History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 30

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men > Part 30

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In the winter of 1859-60 the owners of the differ- ent vessels decided to form a joint-stock company, and organized under the name of the Northern Line Packet Company. The incorporators and directors were D. Hawkins, Thomas Gordon, and J. W. Parker, of Galena, Ill .; John B. Rhodes, of Savannah, Ill. ; R. C. Gray, of Pittsburgh, Pa .; and James Ward and Thomas H. Griffith, of St. Louis, Mo. Capt. James Ward was elected president, and Thomas H. Griffith secretary and treasurer. The vessels owned by the company were the "Sucker State," " Hawk- Eye State," " Canada," " Pembina," " Metropolitan," " Northerner," " W. L. Ewing," " Denmark," " Henry Clay," " Minnesota Belle," and " Fred. Lorenz."

In 1864, Capt. William F. Davidson, who had been managing a linc of steamboats on the upper Missis- sippi, established a service between Dubuque and St. Paul, and subsequently, having purchased the prop- erty of the Galena Packet Company, established the Northwestern Union Packet Company. In 1868 the Northern Line Packet Company admitted the boats of the Northwestern Company into their line, and in the following year the vessels were running under the direction of the Northern Company. In 1871 the

steamers of the two companies plying between St. Louis and northern points were : Northern Line, "Lake Superior," " Red Wing," " Dubuque," " Minnesota," "Davenport," "Muscatine," "Pembina,""Savannah," "Sucker State," and " Minnesota ;" Northwestern Linc, "Northwestern," "S. S. Merrill," " Belle of La Crosse," " Alexander Mitchell," " Victory," " City of Quincy," " Molly McPike," and " Phil Sheridan." Up to 1871 the Northern Line had lost but three boats,-the " Den- mark," sunk at Atlas Island by striking a log; the " Northerner," burned at the St. Louis Levce ; and the " Burlington," sunk at Wabasha. The officers in 1870 wcre Thomas B. Rhodes, president ; Thomas H. Griffith, secretary ; Thomas J. Buford, superintend- ent; and I. M. Mason, general freight agent. The total number of tons of freight deposited by the steamers of the company during the year at St. Louis was seven hundred and sixty-four thousand three hundred and seven.

The Keokuk Packet and the Northern Line Packet Companies were competitors for the same trade, and the rivalry between them became so close and ener- getic that each suffered heavily, and it was finally de- cided to form a new company which should embrace them both. Accordingly a new corporation was or- ganized, with the name of the Kcokuk Northern Line Packet Company, the capital stock of which was seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and the property of the competing lines was purchased. The first president was Capt. John S. McCune, who man- aged its affairs with marked ability until his death. He was succeeded by Darius Hawkins, who was the nominal head of the company during a period of legal difficulties until 1875, when Capt. William F. Davidson was elected president. In 1879-80 the company owned the following steamboats :

Tons.

Alexander Mitchell.

512.09

Northwestern

802.06

Belle of La Crosse.

476.69

Rob Roy.

967.00

Clinton

909.22

Red Wing.

670.43

Daniel Hine.

100.61

War Eagle.

953.74

Damsel.

210.71

Charlie Cheever.

313.67

Golden Eagle.

941.50

Barges, forty - eight

G. H. Wilson

159.06

in number .. 13,242.49

Minneapolis. 649.62

Minnesota

482.27

Total tonnage ... 21,391.16

The officers in 1879 were William F. Davidson, president ; Francis Johnston, secretary ; John Baker, agent ; James A. Lyon, general passenger agent.

The St. Louis and St. Paul Packet Company, the successor of the Keokuk Northern, was organized in June, 1881, with a capital stock of one hundred thou- sand dollars, the incorporators being W. F. Davidson, R. M. Hutchinson, and F. L. Jolinston. The com- pany transacts a general passenger and freight business between St. Paul and St. Louis, and owns the following

1117

NAVIGATION ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

boats : "Gem City," "War Eagle," " Alexander Mitchell," " Minneapolis," " Northwestern," " Belle of La Crosse," and " Centennial." The officers in 1882 were W. F. Davidson, president ; R. M. Hutchinson, superintendent ; and F. S. Johnston, secretary. The general offices arc located at Dubuque, Iowa.

