USA > Missouri > Missouri the center state, 1821-1915 > Part 16
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Brackenridge described Fort Osage as handsomely situated, "about one hundred feet above the level of the river, which makes an elbow at the place, giving an extensive view up and down the river. Its form is triangular, its size but small, not calculated for more than a company of men. A group of buildings is formed by the factory and settler's house. The place is called 'Fire Prairie.' It is something better than three hundred miles from the mouth of the river."
"We have now passed the last settlement of whites," Brackenridge con- tinued in his journal, "and probably will not revisit them for several months. This reflection seemed to have taken possession of the minds of all. Our men were kept from thinking too deeply by their songs and the splashing of oars,
THE MOREAU
KEEL BOAT ON THE OSAGE RIVER
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which kept time with them. Lisa, himself, seized the helm and gave the song, and, at the close of every stanza, made the woods ring with his shouts of encour- agement. The whole was intermixed with short and pithy addresses to their fears, their hopes or their ambition."
Brackenridge said of the creole boatmen: "I believe an American could not be brought to support with patience the fatiguing labors and submission which these men endure. At this season when the water is exceedingly cold, they leap in without a moment's hesitation. Their food consists of lye corn hominy for breakfast, a slice of fat pork and biscuit for dinner, and a pot of mush with a pound of tallow in it for supper."
A Steamboat Monopoly Turned Down.
In 1810, Robert Fulton, of steamboat fame, addressed a memorial "To the Honorable Legislature of Upper Louisiana." Associated with Fulton in the proposition was Robert R. Livingston. According to the memorial both Fulton and Livingston were "native citizens of the United States and residing in the State of New York." The memorial set forth that New York, to encourage the establishment of steamboats on the waters of that state, had granted to them ex- clusive right to navigate boats, impelled by force of steam, for twenty years for the first boat and five years for each succeeding boat, the whole term not to exceed thirty years. The petitioners explained that they had already constructed two boats, one of which they called the North River steamboat and the other the Car of Neptune. The North River steamboat, they said, had been running voyages of 160 miles between New York and Albany since July, 1807. The Car of Neptune had been making voyages between New York and Albany since September, 1809.
The petitioners stated that their associate, Mr. Roosevelt, had made an ex- amination of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in the summer of 1809, examining the depths and velocities of the two rivers. He had reported such conditions as led Mr. Fulton and Mr. Livingston to conclude these rivers might be navigated by steamboats. The petitioners were willing to make the venture provided they could secure what they deemed proper encouragement in the way of exclusive privilege. The memorial concluded with the following proposition to the legisla- tive body of Upper Louisiana, of which St. Louis was the seat of government :
"For these reasons, and to encourage the immediate establishment of steamboats on the waters of your State, and particularly on the Ohio and Mississippi, your petitioners pray that, after the example of the State of New York, you will grant them the exclusive right to navigate the waters of your State or Territory, with boats moved by steam or fire, on the fol- lowing conditions :
"First, that three years from the time of passing the law your petitioners will build a boat on the Ohio or Mississippi river, to move by the force of steam, which shall be capable of carrying seventy tons of merchandise, produce or material, and move at the rate of at least three and one-half miles an hour in still water-if they do not comply with these condi- tions the law shall be null and void.
"Second, that in all cases they will not charge more than three-fourths of the sum which is usually paid for carrying merchandise or materials of any kind on said rivers to any given or equal distance to which the boats now transport them.
"Third, that they will perform the voyage in less than three-fourths of the time which is now usually required by the mercantile boats to navigate said rivers to any given point where steamboats can go with safety.
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"Fourth, that on establishing the first boat, the governor will appoint a committee of three persons to report on the performance of the boat; and if they find that your petitioners have complied with the terms of the contract, the law to be confirmed in favor of said Livingston and Fulton."
The petition, as the memorandum on the back of it indicates, was "presented October 10, 1810." The disposition is indicated by the following endorsement : "Ordered to lie on the table October 23, 1810. Taken into consideration and post- poned until next session." The legislature sitting at St. Louis did not accept the proposition of Robert Fulton.
The First Steamboat.
Seven years elapsed before the first steamboat reached St. Louis. That was the Zebulon MI. Pike. It was a very primitive affair. The hull was built like a barge. The power was a low pressure engine, with a walking beam. The wheels had no wheel houses. The boat had but one smokestack. Where the current was rapid the crew used poles to help out the steam power. The Pike ran only by daylight. The trip from Louisville to St. Louis and return required four weeks. One account of it gives the time as six weeks. The General Pike was such an object of curiosity that Captain Jacob Reed charged the St. Louis- ans who wished to come on board a dollar apiece. The admission was not pro- hibitive. Several times the boat became so crowded that the captain stopped receiving and waited for those on the deck to go ashore. The mention of the coming and going of the Pike was made very briefly by the Missouri Gazette.
