History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 7

Author: Johnson, William Foreman, b. 1861
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1464

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The prairie presented few obstacles to travel, but to penetrate a primevial forest was an entirely different matter, and necessitated a wise selection of a route else arduous labor in felling trees and fording streams.

No public roads were laid out in what is now Cooper County until 1819. No work was done upon the roads nor were they thought of for a number of years thereafter. The first petition for a public road in Cooper County was presented by B. W. Levens. It asked for the location of a road leading from Boonville to the mouth of the Moniteau Creek. The second petition, for the location of a public road was by Anderson Reavis, presented on the same day. The road petitioned for ran from the mouth of the Grand Moniteau to the Boonville and Potosi road. Cooper County was then organized as a county. The stream of immigration then to the south side of the river was great. Travel was greatly increased and highways needed.

However, prior to this, when what is now Cooper County was a part of Howard County, which was organized July 8, 1816, the first court held in Howard County was on the south side of the river in what is now Cooper County, at Cole's Fort, at which time the first road laid out by

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

authority of the court in what is now Cooper County, was the route from Cole's Fort on the Missouri River, to intersect the road from Potosi in Washington County at the Osage River.

First Ferries .- Also at this same term of court and on the same day Hannah Cole was granted a license to conduct a ferry on the Missouri between Boonville and Franklin. This was the first licensed ferry in what had been known as the Boonslick country, although, for some time prior thereto, the Cole boys had operated one on this part of the Mis- souri. At the same term of the court, Stephen Turley was granted the right to keep a ferry across the Lamine River. B. W. Levens, Ward, and Potter, and George W. Cary were also granted a license to keep a ferry across the Missouri at the present site of Overton. However, for some years prior to this, a ferry had been operated across the Missouri River from Boonville to Franklin. The rates charged at the Levens ferry were as follows: For man and horse, fifty cents ; for either separately, twenty- five cents; for four horses and four wheeled wagon, two dollars; for two horses and four wheeled carriage, one dollar; for horned cattle, four cents each, and for polled cattle, two cents each.

First Steamboats .- Coincident with the opening of the first roads in Cooper County by the Cooper County Court, was the arrival at Franklin of the steamboat Independence, the marvel of marvels, and what seemed to our first settlers the acme of the evolution of transportation. Prior to this, however, and leading up to the navigation of the Missouri River, coincident with the first Anglo-American settlement on the Missouri in 1807 was the first successful application of steam as a motive power, the trip of the North River steamboat up the Hudson from New York to Albany ; and again, coincident with the first Anglo-American settlements in what are now Howard and Cooper counties in 1810, was Fulton's and Livingston's proposition to the legislature of Upper Louisiana, of which St. Louis was the seat of government, to operate steamboats on the Mississippi and Ohio. The proposition, however, was not acted upon. It seemed a visionary dream. It was not until seven years afterward, in 1817, that the first steamboat, the Zebulon M. Pike, landed at St. Louis. Its hull was built like a barge. It had but one smokestack, its engine was of low pressure, and when the current was swift, the crew used poles to furnish additional power. The trip from Louisville to St. Louis took six weeks.

Arrival of First Steamboat at Franklin .- The trip of the Indepen- dence from St. Louis to Franklin and return deserves more than ordinary

HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

mention. The Independence left St. Louis May 15, 1819, and reached Franklin opposite Boonville on May 29th. Captain John Nelson had charge of the steamboat. Among the passengers were Col. Elias Rector, Stephen Rector. Captain Desha, J. C. Mitchell, Dr. Stuart, J. Wanton, and Major J. D. Wilcox.

The settlers on both sides of the river were wild with excitement and elation on the arrival of the boat at Franklin. A public meeting was held at which Asa Morgan who with Charles Lucas, laid out Boonville, on the first day of August, 1817, was chosen president and Dr. N. Hutchin- son vice-president. The "Franklin Intelligencer," May 28, 1819, speak- ing of that event says :

"On Friday last, the 28th ult., the citizens of Franklin, with the most lively emotions of pleasure, witnessed the arrival of this beautiful boat, owned and commanded by Captain Nelson, of Louisville. Her approach to the landing was greeted by a Federal salute, accompanied with the acclamations of an admiring crowd, who had assembled on the bank of the river for the purpose of viewing this most novel and interesting sight. We may truly regard this event as highly important, not only to the commercial but agricultural interests of the country. The practica- bility of steamboat navigation, being clearly demonstrated by experi- ment, we shall be brought nearer to the Atlantic, West India and Euro- pean markets, and the abundant resources of our fertile and extensive region will be quickly developed. This interesting section of country, so highly favored by nature, will at no distant period, with the aid of science and enterprise assume a dignified station amongst the great agricultural states of the west.