William F. Davidson, successively president of the Keokuk Northern and St. Louis and St. Paul compa- nies, is one of the leading steamboat proprietors of the West. He was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, on the 4th of February, 1825. His father being a boatman, Capt. Davidson was educated from his earliest boy- hood in the navigation of Western waters. When only twenty years of age he was captain of the steamer "Gondola" on the Ohio River, and in 1856 established a line of three steamers on the upper Mississippi. He also engaged in the same business in 1857-58 on the Minnesota River, and subsequently established a line between La Crosse and St. Paul, and in 1864 a line from Dubuque to St. Paul. He then purchased the Galena Packet Com- pany's property and franchises and organized the Northwestern Union Packet Company, which was af- terwards consolidated with the Northern Line, which in turn was absorbed by the Keokuk Northern. After the death of Capt. J. S. McCune, president of the latter corporation, Capt. Davidson was elected his suc- cessor, and is now president of the St. Louis and St. Paul Packet Company. Capt. Davidson has thus had a varied but uniformly successful career as a steamboat manager, and his company, under his energetic but wise and prudent administration, is now in a flourish- ing condition. Capt. Davidson was married in 1859 to Miss Sarah A. Johnson, daughter of Judge John- son, of Lawrence County, Ohio.

The St. Louis and St. Paul Passenger Freight Line was incorporated in December, 1880, under the laws of Wisconsin, with the following board of direc- tors : P. L. Davidson, S. F. Clinton, and Lafayette Holmes. The company transacts a general passenger and freight transportation business on the Mississippi River, between St. Louis and St. Paul, and owns the following steamboats : " Grand Pacific," "Arkansas," " Flying Eagle," " Alexander Kendall," " White Eagle," and " Alfred Todd." The officers for 1882 were P. L. Davidson, president ; S. F. Clinton, vice- president ; and Lafayette Holmes, secretary. The gen- eral offices are located in La Crosse, Wis.

The Diamond Jo Line was established in 1867 by Joseph Reynolds. It started in a small way, with only one boat, which was employed by Mr. Reynolds in the produce trade on the upper Mississippi, with headquarters at Dubuque, Iowa. The business in-

creased with every succeeding ycar until, in 1882, there were five clegant steamers running on the line between St. Louis and St. Paul. The boats are the " Mary Morton," "Libbie Conger," " Diamond Jo," " Josephine," and " Josie," all of which are equipped with the latest and most improved machinery and life- saving apparatus. The officers in 1882 were Joseph Reynolds, general manager, and E. M. Dickey, gen- eral freight agent. The general office is at Dubuque, Iowa.

The St. Louis and Vicksburg Packet Company was organized and chartercd in 1859, as the Memphis and St. Louis Packet Company, by John A. Scudder, Daniel Able, Wm. J. Lewis, Wm. C. Postal, and R. L. McGce. The Memphis Line commenced with the steamers "Ben Lewis," " J. H. Dickey," and " Platte Valley," which were followed in turn by the " John D. Perry," "Rowena," " C. E. Hillman," " Colorado," "St. Joseph," " Mary E. Forsyth," "Southerner," " Courier," "Robb," "Adam Jacobs," "City of Alton," " Luminary," "Julia," "G. W. Graham," " Belle of Memphis, No. 1," " Belle of St. Louis," " City of Cairo," "City of Vicksburg," " Grand Tower," " Belle of Memphis, No. 2," and the " City of Chester."

