USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > History of Dubuque County, Iowa; being a general survey of Dubuque County history, including a history of the city of Dubuque and special account of districts throughout the county, from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 23
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In March, 1853, Dr. Franklin No. 2 took away at one load over 4,000 pigs of lead. The spring of 1853 saw the largest arrival of boats ever witnessed here. As high as ten or a dozen were here
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at one time-Ben Campbell, Excelsior, Nominee, Asia, Lamartine, Martha No. 2, Enterprise, Swamp Fox, West Newton, Emperor, Wisconsin, Canada, Adelia, Pearl, Minnehaha, Golden Era.
The old floating dock was sold in August. Later in 1853 the Golden Era struck a snag near Hannibal, Missouri, and sank quickly to the boiler deck. She was soon raised. In December, Charles Gregoire was given a ten years' extension of his ferry contract. In 1853 the United States Supreme Court decided that rafts on navigable rivers were not subject to salvage; this decision settled a matter that had troubled river men for years.
"The steam ferry Utali made an unsuccessful effort last even- ing to reach the levee. The ice in the inner slough was too firm for her to force her way through it."-(Express, March 11, 1854.)
In 1854 there was a daily line past Dubuque to St. Paul, with the following steamers: New St. Paul, Captain Bissell; George WV. Sparhawk, Captain Greene: Ben Campbell, Captain Matson; York State, Captain Griffith; Golden Era, Captain Bersie; Lady Franklin, Captain Morehouse. Late in 1853 Thomas H. Benton, Jr., Lucius H. Langworthy and George Greene were sent as dele- gates to the river improvement convention at Memphis. Every steamer bound up the river was loaded to the guards with emi- grants and their belongings. Numerous rafts arrived here in May and June, 1854. Other boats in 1854 were Shenandoah, Royal Arch, Minnesota Belle, Caleb Cope, Globe, May C., Gossamer, Lamartine, New St. Paul, Arabic, Admiral, Hindoo, Henrietta, Sparhawk, Galena, Golden Era, Grand Prairie, Excelsior, Fugitive Slave, Gray Cloud, Lady Franklin, War Eagle, Flag of Pittsburg, Greek Slave, Nominee, Blackhawk, etc.
A line of boats connecting Dubuque and St. Paul had been de- sired for several years; late in 1854, efforts to establish such a line were made. In 1854 Dubuque was made a port of entry and was annexed to the port of New Orleans. In August, 1854, William H. Merritt was appointed surveyor of the port of Dubuque. Late in 1854, Messrs. Mobley, Barney, Benton, O'Halloran and Hall were appointed a citizens' committee to solicit stock subscriptions to a St. Paul steamboat line.
The steamboat Blackhawk about November 1, 1854, began to make regular trips between Dubuque and Galena twice a day to connect with the railway trains. The boat drew so little water that it could navigate Fever river.
A team and wagon loaded with stone broke through the ice in January, 1855; all except the driver was lost. In April, 1855, Lillie & McDonald asked for ship yards on the island; granted, just below the Barney Cut. At this date Galena owned eight or ten fine steamers; Dubuque owned two or three. Why? it was asked. There was plenty of talk about such a line, but business men would not invest. The Illinois Central Railway, the Galena
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Packet Company and the ferry companies seemed united at this date to force Dubuque to pay exorbitant rates of transportation. In April, 1855, the City Belle, Galena, Kentucky, Navigator, York State, Berlin, Gical and Hamburg were here at the same time. The spring travel and trade were enormous. Dubuque had almost doubled in population in two years. At this time Galena was so envious of Dubuque's wonderful growth that it did all it could to injure the latter. The Galena Packet Company assisted Galena, finally refusing to allow its boats to touch at Dubuque. This step at last roused Dubuque. A. P. Champlin was master of the Navigator. Time and Tide was commanded by Capt. Louis Rob- erts, and the Reveille by Capt. J. W. Markle.
In November, 1855, the steamer A. F. Gregoire connected both evening and morning with the mail arriving at Dunleith. It waited thirty minutes in case the mails were late; after that the mail was brought over in yawlboats at any hour of the day or night.
