THE GREEN TREE HOTEL ijs 



Long, and the "Verne Swain," owned by Captain 

 Streckfus, left Clinton every morning and left Daven- 

 port at 3 P.M. on the return trip to Clinton. 



The "Verne Swain" had been alone in the trade since 

 she came out new in 1880. She was fast and was kept on 

 time like a train and was very popular. There was no 

 railroad or interurban connecting Davenport and Clin- 

 ton then. The "Verne" was a great convenience for 

 travelers, shoppers, and those riding only for pleasure 

 or recreation. Captain John Streckfus had been her 

 sole owner since 1889 and he kept her up in excellent 

 condition and built up a nice trade. 



When Captain Long invaded his trade he (Streck- 

 fus) bought the new "Winona," another fast boat, and 

 the fight soon became warm. Friends of the contestants 

 in both terminals and all the intermediate towns were 

 greatly interested; but feeling was roused to a higher 

 pitch in LeClaire than anywhere else. Jo. Long was a 

 LeClaire man and the "Jo. Long" was a LeClaire boat, 

 and LeClaire boys and girls were on hand every day, 

 forenoon and afternoon to greet and cheer their favor- 

 ites when they made hurried landings often side by 

 each. 



Many heated discussions regarding the boats and 

 their owners took place under the green tree during 

 those long, hot summer days as the fight went on and 

 thousands took the twenty-five cent rides every day. 



But one afternoon in August the "Verne" was alone 

 when she landed at LeClaire. The "Boardman," on 

 which Captain Long was piloting, did not show up un- 

 til nearly dark and then Captain Long was not on her. 

 In an angry discussion on the Davenport Levee that 

 day with James Osborn, long-time agent for the Dia- 

 mond Jo Line, the Streckfus boats and the White Col- 