During the first eleven years but one serious acci- dent occurred, the explosion of the " Ben Lewis," at Cairo. The " Belle of Memphis, No. 1," was lost in the ice at St. Louis, and the " G. W. Graham" was burned at the Levce, but in neither instance were any lives lost. The first president of the company was Capt. Daniel Able, whose life had been identified with river interests from boyhood, and who managed the line with marked ability. He was succeeded by W. G. Lewis, who in turn was followed by John J. Roe, under whose administration the business of the com- pany was greatly increased and extended. A regular line of packets between St. Louis and Vicksburg was established, and the construction of a number of new steamboats was contracted for. On the death of Mr. Roe, Capt. Henry W. Smith, who had long been identified with the company as general superintendent, was elected president.1

1 Henry W. Smith was born in Connecticut, and about 1845 removed to Missouri, settling at Glasgow, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. While thus occupied he was chosen a member of the State Legislature, and served with ability and zeal. In 1850 he abandoned his business at Glasgow to engage in steamboat enterprises, and commenced his career on the river as clerk on the " General Lane." He afterwards commanded and owned steamers of the same line. In 1855 he was made in- spector of hulls for the board of underwriters, but upon the formation of the Memphis Packet Line he was called into ac- tive service again, and, as general superintendent, and subse-

1118

HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

Capt. Smith died in March, 1870, and was suc- ceeded in the presidency of the company by John A. Scudder.

In 1879 the steamboats belonging to the company were the

Tons.

Belle of Memphis .... 919.67

John B. Maude .. .... 922.04

Colorado. 632.87

Ste. Genevieve ..

790.20

City of Vicksburg. 1058.28

City of Greenville.

1438.06

City of Helena. 1058.28

Emma C. Elliott. 660.16

Total 8537.84

Grand Tower. 1058.28

The officers in 1879 were John A. Scudder, presi- dent ; Theodore Zeigler, secretary ; John P. Keiser, superintendent ; and William B. Russell, agent. In that year a reorganization of the company was effected, and its name was changed to the St. Louis and Vicks- burg Packet Company, and the line is now known as the St. Louis and Vicksburg Anchor Line.

The company owns the following steamers, which ply between St. Louis and Memphis and Vicksburg: " City of Providence," " Gold Dust," " City of Green- ville," " Belle of Memphis," "City of Cairo," "City of Vicksburg," " Arkansas City," " James B. Maude," " City of Helena," "Ste. Genevieve," "E. C. Elliott," and " Colorado." The general office is located on the company's wharf-boat at the foot of Locust Street, and the officers in 1882 were John A. Scudder, president and general manager ; Directors, John A. Scudder, G. B. Allen, J. P. Keiser, and T. C. Zeigler. The capital stock is five hundred thousand dollars.

The New Orleans Anchor Line was organized in June, 1878, and incorporated during the same month with a capital stock of three hundred thousand dol- lars, the incorporators being John A. Scudder, James P. Keiser, G. B. Allen, William J. Lewis, and T. C. Zeigler. John A. Scudder was elected president, and has retained that position ever since. The company transacts a general passenger and freight transporta- tion business on the Mississippi River between St. Louis and New Orleans, the steamers employed being the " City of New Orleans," "City of Alton," " City of Baton Rouge," "John A. Scudder," "W. P. Holliday," and "Commonwealth." This company does its own insurance, and during its existence has lost five boats by fire.

John A. Scudder, president of the St. Louis and Vicksburg Anchor Line and New Orleans Anchor Line, has long been identified with steamboat inter- ests on the Mississippi. He was born at Maysville,