"We learn by the Excelsior, which returned yesterday from her last trip up the river, that a boat cannot pass through Lake Pepin on account of the ice. She first encountered ice below La Crosse on the 21st, and was obliged to leave hier barge and part of her freight at that place and then proceeded to Winona, where the rest of her cargo was discharged. The Adelia reached Reed's Landing on the same night and also returned yesterday. The Cumberland Valley lies at Winona. The Dubuque and Kate Cassel are still up the river. The Galena packets are laid up and probably no boats will attempt an up-river trip after this week."-(Express and Herald, November 24, 1855. )
"The steamer Endeavor left Dubuque last evening for La Crosse and will probably be the last boat up the river this season. The usual high price for freight and passage for the last trips has been charged by the boats for some days, as high as $15 to La Crosse and $1 per hundred for freight."-(Erpress and Herald, Novem- ber 29, 1855. )
"The pleasant weather is extending the time of up-river navi- gation later in the season than usual. The Kate Cassel returned yesterday from Reed's Landing and reports the head of Lake Pepin closed by ice. The Ben Coursin also returned yesterday from Winona. Two boats are expected from below-the Hen- rietta and the Emma Harron. Two boats also leave today for La Crosse."-(Erpress and Herald, December 6, 1855.) The Lang- worthys sold the ferryboat Queen City for $6,000 in December, 1855. They designed putting on a new and better boat.
"The steamers Ben Coursin, Kate Cassel and Excelsior have laid up here for the season, as navigation is now considered closed."-(Express and Herald, December 12, 1855.) "The river is full of running ice and the sloughs are frozen over, so that the boys have commenced their winter sport of skating."-(Same.)
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Among the steamboats of 1855 were the Dan Convers, Colonel Morgan, Audubon, Falls City, Fannie Harris, Latobe and Cone- wago.
In 1856 the Dubuque, Minnesota & Wisconsin Packet Com- pany, with Mr. Farley as president, was in operation. They bought the steamer Golden State for $14,000; it was a side-wheeler of 277 tons. The Dubuque Packet Company was fully organized and at work in March, 1856. It had bought several new boats-Excel- sior, Captain Kingman; Fanny Harris, Captain Worden; Kate Cassel, Captain Harlow; Golden State. The organization of this company was due to the hostility of Galena and the Galena Packet Company.
The Galena Packet Company operated the following boats : War Eagle, Captain Harris; Golden Era, Captain Parker; Royal Arch, Captain Smith ; Galena, Capt. K. Lodwick; Northern Belle, P. Lodwick: Schambra, Captain Gabbert; Greek Slave, Captain Gaul; Lady Franklin, Captain Lucas; Ocean Wave, Captain Gleim ;. Tishomingo was a very fast boat of the Winona Packet Line. Waples Cut was entirely dry in August, 1856; no boats could reach the inner levee. By this time the ferryboat Utah, which was large enough three years before, had become too small, and was removed to Hastings and Point Douglas.
The steamer "Lady Franklin," Captain Lucas, was injured and sank in the river in October, 1856. Several passengers were drowned and the captain was severely censured for his conduct .- (Erpress and Herald, October 29, 1856.) After the river had been very low for some time, the news that it was rapidly rising above was always cheering and heralded widecast.
Winter set in early in 1856-7 and many up-river merchants did not receive the stocks ordered and expected. "Although every exertion has been made by the Illinois Central Railroad and the forwarding merchants of Dubuque and Dunleith, yet they have been utterly unable to send forward goods as fast as they arrived, notwithstanding the steamboat tonnage has been very large. The Galena Packet Line, the Dubuque Packet Line and a large num- ber of independent boats have all been overtaxed and compelled to refuse a large amount of freight. The season is now so far ad- vanced that packet boats do not consider it safe to sign bills of lading only to a short distance up, and the independent boats, as fast as they come down, are drawing off and going to more sunny climes .- (Express and Herald, November 19, 1856.)