"The enterprise of Capt. Nelson cannot be too highly appreciated by the citizens of Missouri. He is the first individual who has attempted the navigation of the Missouri by steam power, a river that has hitherto borne the character of being very difficult to and imminently dangerous in its navigation, but we are happy to state that his progress thus far has not been impeded by any accident. Among the passengers were Colonel Elias Rector, Mr. Stephen Rector, Capt. Desha, J. C. Mitchell, Esq., Dr. Stuart, Mr. J. Wanton, Maj. J. D. Wilcox.

"The day after the arrival of the Independence. Capt. Nelson and the passengers partook of a dinner, given by the citizens of Franklin, in honor of the occasion .. "

The trip of the Independence from St. Louis to Franklin was the beginning of a stupendous river traffic upon the Missouri, and was the

HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

chief factor in the development of Boonville and Cooper County. How- ever, prior to 1831, only an occasional steamer ventured up the dangerous Missouri. The steamboat arrivals ascending the river at Boonville, in 1831, were only five.

Arrival of Second Steamboat .- The second steamboat to arrive at Franklin was the "Western Engineer," a small boat constructed for scien- tific purposes. It carried an expedition projected by the United States to ascertain whether the Missouri River was navigable by steamboat and to establish a line of forts from its mouth to the Yellow Stone. The vessel reached St. Louis, June 9, 1819, and proceeding on the voyage, arrived at Franklin June 13, of the same year. Its progress up the river excited the greatest fear among the Indians, many of whom flocked the river banks to see it, while others fled in fear to the forest or prairie, thinking it an evil spirit, a very devil with horned head, and breath of fire and steam. The St. Louis "Inquirer" of June 16, 1819, gives this description of it: "The bow of the vessel exhibits the form of a huge serpent, black and scaly, rising out of the water from under the boat, his head as high as the deck, darted forward, his mouth open, vomiting. smoke, and apparently carrying the boat on his back. From under the boat, at its stern issues a stream of foaming water, dashing violently along. All the machinery is hid. Three small brass field pieces, mounted on wheels, stand on the deck; the boat is ascending the rapid stream at the rate of three miles an hour. Neither wind, nor human hands are seen to help her; and to the eye of ignorance the illusion is complete, that a monster of the deep carries her on his back smoking with fatigue, and lashing the waves with violent exertion."

Description of Early Steamboat .- Captain Joseph Brown, in a paper before the Missouri Historical Society, wrote what he had seen and known, as boy and man, of the primitive steamboat:

"They had but one engine, and no 'doctor' or donkey engine. The boats themselves, and particularly those for the upper rivers, were small, sometimes made like a flat boat, with broad bow and stern, and a stern wheel. There was nothing above the boiler house deck but the pilot house and chimneys, or rather one chimney, for they had cylinder boilers ; that is, there were no flues in the boilers. Having but one engine, the shaft ran entirely across the boat, and when at a landing the engine had to run the pump to supply the boilers with water. the wheels had to be uncoupled to let the engine work. As I said before. the donkey engine

HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

had not been invented, and I do not doubt but that many explosions oc- curred for the lack of it.

"The cabin was a very primitive affair. It was on the lower deck, back of the shaft, in the after part of the boat. There were no state- rooms then, but, like a canal boat, there were curtains in front of the berths. It was quite common to see a bowsprit sticking out in front of the boat, such as are seen on ships, but, being useless, they were soon dispensed with. Stages had not been invented then. Two or three planks were used, if need be, tied together. Whistles were unknown, but bells were rung, and the captains were very proud of the big bell. For a num- ber of years there was no signal for meeting or passing boats, which resulted in many collisions.