The year after the coming of the Pike, some Ohio river men built a steam- boat they called the St. Louis and sent her around to that port. Captain Hewes invited a number of leading citizens to take a ride up to the mouth of Missouri. The Gazette in its next issue reported that "the company on board was large and genteel and the entertainment very elegant." One thing that affected the early interest of St. Louis in steamboating was the general doubt about steam navigation of the Missouri. The Pike had made three and three-quarter miles against the Ohio current. If that was the best the steam engine afloat could do, the motive power would not succeed on the Missouri.
About the first of May, 1819, the Maid of Orleans came into port at St. Louis. She had steamed from Philadelphia to New Orleans and then up the Mississippi to St. Louis. That same month the Independence left St. Louis and went up the Mississippi and the Missouri as far as Franklin, near Boonville. She was thirteen days on the way but she did it and unloaded her cargo of flour, whiskey, sugar, iron castings. Then indeed the town of Laclede sat up and marveled. Colonel Charless acknowledged his skepticism and glorified the new era of steam navigation. He published in the Gazette this congratulation: "In 1817, less than two years ago, the first steamboat arrived in St. Louis. We hailed it as the day of small things, but the glorious consummation of all our wishes is daily arriving. Who would or could have dared to conjecture that in 1819 we would have witnessed the arrival of a steamboat from Philadelphia or New York. Yet such is the fact. The Mississippi has become familiar to this great American invention and another new avenue is open."
A month later when the Independence had returned from the first naviga- tion of the Missouri by steam the Gazette said: "This trip forms a proud event
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WILSON PRICE HUNT
MAJOR BENJAMIN O'FALLON
ITRAPPER
PIONEER STEAMBOAT ON THE MISSOURI
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in the history of Missouri. The Missouri has hitherto resisted almost effectually all attempts at navigation. She has opposed every obstacle she could to the tide of immigration which was rolling up her banks and dispossessing her dear red children, but her white children, although children by adoption, have become so numerous and are increasing so rapidly that she is at last obliged to yield them her favor. The first attempt to ascend her by steam has succeeded, and we anticipate the day as speedy when the Missouri will be as familiar to steamboats as the Mis- sissippi or Ohio. Captain Nelson merits and will receive deserved credit for his enterprise and public spirit in this undertaking."
A Coming Centennial.
The centennial anniversary of steamboat navigation on the Missouri River will come in 1919. On the 28th of May, 1819, Captain John Nelson brought his boat, the Independence, to the bank at Franklin in Howard County. He had made the trip of one hundred and fifty miles from St. Louis in thirteen days although upon only seven of the thirteen had the paddle wheels been moving. Franklin celebrated the arrival of the Independence. A cannon salute was fired from the town and returned from the boat. Among the passengers were Colonel Elias Rector, Stephen Rector, Captain Desha, J. C. Mitchell, Dr. Stewart J. Wan- ton and Major J. T. Wilcox. Rector and other citizens of St. Louis had encour- aged the trip by Captain Nelson. Under the agreement with them the boat was to ascend the Missouri River to Chariton, near Glasgow. The St. Louis people contributed the money necessary for the charter in order to show that steam navigation was possible on the Missouri River. The Independence carried a con- siderable cargo of flour, whiskey, sugar, iron and castings. The significance of the trip was set forth in the Missouri Intelligencer, the second newspaper to be estab- lished west of the Mississippi. It was published by Nathaniel Patton and Benjamin Holliday, and had been issued only three or four weeks previous to the arrival of the Independence. The press upon which the Intelligencer was printed is treasured among the relics of the Missouri Historical Society in Jefferson Memorial at St. Louis. The Intelligencer printed this account of the steamboat's arrival :
"With no ordinary sensations of pride and pleasure we announce the arrival this morn- ing (May 28) of the elegant steamboat Independence, Capt. Nelson. The grand desideratum, the important fact, is now ascertained, that steamboats can safely navigate the Missouri river. A respectable gentleman, a passenger in the Independence, who has for a number of years traveled the great Western States, informs us that it is his opinion that with a little precaution in keeping clear of sandbars the Missouri may be navigated with as much facility as the Mississippi or Ohio. Missourians may hail this era, from which to date the growing importance of this section of country; when they view with what facility (by the aid of steam) boats may ascend the turbulent waters of the Missouri, to bring to this part of the country the articles requisite to its supply, and return laden with the various products of this fertile region. At no distant period may we see the industrious cultivator making his way as high as the Yellowstone and offering to the enterprising merchant and trader a surplus worthy of the fertile banks of the Missouri, yielding wealth to industry and enterprise."
In the next issue the Intelligencer had the following prophetic editorial :
"We may truly regard this event as highly important, not only to the commercial but agricultural interests of the country. The practicability of steamboat navigation, being now clearly demonstrated by experiment, we shall be brought nearer to the Atlantic, West India
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and European 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 among 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 and eminently dangerous in its navigation, but we are happy to state that his progress thus far has not been impeded by any serious accident."
The Banquet at Franklin.
In celebration of the arrival of the Independence the Franklin citizens gave a banquet to Captain Nelson and his passengers, at which numerous toasts were offered. Captain Asa Morgan presided and Nathaniel Hutchison was Vice- President. Walter Williams has written this account of the banquet:
"The celebration was no affair of midnight revelry, but of midday enjoyment. The din- ner began at noon and the speeches lasted until sundown. Everybody was toasted and nearly everybody made an after-dinner speech. Nor were the toasts drunk in Missouri river water, either, but in a stronger beverage.
