In the days prior to electronics on riverboats, the mouthpiece at each of the tube would have a stopper or cork that stayed in the end of the tube. That stopper was usually made of wood and had a whistle carved or made into it.
The Captain or Pilot would remove his whistle/stopper and blow into the tube real hard which would make the whistle/stopper sound-off at the other end of the tube. After hearing his whistle scream, the guy at the other end would pull out the stopper/whistle and yell back up the pipe to the Pilot. After the conversation was over the stopper/whistles were put back in the mouthpiece at both ends.
Some of the more fancy and larger riverboats had atleast 3 of the pipes in the pilothouse going to 3 locations: 1) Engine Room/Boiler Room, this was the most used. 2) Forecastle or Foc'sle, this was the bow of the Boiler or Main deck, used by the Captain when making landings. 3) Captains quarters, the Captain did very little piloting of the boat but was often given a heads-up when the Pilot made decisions to land for the night or fog, etc.
Capt Mark
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