Mason Co., Ky., on the 12th of June, 1830. His father, Dr. Charles Scudder, was a native of New Jersey, and his mother, Mary H. Scudder, was a native of Virginia. Capt. Scudder removed to St. Louis at an early age, and soon became actively iden- tified with steamboat interests on the Mississippi River. Before he was thirty years old he had already become quite prominent in the business, and assisted, as one of the incorporators, in the organization of the Memphis and St. Louis Packet Company, of which, as already statcd, he became the president in 1870. Capt. Scudder at once addressed himself to the task of consolidating and harmonizing the steamboat in- terests on the lower Mississippi, and succeeded in greatly expanding the operations of the wealthy and powerful corporation of which he had become the head. Associated with him were Gerard B. Allen, John J. Roe, Edgar and Henry Amcs, and other wealthy citizens of St. Louis, who ably seconded his shrewd and energetic administration of the com- pany's affairs. To Capt. Scudder's tact and good management it was mainly due that the corporation passed unscathed through the turmoils and dangers of the civil war, for although he had not then been chosen its chief executive officer, his wise and prudent counsels were always heeded, and served to guide the company safely over many a shoal and rock.

In 1869 the Memphis Packet Company purchased the line running to Vicksburg, and extended its ser- vice to that point, running three boats a weck to both Vicksburg and Memphis. In 1874, at his sug- gestion, the company adopted the trade-mark or emblem of an anchor, and from this the appellation " Anchor Line" was adopted. Capt. Scudder was the first to introduce on the Western rivers the restaurant plan, now so much favored, and every improvement calculated to promote the convenience and comfort of patrons he has always been the first to adopt. In 1877 he was elected president of the St. Louis Merchants' Exchange, and in 1878 he orgnaized the New Orleans Anchor Line, with semi-weekly trips. In 1879 the charter of the Memphis and St. Louis Packet Company ex- pired, and, as heretofore stated, the company was re- organized under the title of the St. Louis and Vicks- burg Anchor Line. As the chief executive of both these companies, Capt. Scudder continues to lead a life of unceasing activity. His thorough familiarity with the whole subject of river navigation renders him an accepted authority among steamboat men, and there is probably no other individual engaged in the business of Western transportation who has been more uniformly successful, or who has contributed more largely to the development of the trade of the

quently president, of that company he became widely known upon the Western waters. At the time of his death Capt. Smith was also president of the Wrecking Company, and of a build- ing association, besides being engaged in a large lumher busi- ness in East St. Louis and other mercantile enterprises.

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY INHUIS.

1119

NAVIGATION ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

Mississippi and its tributaries. Although he has succeeded in amassing a large fortune, Capt. Sendder is as regular and punctual in the discharge of his official duties now as he was at the outset of his career. Nothing that concerns the interests of his companies eseapes his vigilant eyes, and no detail is too insig- nifieant to demand his attention. His poliey is eliar- aeterized by a happy combination of liberality, bold- ness, and prudenee, and the corporations under his charge are models of enterprising and, at the same time, conservative and judicious management. He possesses in a rare degree not only the capacity to plan, but the ability to execute, and, as we have indi- eated, is always in the van, not merely in adopting, but in devising improvements in methods of trans- portation. Personally he is as modest and unassum- ing as he is public-spirited and generous in his deal- ings with his fellow-men. For many years he has been thoroughly identified with the interests of the city which early in life he made his home, and to-day he is one of the most highly honored and influential citizens of St. Louis. He was married in June, 1852, to Miss Mary A. White, and a few years since Mrs. Seudder was made the recipient from unknown donors of a handsome portrait of her husband executed by Major Conant. The portrait was presented " as a tes- timonial in recognition of lis serviees and enterprise in building up the commeree of the eity and the Mississippi valley" by leading citizens of St. Louis, whose nanies were withheld, who " admired him as a man of spirit, thrift, sagacity, and large views," and who " appreciated the work he had accomplished in perfeeting and extending river transportation facilities."