"There were no packets then. A boat started for Pittsburg was just as likely to go to St. Paul as anywhere, or up any of the other rivers, and they had no regular or even days of starting. I have known boats to have steam up for a week, telling people and shippers the boat was going in an hour, and even have their planks all taken in, all but one, and then launch out their planks again. All this was done to decoy people on board. The clanging of bells, the hurrah of agents and the pulling and hauling of cabmen and runners were most confusing, more particularly to unsophisticated emigrants. There was no fixed price for anything ; it was all a matter of bargaining, and very often deception was practiced. The engines being small and very imperfect in those days, the boats were very slow. I have known some boats in the case of a sudden rise in the river and consequently strong current, to be unable to stem it at the old waterworks point, which was at the foot of Carr Street. They would have to go over to the other side of the river and fight it out there, sometimes for hours, in sight of the city.

"In 1849, when the gold fever was at its height, there were fifty- eight fine steamers plying regularly on the Missouri River; on the Upper Mississippi, about seventy-five; on the Illinois, twenty-eight fine steamers ; to New Orleans, about one hundred; on the Ohio, about one hundred and fifty; on the Tennessee, about fifteen. Owing to the rush of immigration at that time, boats could not be built fast enough. It was said of a cer- tain boat-yard at Freedom, Pennsylvania, that they kept a lot of straight bodies of boats put up. When a man wanted a boat, they took him down to the yard and asked him how long he wanted her; then just put two ends onto a body and he had a boat. But a really fast and fine boat cost

HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

about $100,000 to $150,000 and took about eight months to build. The average life of a boat was about five years. After that they were com- pelled either to build a more modern boat, or raise and rebuild the one that had sunk or blown up. Need I tell you that in one bend of the river there lie the wrecks of one hundred and three steamboats, between St. Louis and Cairo ?"

Greatest Era of Steamboating .- Steamboating reached its highest prosperity in the year 1858. There were then not less than sixty packets on the river, besides probably 30 or 40 transient boats called tramps, which came on the river from other streams and made one or two trips during the season. The packets carried the United States mail, express, freight, papers, both semi-weekly and daily, and their arrival was looked forward to along the Missouri River with a great deal of interest and people flocked to the wharves at the time of their arrival.

So numerous were the boats on the lower river during this period, that it was no unusual sight to see as many as five or six lying at the landing at the same time; and during the boating season, which continued from March to November, at no time was a boat out of sight. These were prosperous days for the river towns.

During this banner year of prosperity for steamboating on the Mis- souri River, some of the finest and most popular boats were: Kate Howard, John D. Perry, David Tatum, Clara, Platte Valley, Asa Wilgus, Alonzo, Child, F. X. Aubrey, Admiral D. S. Carter, Emigrant, E. A. Ogden, Em- pire, State, Isabella, James H. Lucas, Meteor, Minnehaha, Polar Star, Peerless, Spread, Eagle, War Eagle, Southwestern, C. W. Sombart, Twi- light, Thomas E. Tutt, White Cloud and Edinburgh. Those which came later were the R. W. Dugan, D. H. Durfee, Phil E. Chapel, Montana, Da- kota, A. L. Mason, State of Missouri and State of Kansas. These boats were built for some special trade. Some ran as late as 1888, when steam- boat navigation on the Missouri ceased.

The Missouri is one of the most difficult streams in the world to navigate because of its shifting channel, its swift current and its many bends which with the innumerable snags therein were a continual menace to life in the days of the steamboat, and no pilot approaches one, espe- cially at night, without trepidation and fear.

Primitive Boats, Canoes, Etc .- The pirogue, as used by the early French fur-trader, was really a double pirogue, or a double canoe, built in the shape of a flat-iron, with a sharp bow and a square stern. Two canoes, or pirogues, were securely fastened together a short distance

HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

apart, the floor being formed by boards, or puncheons, laid across. On the floor was placed the cargo, which was protected from the weather by hides. The boat was propelled upstream by oars or line, steered by an oarsman, who stood on the stern. A square sail was also resorted to going upstream, when the wind was in the right quarter, and a distance of from ten to fifteen miles could be made under favorable conditions.

Such boats were usually from 30 to 40 feet long, and from six to eight feet beam, and being light, were good carriers. They were much safer than the canoe, because of their width they could not be easily upset.