The steamer Tishomingo had great difficulty in escaping her creditors and much of the time in 1856 remained tied up at various ports. The steamer A. G. Mason became frozen in the ice six miles above Hastings in November. The Kate Cassel arrived here November 18 and reported ice gorges above. Navigation was about closed.
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The Galena, Dubuque, Dunleith & Minnesota Packet Company, in 1856, owned the following boats plying between Galena and St. Paul: War Eagle, Capt. D. S. Harris; Galena, Capt. Kennedy Lodwick; Northern Belle, Capt. Preston Lodwick; Golden Era, Capt. J. W. Parker; Lady Franklin, Capt. M. E. Lucas; Ocean Wave, Capt. E. H. Gleim; City of Belle, Capt. A. T. Champlin ; Granite State, Capt. J. Y. Hurd ; Alhambra, Capt. W. H. Gabbert ; and also the following running between Galena and Rock Island : Royal Arch, Capt. J. J. Smith, and Greek Slave, Capt. C. Goll.
Early in December, 1856, the Kate Cassel by an extra effort went up to Hastings with an enormous load of freight for the upper country. Log of the steamer Flora: "Left Dunleith the 2Ist with nearly 400 passengers and a heavy freight; met Golden State below Guttenburg; Envoy passed down; met Northern Belle the 22d; met Fannie Harris at Coon Slough; met Kate Cassel below La Crosse, evening 22d ; met Gossamer at La Crosse ; snowed all night: met Alhambra below Winona; fine sleighing here; met Falls City below Fountain City; got aground on Beef Slough and remained there Sunday night ; went through Lake Pepin the 24th; reached Red Wing at II p. m. ; snowing like great guns; reached Hastings morning of 25th; river gorged with ice for seven miles above and weather cold; left Hastings Tuesday ; met Resolute Wednesday morning below Beef Slough; Progress there and could not get over : she returned to Winona and discharged her cargo; met J. Traber at Winona and Ben Coursin below La Crosse." *
* "The Flora brought down 250 passengers and went into winter quarters at the upper landing, Dubuque."-(Express and Herald, December 3, 1856. )
The Key City, a new packet, Capt. Jones Worden, was put on in 1857. The Golden State, Hamburg, James Lyon, Mansfield, Cumberland Valley, Brazil, Adelia, Sam Young, Falls City were here early in 1857.
Freight rates in the spring of 1857 were as follows: Dubuque to McGregor and Prairie du Chien, 20 cents per hundred ; Lan- sing, 22 cents; La Crosse, 25 cents; Dacotah and Trempeauleau, 26 cents : Reed's Landing, 30 cents; Red Wing, 31 cents; Pres- cott and Hastings, 33 cents; St. Paul, 35 cents.
The following was the list of a daily line of packets from Du- buque to St. Paul for the season of 1857: Gray Eagle, Capt. Smith Harris; Key City, Capt. Jones Worden: War Eagle, Capt. A. T. Kingman; Golden State, Capt. Samuel R. Harlow ; Golden Era, Capt. John Scott; Fanny Harris, Capt. Robert Anderson.
Lake Pepin was still covered with ice by April 22, 1857, but it was then rotting fast. The steamer Itasca, called "a floating pal- ace," arrived here April 21, 1857. It belonged to the Prairie du Chien and St. Paul line. It was 220 feet long and had capacity for 500 tons of freight. Its captain was David Whitten. The
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first steamboats to pass through Lake Pepin for a number of years were as follows :
Otter, Captain Harris, April 6, 1844.
Otter, Captain Harris, April 5. 1845.
Lynx, Captain Atchison, March 21, 1846.
Cora, Captain Throckmorton, April 7, 1847. Highland Mary, Captain Atchison, April 10, 1848.
Nominee, Captain Smith, April 4, 1851.
Nominee, Captain Smith, April 16, 1852.
West Newton, Captain Harris, April 11, 1853.
Nominee, Captain Blakely, April 8, 1854.
War Eagle, Captain Harris, April 17, 1855.
Lady Franklin, Captain Lucas, April 18, 1856.
