo V. Mirer.

Tiu-ifP, ra is; th? i Affivi, or.d' cf United S'OKI. of v'e'eranj A a a-d oi 1-jch it cf so deed WHEREAS, h'ci b(fn fwfc end in pn-ownfe of ag-eeyenli in 13 rierH of Iruif, a lKe Jolder the e-l-ra leu la t-; Hue find navJb'o hai re- I pvi 11,011 rrov jiisni nnd cf iO'd H-cd of If-M or-J Forrow $10,000 or YOU CAN $rn I50KUOW uU For 30 Dnys At 1 no A cost of Only 1 TwJ TM i you tc. rr.ur'i fr.o:* nfln 35 rfnys 1 FINANCE -IN LELAND- or cuiyoia cf p-aying sc'd indebted- til. will, on July 8, wiirm Icqal f-au-j. at jovih root dsar of Ccu-lhouie cf et Mutit- PP'.

t'(er for ard iil( at pubhc to il.e highes! ddsr far caih Lor 17 of B'orfc 6 rf ABMflAM I HOJW AS RESUBDIVIS'CH OF fell 4 th-u 17, 4- lo-i 6 rf-ru 17 filo.k crd oil cf BlocVi 6, 7, 8 o--d 10 of the- AB7AHAM THOWAS SECOND ADDITIOfJ to iKe of G-een- Clat therecf retcrdr.d in War 6 ol Fcuje 21 iccfdi of .3 founly. Tirle to laid p-oceity ii believed 'o qcod bjt 1 iell a-d convey lifle oj is vtHed in rre ot Tiui'ce. WITNESS MY SIGN A TUBE lhi Ihi 7rh a of 1966. V. L.

MHIEB Twin FOR A QUICK SALE USE THE WANT ADS IN THK DELTA Or.N5OCRAT-TIMES. THE COSTj rS SMAt.7*. House Need Paint? TTOp DEVOES pATMT 1 UdU PEE GEE 1 Alii 1 EVOE SAVE 25 TO PA 1 NT Triple Cover 29 House Pain! list S725 fill-in VINYL LATEX 69 list gal. i.U tl.onlr.. Kol 10 pulnl.

toiy allwr brand, In 4-yiar talTI NT mki.l*t. OVER 1000 TINTS IN OUR LIBRARY OF COLORS COYER PAINT HDW. Opin 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Supply Rlda.

a FIRST MATE Gene Herrcn of Oxford, takes time from his ship duties to rend (Tie news from home and loved ones. Even though lie's only a stone's Jhrow from shore, letters are few and far between since there is no definite mflil schedule. Like groceries and fuol, mail and newspapers are lafccn aboard ot various boat stores along ihe river's edge. When no mail or rows is the crew jofcingly say, "Tfie bicycle brofce down today!" Beat the heat with a dependable Air Conditioner! "You can Take It With You 1 Moving ufr? Go North American It cosrj no more yet you'll enjoy IE 0 rsoral attention, and that's the truth. DON EWBANK PHILCO T.iqhcurighi, compact.

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