The bateau, used by the French trader, was a flat bottomed, clumsily constructed boat, especially adapted to transporting a cargo of fur down- stream, and did not differ materially from the flat bottomed boat. It was usually from 50 to 75 feet long, and 10 to 12 feet deep. Gunwales were hewn from cotton logs, and the bottom was spiked into cross beams running lengthwise of the boat. The bow and stern were square with a sufficient slant toward the bottom to make easier the progress of the boat through the water. The oars, the pole, the line and the sail were the appliances relied upon for motive power in ascending the stream, but in going down the boat was allowed to float with the current, being kept in the channel by the steersman. The flat-boats, when they reached their destination going downstream, were usually sold for lumber.

Growth of Steamboating .- In the year 1836, on the 30th day of September, the arrivals at the same port had amounted to more than 70. The population along the Missouri River had increased so rapidly along about 1840, that there was demand for additional transportation facili- ties. This brought about the building of a better class of boats. They had full length cabins, double engines with a battery of boilers in place of the single engine. Great improvements were also made in the hulls, and they were so constructed as to have the same carrying capacity as before but to draw much less water.

The same genius that had invented the steamboat was continually making improvements, both in the machinery and the hull, so as to add to the speed of the boat and also increase her carrying capacity. There were 26 steamboats engaged regularly in the lower river trade during the year 1842. They were generally from 140 to 160 feet long, about 30 feet beam and six foot hold, and were a much better class of boats than those formerly built. They had side wheels and the cabins were full length.

We have been unable to secure information concerning the arrivals

HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

and the departures of boats from Boonville during that year, but at Glas- cow there were 312.

The years between 1850 and 1860 are popularly termed by some as the "Golden Era" in steamboat navigation on the Missouri River, but Capt., A. J. Spahr thinks the period from 1866 to 1868, inclusive, to be the most prosperous. The improvements which had been made both in the machinery and in the construction of the hull, the adaptation of the state-room cabin, and the systematizing of the business all tend to lessen the danger of navigation and to increase the profits.

The advance made in navigation on the Missouri River had kept pace with the march of commerce in other parts of the world. Phil E. Chappel says in a "History of the Missouri River:"

"The first navigator on the Missouri River was the little blue-winged teal; the next the Indian, with his canoe; then came the half-civilized French voyageur, with his pirogue, paddling up stream or cordelling around the swift points. At a later day came the fur-trader with his keel-boat; still later there came up from below the little "dingey"-the single engine, one-boiler steamboat, which has been described. At last the evolution was complete, and there came the magnificent passenger steamer of the '50's, the floating palace of the palmy days of steamboat- ing, combining in her construction every improvement that experience had suggested or the ingenuity of man had devised to increase the speed or add to the safety and comfort of the passenger.

"The fully equipped passenger 'steamer, in the heyday of steamboat- ing on the Missouri River, was a magnificent specimen of marine archi- tecture. She was generally about 250 feet long, 40 feet beam, and had a full-length cabin, capable of accommodating from 300 to 400 people. The texas, occupied solely by the officers, was on the hurricane roof. In addition to her passenger accommodation, she had a freight capacity of 500 to 700 tons. She was well proportioned, symmetrical, trim, fast and sat on the water like a thing of life. Her two tall smoke-stacks, with ornamental tops, between which was usually suspended some gilt letter or device, added much to her beauty. The pilot, on top of the texas, was highly ornamentel with glass windows on every side; a fence railing of scroll work surrounded the guards of the boiler deck and texas. The entire boat except the smoke-stack, was painted a dazzling white.

"The cabin of the boat, a long, narrow saloon, was a marvel of beauty in its snow white splendor. The floors of the cabin were covered with the softest of Brussels carpets, and the state-rooms were supplied with

HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

every convenience. Indeed, the bridal chambers were perfect gems of elegance and luxury. The table was elegantly furnished, and the menu unsurpassed by that of any first-class hotel. Each boat had, in the ladies' cabin, a piano, and generally a brass band, and always a string band was carried. After the table was cleared away at night a dance was always in order, the old Virginia reel being the favorite dance. The social feature of a trip on one of these elegant boats was most charming."

Costs of Steamboats .- The estimated cost of one of the boats above described, during the period between 1850 and 1860 was from $50,000 to $75,000. The captains received about $200 per month, clerks $150, mates $125, engineers about the same as mates. These wages included board, and were based on the size of the boat, labor and danger as well as the profits of the business. The pilot, however, received princely wages, sometimes as much as $1,600 per month. He was the autocrat of the boat, and absolutely controlled her navigation. It was for him to deter- mine when the boat should run or "lay by."