The War Eagle carried up the river two and one-half tons of mail late in April. 1857. Mr. Hills, agent of the Minnesota Packet Company, reported that prior to May 6, 1857, he had dis- patched up the river 4,000 tons of freight, largely to St. Paul. It was learned here, upon the arrival of the steamer Audubon from Reed's Landing, that eighteen boats were then in Lake Pepin, contending with the ice. The Galena first forced her way twelve miles and then went ashore. The War Eagle was damaged in the same attempt. The Falls City was aground with four feet of water in her hold. Seventeen boats were at Reed's Landing when the Audubon left. A prize of $3,000 had been offered for the first boat to reach St. Paul and $300 to the pilot bringing her in. The excitement at Reed's Landing was intense. The hotels there were crowded.
"As soon as we entered Lake Pepin we began to see the wrecks of the steamboats. The first lay about a mile below North Pepin, sunk above the guards. Two others were near, one apparently broken in two and the other inclined on the beach. Two other boats were seen farther up, hemmed in with ice. Another near was inclined on the beach. The boats said to be sunk were: Fanny Harris, Fire Canoe, Cremona, Steel and Falls City. We met Min- nesota Belle and Itasca coming down."-(Cor. Express and Her- ald, May 13, 1857.)
According to a passenger, the Northern Light, when it arrived at St. Paul, May 4, 1857, found eighteen steamboats lying beside each other diagonally with the line of the levee. Minute guns were fired from a cannon lashed to the capstan. "The boat was made fast to the sterns of several steamers, and the passengers reached shore by crossing over the decks of some of the other boats." The Northern Light was 240 feet long and was com- manded by Captain Lodwick. She could carry nearly 1,000 tons of freight. The other boats at St. Paul were: Messenger, Orb,
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Golden State, Equator, Key Stone, Sam Young, Saracen, Mans- field, Ocean Wave, Red Wing, Golden Era, Minnesota, Kate French, Connewago, Time and Tide, Hamburg, Wave, Excelsior, W. L. Ewing.
So great had been the trouble for the boats to get through Lake Pepin, the press of St. Paul agitated the construction and use of an iceboat to open that body of water every spring. It would cost about $20,000 and require $5,000 annually to keep it up.
The Galena and War Eagle were the first boats to pass through Lake Pepin and reach St. Paul. The real struggle was between the Galena, War Eagle, Golden State and Montauk. All got through about 7 o'clock p. m. on Thursday. "Here a race ensued in which Captain Laughton of the Galena came off No. I, passing the Golden State at Bullards and the Eagle above Red Wing. The latter maintained her position within a few lengths until a lamenta- ble accident occurred just above Hastings, throwing her behind. The boat checked up to rescue a deck hand who had fallen over- board, but could not find him. This gave the Galena eighteen minutes the start, by which she beat the Eagle to the St. Paul levee." On Lake Pepin were the Arcola, broken in two; the Courier with hull under water and dangerously careened; the St. Croix had been raised unhurt-by May 13, 1857.
On May 10, 1857, the river was the highest it had been since 1851; the levee was covered with water; houses filled, lumber afloat, and the Seventh street embankment top nearly reached. At this time the gas company received in one load 20,000 bushels of coal from Pittsburg. About July 1, the new steam ferryboat Peosta was put at work. The steamer Rosalie sank near the mouth of Waples Cut in June with a valuable cargo.
The Galena, Dunleith and Minnesota Packet Company having become arbitrary, exacting and unaccommodating, the press of Du- buque and St. Paul called it sharply to task in July, 1857. "They treat the public in the most contemptuous manner, swindle the commercial and traveling community, and are independent and insolent in all things and at all times, when they have the power," said the Express and Herald of July 15, 1857.
The boiler of the old steamer Dubuque exploded August 18, 1857, eleven miles below Muscatine, causing the loss of twenty- two lives, all deck passengers. The sight of the scalded and man- gled passengers was heartrending, said observers; assistance was furnished from Muscatine. In October the Ben Coursin was struck and sunk by the Key City, above La Crosse, and about seven lives were lost, three of them being women. The Henry Clay was in service in 1857.
