The riverboat captain is a storyteller. Captain Don Sanders shares the stories of his long association with the river — from discovery to a way of love and life. This a part of a long and continuing story.
By Capt. Don SandersSpecial to NKyTribune
Change never comes lightly. Although I am a staunch traditionalist and normally abhor change, one thing is certain– change is inevitable. For better or worse, change applies to steamboats as it does to everything else in an ever-changing world.
Recently, I’ve been posting pictures on Facebook of the DELTA QUEEN from over 50-some-thousand photographs and other graphic representations in my collection of riverboats and other river-related matter i’ve gleaned primarily from the internet. One thing I’ve noticed in response to my posts is the number of responders who say they prefer the QUEEN as she looked before what one fan called “the addition of circus-style foo-foo” after the historic “Save the DELTA QUEEN” year of 1970.
As the former First Mate of the DELTA QUEEN before, during, and after those radical changes, I am especially interested in hearing the remarks coming from much younger, but well-informed aficionados, several of whom are, or were, employed in the steam excursion vessel business.
Much of everyone’s attention focused on the dramatic changes around the celebrated DELTA QUEEN’s steam-powered calliope. This 1960 addition was not without its own controversy when Greene Line Board of Directors members Richard “Dick” Simonton and E. Jay Quinby suggested adding an original Thomas J. Nichols calliope. None other than Mrs. Letha C. Greene, Greene Line Steamers President and widow of Capt. Tom R. Greene opposed putting such a loud, boisterous, infernal contraption on board as she believed it would keep resting crew members awake while distracting from the public image of the prestigious overnight river cruiser…