The St. Louis and Mississippi Valley Trans- portation Company was originally the Mississippi Valley Transportation Company. The latter eorpo- ration was organized in the early part of 1866, and the first president was Capt. Barton Able. The first tow of barges left St. Louis for New Orleans on the 1st of April, 1866. In the following year, Capt. George H. Rea was elected president. Capt. Rea was born in Massachusetts April 26, 1816. He served an apprenticeship at the trade of tanning, and subse- quently removed to Waynesboro', Tenn., where he built up a remunerative trade in hides and leather. Shortly before the breaking out of the eivil war he removed to St. Louis, where he established a hide and leather store. He soon became prominent among the business men of St. Louis, and assisted in the establishment of the Second National Bank. In 1866 he was elected a member of the State Legisla- ture from the Thirty-fourth Senatorial Distriet of Missouri, and as chairman of the Ways and Means

Committee and in other eapaeities proved an active and useful member. Capt. Rea became largely inter- ested in Western transportation enterprises. He was at one time a director of the Missouri Pacifie Rail- road Company, and built the branch of that road from Pleasant Hill to Lawrenee, Kan. He was a stoekholder in various railway and water transporta- tion companies, and in 1867, as stated, was elected president of the Mississippi Valley Transportation Company, whose affairs he managed with great en- ergy and success. During Capt. Rea's administration the other officers of the company were Henry C. Haarstiek, vice-president and superintendent ; A. R. Moore, secretary ; William F. Haines, general freight agent; John A. Stevenson, agent at New Orleans ; R. L. Williams, agent at New York.

The following steamboats were owned by the com- pany in 1879 :

Tons.

Tow-boat "Future City"

589.30

66 " Grand Lake, No. 2"

377.49

" John Gilmore"

503.09

66 " John Dippold"

554.97

" My Choice"

462.23

66 " Port Eads"

334.38

Barges, forty-three.

47,524.23

Total tonnage ... 50,345.69

In 1880 the St. Louis and New Orleans Trans- portation Company was chartered, but on the 10th of September, 1881, it was eonsolidated with the Missis- sippi Valley corporation under the name of the St. Louis and Mississippi Valley Transportation Com- pany, which was incorporated with a capital stoek of two million dollars, thie incorporators being George H. Rea, Henry C. Haarstick, George D. Capen, Austin R. Moore, R. S. Hays, H. M. Hoxie, Henry Lowrey, A. A. Talmage, and John C. Gault. The company owns twelve steam tow-boats and one hundred barges, which are bonded for all export and import business. Its trade is largely in wheat, corn, and oats, and in the transportation of these eereals it probably transaets a larger business than any similar corporation in the world. The officers in 1882 were Henry C. Haarstiek, president; H. Lowrey, viee- president; H. P. Wyman, secretary ; and A. R. Moore, treasurer ; Direetors, George H. Rea, Henry C. Haarstick, George D. Capen, Austin R. Moore, R. S. Hays, H. M. Hoxie, Henry Lowrey, A. A. Tal- mage, and John C. Gault. The office is located on the company's wharf-boat at the foot of Elm Street.

The St. Louis and New Orleans Packet Com- pany was organized in May, 1869, and was the sue- cessor of the Atlantie and Mississippi Steamship Company. The first president was Capt. John N. Bofinger, the first secretary Walker R. Carter, and

1120

HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

the first general superintendent John W. Carroll. In 1870 the executive officers remained the same, and the directors were John N. Bofinger, D. R. Powell, Walker R. Carter, John W. Carroll, and Theodore Laveille. At that time the steamers be- longing to the company, which were then among the largest and finest in Western waters, were the " Olive Branch," "Pauline Carroll," " Richmond," "Dexter," " Mollie Able," "Thompson Dean," "Common- wealth," "W. R. Artlıur," " Bismarck," " Great Republie," and " Continental." In 1871 the follow- ing steamers were added : "City of Alton," " Belle Lee," "Natehez," " Belfast," " Carrie V. Kountz," " Rubieon," " Capital City," " Henry Ames," " C. B. Church," " Gleneoe," " Andy Johnson," "John Kyle," " Mollie Ebert," " Lady Lee," "Oceanus," " Shannon," " Virginia," "Susie Silver," "Tom Jasper," "James Howard," " City of Quiney," " S. S. Merrill." The total amount of freight carried in 1871 was one hundred and seventy-three thousand nine hundred tons.