In 1858 the Minnesota Transportation Company, a new steam- boat line, was in operation ; John Loraine was president ; the Fred Lorenz and Adelia were two of their boats. The Fulton City
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Company ran a daily line from Fulton City to St. Paul. The Winona Packet Line was a combination of several St. Louis and St. Paul packet companies and had a tri-weekly line. Forty boats were advertised to leave St. Louis March 30, 1858. Among the boats were Key City, Metropolitan, Henry Clay, Sucker State, Can- ada, Sam Young, Northern Belle, Milwaukee, Hawkeye State, Ga- lena, Northern Light, Ocean Wave, Dew Drop, Kate Cassel, Lake City, Alhambra, James Lyon, Lucie May, Pembina, Sultan, Flora, Resolute, Courier, Aunt Letty, Pembina, Envoy, Gray Eagle, Chip- pewa Falls, Conewago, Tishomingo, Eolian, etc. The old Arcola hull was used as a float.
In 1858, Capt. D. S. Harris was credited by Governor Sibley, of Minnesota, with having been the pioneer navigator by steam of about all the tributaries of the Mississippi above the Des Moines Rapids; he was declared to have been the first to find the head of navigation on the Iowa, Maquoketa and Minnesota rivers .- (Express and Herald, April 2, 1858.)
The St. Louis and St. Paul Union Line owned the following boats in 1858: Pembina, Captain Griffith; Canada, Captain Ward ; Henry Clay, Captain Campbell; Metropolitan, Captain Rhodes ; Minnesota Belle, Captain Hill: W. L. Ewing, Captain Green; Den- mark, Captain Gray -- all sidewheel and fine steamers.
The ferryboat Gregoire, Captain Bogy, was in service in 1858; also the steam ferryboat Peosta. The Dubuque and Dunleith Ferry Company began operations about 1846; by 1858 the company claimed to have lost $8,273; this was denied and argued in the newspapers.
The Union Packet Line, in 1858, owned the following boats, which ran regularly between St. Louis and St. Paul: Pembina, Capt. Thomas H. Griffith ; Minnesota Belle, Capt. Thomas B. Hill; WV. L. Ewing, Capt. Montroville Green; Canada, Capt. James Ward; Metropolitan, Capt. Thomas B. Rhodes; Denmark, Capt. Richard C. Gray. They left Dubuque for St. Paul every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and for St. Louis every Tuesday, Thurs- day and Saturday.
The fine packet Galena was totally burned at the landing in Red Wing, June 30, 1858. The passengers landed, but the freight was destroyed.
In August there was a hotly contested race from Dubuque to St. Paul between the steamers War Eagle and the Itasca. The former won by a small margin: time, 24 hours and 40 minutes, with 23 landings and 35 cords of wood taken aboard. Large quan- tities of flour, grain and store supplies and large numbers of emi- grants and excursionists passed constantly on the river. Immense rafts passed down almost daily.
By the middle of March, 1859, river traffic was in full operation. Chippewa, Dew Drop, Pembina, Minnesota Belle, Aunt Letty,
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WV. L. Ewing, Cedar Rapids, Fred Lorenz, Adelia, Canada, W. L. Nelson, General Pike, St. Louis, Golden Era, E. A. Ogden, Key City and War Eagle were here early. The latter was the first to leave on the schedule of the new steamboat express line. Lake Pepin was still closed March 25. The ferry began running here March 5.
In March, 1859, the Dubuque and Dunleith Ferry Company was required to run their boats thereafter from the foot of Third street instead of from the foot of Jones street. Charles Gregoire was president of the ferry company. The levee was loaded with all kinds of freight waiting shipment in March, 1859-lead, pork, beef, flour, merchandise, grain, etc.
Captain Worden of the Key City, in April, 1859, literally forced his way through the almost impassable ice barriers of Lake Pepin. The passengers passed resolutions praising his courage and skill. In trying to force its way through the ice, the Aeolian was cut so badly that she was sunk in thirty feet of water and four pas- sengers were drowned. The Metropolitan rescued the others. The loss was $10,000.