However, piloting on the Missouri River was a science, demanding of the pilot great skill and a wonderful memory of localities. The river channel, its bends, cliffs, bars and obstructions were visualized in his mind as well in the darkest night and densest fog as if seen on the clear- est day. The weal or woe of the floating palace, with its rich cargo of merchandise and human freight, depended upon his skill and ever alert vigilance.

Locally Owned Steamboats .- Capt. A. J. Spahr, known in the pros- perous river days as "Bud" Spahr, was one of the leading pilots on the Missouri. It is his opinion that the most prosperous period in steam- boating on the Missouri were the years 1866, '67 and '68. He tells of a certain pilot on the Missouri who entered into a contract to pilot at $1,600 per month for eight months, "work or play." Also that Capt. C. H. Brewster of Boonville, who was clerk on the "Cora," a boat of about 5,000 tons, on his return from St. Louis to Fort Benton, turned over to the owner of the "Cora," Capt. Joe Kinney, the sum of $45,000-profits of the trip.

From Captain Spahr, we gather the following information: Capt. Joe Kinney, who lived on the opposite side of the river from Boonville, was the owner of the following boats at different times: Kate Kinney, a side wheeler and a fine boat; Kate Kinney, stern wheel; St. Lake, Bacon, Fannie Ogden, Cora, stern wheel; Cora, side wheel; R. W. Dugan and Alice, and a large interest in the W. H. H. Russell, Twilight and Omaha.

HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

Among those of our local citizens engaged and interested largely in steamboating were: Capt. Joe Kinney, as above stated; Capt. Henry McPherson, owner of, or largely interested in, the Jennie Lewis; J. L. Stephens, Cavier, Lieut. Girard D. Allen, Captain St. John; Capt. Dave Kaiser, Wm. Linge, pilot; "Bud" Spahr, pilot; Geo. Homan, pilot; Jesse Homan, pilot ; "Billy" Young, pilot; Capt. C. H. Brewster, C. W. Sombarts (owner of C. W. Sombart), and Capt. D. DeHaven, captain of South West- ern owned by a company of Boonville citizens. There were doubtless others but we have been able to get information concerning only the foregoing.

Wrecking of Steamboats .- Space will not permit us in this chapter to give the names of the boats wrecked and destroyed on the Mississippi. nor to give an account of any of these unfortunate events. Suffice it to say that the list of lost boats contains the names of over 300. Of those names, 193 were sunk by coming in contact with snags, 25 by fire, and the remainder by explosions, rocks, bridges, storms and ice.

As most of the boats ran in the lower Missouri, more than three- fourths of the number were wrecked between Kansas City and the mouth of the river. It has been stated on authority that there are buried in the lower bends of the river the wrecks of more than 200 steamboats, covered with the accumulated sands of more than a half century.

Santa Fe Trail, William Becknell Founder .- Next in importance to the magnificent steamboat traffic which so directly added to the growth and prosperity of Cooper County, was that of the Santa Fe trail. The first concerted organized effort to reach and open up trade and commerce with Santa Fe. New Mexico, was inaugurated by William Becknell, who lived on the north side of the Missouri, not far from Boonville.

Becknell published an advertisement in the Franklin "Intelligencer" "to enlist a company destined to Santa Fe for the purpose of trading for horses and mules, catching wild animals of every description that might be for the advantage of the company." It was emphasized that all men joining the expedition were to bind themselves by oath to submit to such orders and rules as the company when assembled might adopt. The num- ber of men sought to be enlisted in this expedition was limited to 70, and applications were to be received up to Aug. 4, 1822. These applicants were directed to meet at the home of Ezekiel Williams, known as the "lost trapper," on the Missouri River, five miles above Franklin, to secure a pilot and appoint officers. At this meeting, however, only 11 men assembled, and Becknell was chosen captain. It was then determined

HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

that 30 men would be the number sufficient to undertake the expedition, and that the company as organized should cross the Missouri River at Arrow Rock on September the first.

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History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 7

Author: Johnson, William Foreman, b. 1861 Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Johnson, William Foreman, b. 1861
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1464