Capt. John N. Bofinger, first president of the St. Louis and New Orleans Packet Company, was born in Laneaster County, Pa., Oct. 30, 1825, and in 1835 removed with his parents to Cineinnati, where his father established the first German paper west of Pittsburgh, the Cincinnati Volksblatt, which became a flourishing journal and existed many years. The boy was educated at the public schools of Cincinnati, and in 1846 obtained a position as clerk on the mail line steamers plying between Cincinnati and Louis- ville. In April, 1848, he arrived in St. Louis as clerk of the steamer " Atlantic," on which he remained as elerk and eaptain for six years. In 1854, in eon- neetion with John J. Roe and Rhodes, Pegram & Co., he purchased the steamer " L. M. Kennett," and in 1857 built the steamer " William M. Morrison," which, when the war broke out, was the last boat to leave St. Louis for New Orleans. The " Morrison" was detained by the Confederate authorities at Mem- phis, May 28, 1861, and was burned at New Orleans by the Confederates on the arrival of Farragut's fleet.

For thirteen years preceding the war, Capt. Bo- finger commanded steamers running between St. Louis and New Orleans, and enjoyed the reputation of being an unusually sueeessful eaptain. During that period he made one hundred and ninety-two trips between the two eities, and never met with an accident that oe- casioned the loss of a life.

The war provided a new theatre for the display of Capt. Bofinger's abilities as an organizer and eom- mander. He became interested in nearly all the eon- traets let by the United States government for the

transportation of troops and supplies on the Missis- sippi and its tributaries during 1861, '62, '63, '64, '65, '66, and '67, and during that time owned thirty steamers. He was no doubt the largest vessel-owner in the world. An instance of the magnitude of his operations and the extent of the trust reposed in his capacity to conduct them suecessfully is afforded by the fact that he was chosen by Gen. L. B. Parsons, A.Q.M.G., in 1862 to proceed to Memphis and Helena for the purpose of embarking the troops and animals of Gen. Sherman's army destined for Vicksburg. The number of steamers engaged in this service was ninety-five,-three boats were laden with munitions of war, four with commissary and quartermaster's stores, and the remainder with the army of nearly thirty-five thousand men and their animals, ete. This vast fleet was escorted by eleven gunboats under the command of Admiral Porter.

After the war Capt. Bofinger with others formed the Atlantic and Mississippi Steamship Company, with a capital of over two million dollars, and owning twenty-five of the largest steamboats then on the river, and was elected superintendent of the company. In 1867 he severed his connection with this com- pany and established the Vicksburg Mail Line, and after two years of successful operations, sold his in- terest to the Memphis and St. Louis Packet Company, now the Vicksburg Anehor Line.

In 1869 the Atlantie and Mississippi Steamship Company sold its steamers, and Capt. Bofinger and others formed the St. Louis and New Orleans Paeket Company, of which he was elected president, serving in that capacity until 1873, when he retired from the company.

In 1869-70, Capt. Bofinger held a contraet with the government to transport troops and supplies be- tween St. Louis and Fort Benton, over three thou- sand miles ; between St. Louis and New Orleans, twelve hundred miles ; and between St. Louis and Fort Gibson, on the Arkansas River, fifteen hundred miles ; an aggregate of five thousand seven hundred miles. This was the longest river transportation eon- tract ever held by any one person.

During the past few years Capt. Bofinger has en- gaged somewhat extensively in steamboat-building, one vessel of iron, the " Gouldsboro'," being a trans- fer steamer at New Orleans ; and he is now construct- ing a large steamer for the Memphis and Kansas City Railroad. In connection with his brother he has established the Telephone Company in Louisiana and Mississippi, which they own and operate.

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History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 30

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1358

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358