"The Key City came down last night with colors flying, having come direct from St. Paul. The Key City was the first boat through Lake Pepin. Hereafter boats will run regularly and our merchants here will be able to fill their up-river orders."-(Erpress and Herald, April 23, 1859.)
The Northern Packet Line owned and operated the following sidewheel steamers: Pembina, Captain Griffith; Minnesota Belle, Captain Hill: Denmark, Captain Gray; Henry Clay, Captain ; Stephenson; Canada, Captain Ward; Wmn. L. Ewing, Captain Green; Metropolitan, Captain Rhodes; Northerner, Captain Al- vord; Lucie May, Captain Rhodes; Dew Drop, Captain Parker; Lake City, Captain Blake: Chippewa, Captain Crapeta.
Early in May, 1859, the Mississippi rose seventeen inches in twenty-four hours. By May 9 it was within forty inches of being as high as it ever was at Dubuque-1827. It was now within twenty-two inches as high as it was in 1851. The lower end of Sixth street from the bridge to the outer levee was entirely under water. Twenty teams were put at work on the outer levee. Many buildings and lumber yards were under water and the levees were in a dangerous condition. In the next twenty-four hours it rose eight inches more and at this time large numbers of men and teams were at work on all the levees, yards and streets.
"The river is still rising at the rate of eight inches in twenty- four hours. It is now running across the foot of First street, near Northrup & Ryder's warehouse. The various improvements still keep ahead of the water and have no fear, unless a high wind arises, of their ability to protect the works. The great freshet from the north has not yet arrived."-(Erpress and Herald, May 12, 1859. )
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"The river is still coming up, having risen about seven inches in the last twenty-four hours. Last evening it was flowing over Jones street in a dozen places. First street at its junction with the lower improvement is covered to the depth of eighteen inches. Flatboats pass across the outer levee at the foot of Seventh street."-(E.r- press and Herald. May 13, 1859. )
"The water yesterday made a clean break through the outer levee at the foot of Sixth street. It has reached the top of the Seventh street improvement and further work there is abandoned. Flatboats are engaged in hauling stones to stop the break in the central improvement levee. Lumber yards at the foot of Seventh street are busy saving their lumber. The water sweeps through the bridge at the foot of Third street with tremendous power and reaches nearly to the woodwork. It also sweeps over Jones street. The Dubuque & Pacific track is rendered impassable to the bridge below the depot. The cars come only to Rockdale. The rise is not so great now."-(Express and Herald, May 14, 1859.) There were here about this time the Northerner, City Belle, Golden Era, Minnesota Belle, Pembina, Key City, Conewago, Canada, Forest Queen, Grey Eagle, Denmark, Henry Clay, La Crosse, Northern Light, W. L. Ewing, Wave, St. Lawrence, Fred Lorenz and Time and Tide. All the boats carried immense loads of freight and passengers. About 4,000 pigs of lead were shipped weekly; also about 100,000 feet of lumber.
"The river has risen some three inches since our last, although at present it is nearly at a standstill. Jones street is covered nearly its entire length, and reaching the lower levee on foot is next to an impossibility."-(Express and Herald, May 15, 1859.)
On May 15, 1859, the Fred Lorenz, when near Eagle Point, burst her connecting pipe. Several persons were severely scalded. The boat was towed to the foot of Third street.
During the flood of May. 1859, people were taxed 5 cents and IO cents to be taken from the Jones street levee to the ferry land- ing. "If our improvement companies find it desirable to erect islands in the Mississippi river, they at least ought to furnish citi- zens with some means of getting to them."-( Express and Herald, May 19, 1859.) "The water has fallen about five inches since yes- terday morning. It will probably reach its proper level forty-eight hours hence."-(E.vpress and Herald, May 19, 1859.) "The river has fallen about six inches in the last twenty-four hours."-(E.r- press and Herald, May 20, 1859. ) By May 31 the river was down to its proper level, though alarming reports of a higher rise than ever came from upstream. "A very large raft yesterday got into the slough above Seventh street. It came very near being broken up. but several hours of hard labor got it out comparatively un- harmed."-(Express and Herald, May 20, 1859. )
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