"Toasts at the Nelson dinner were of two kinds, regular and volunteer. 'The Missouri River' was, with appropriateness, first toasted with the sentiment thus rather curiously ex- pressed : 'Its last wave will roll the abundant tribute of our region to the Mexican gulf, in reference to the auspices of this day.' Then followed, with equal appropriateness, 'The Memory of Robert Fulton,' of whom it was said: 'One of the most distinguished artists of his age. The Missouri river now bears upon her bosom the first effect of his genius for steam navigation.' The memory of Franklin, the philosopher and statesman, was next toasted : 'In anticipation of his country's greatness, he never recognized that a boat at this time would be propelled by steam so far westward to a town bearing his name, on the Missouri.' After the Missouri river, Fulton and Franklin, the captain of the boat was toasted : 'Capt. Nelson-the proprietor of the steamboat Independence. The imaginary dan- gers of the Missouri vanished before his enterprising genius.'
"Of Louisville, Franklin and Chariton it was said: 'They became neighbors by steam navigation.'
"Other regular toasts were: 'The Republican Government of the United States: By facilitating the intercourse between distant points, its benign influence may be diffused over the continent of North America.'
"'The Policy-Resulting in the expedition of the Yellowstone.'
"'South America-May an early day witness the navigation of the Amazon and La Plata by steam power, under the auspices of an independent power.'
""International Improvement-The New York Canal, an unperishable monument of the patriotism and genius of its projector.'
" 'The Missouri Territory-Desirous to be numbered with States on constitutional prin- ciples, but determined never to submit to congressional usurpation.'
"'James Monroe-President of the United States.'
"'The Purchase of the Floridas-A hard bargain.'
"For the last regular toast was given, with no word of comment, 'The American Fair.'
"Capt. Nelson spoke briefly: 'I will ever bear in grateful remembrance the liberality and hospitality of the citizens of Franklin.' J. C. Mitchell, one of the boat's passengers, praised Gen. T. A. Smith as 'the Cincinnatus of the West.' Another passenger, Maj. Thomp- son Douglas, complimented the citizens of Franklin as 'characterized by hospitality and gen- erosity.' Lilburn W. Boggs, afterward governor of Missouri, proposed the health of Maj. Gen. Andrew Jackson. John W. Scudder of Franklin toasted 'Our Guests-The passen- gers who ascended the Missouri in the Independence; they have the honor to be the first to witness the successful experiment of steam navigation on our noble river.'
"The two editors of the first Western newspaper were talkers as well as writers. Ben- jamin Holliday's sentiment was: 'The 28th of May, 1819-Franklin will long remember it
TRANSPORTATION ON THE MISSOURI RIVER
WILLIAM J. LEWIS
JOHN D. PERRY
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and the Independence and her commander will be immortalized in history.' Nathanial Pat- ten mixed politics and agriculture thus : 'The Missouri Territory-Its future prosperity and greatness can not be checked by the caprice of a few men in Congress while it possesses a soil of inexhaustible fertility, abundant resources and a body of intelligent, enterprising, independent freemen.'
"Augustus Storrs spoke of the late Capt. Lawrence with praise. It was Capt. Lawrence who uttered the words, 'Don't give up the ship,' in the memorable naval battle between the Constitution and the Guerriere. For him Lawrence county, Missouri, is named. J. R. Howard praised the genius of Robert Fulton. L. W. Jordan's sentiment was significant : 'The towns on the Missouri River-May they flourish in commerce and, like those on the Ohio and Mississippi, witness the daily arrival or departure of some steamboat ascending or descending the majestic stream.' Toasts by Dr. J. J. Lowry and Maj. Richard Gentry to the president and vice-president of the day closed the brilliant celebration."
Steamboating in Pioneer Days.
When Missouri entered the Union there was not a steamboat owned in the State although this improvement in transportation was in use on the Ohio and Lower Mississippi. Above St. Louis the navigation was by barges. A decade after the Pike crept up to the St. Louis bank and half paddled, half floated away Missourians looked with conservatism upon steamboating. Along the Ohio nearly one hundred steamboats had been built and put in operation before this State became to the trade anything more than landing places. Steamboats came, unloaded, loaded and left. In 1825 the Missouri Republican commented on the surprising fact that the two boats, the Brown and the Magnet, were lying up at this port for repairs: "We believe this is the first instance of a steamboat re- maining here through the season of low water." The primitive conditions of pioneer steamboating were described by Captain Joseph Brown in a paper read before the Missouri Historical Society. Captain Brown wrote of what he had seen and known as boy and man :
"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 flatboat, with broad bow and stern, and a stern wheel. There was nothing above the boiler deck but the pilothouse and the 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 clean 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 doctor engine had not been invented, and I do not doubt that many explosions occurred 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 staterooms 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 used on ships, but, being useless, they were soon dispensed with. Stages had not been invented then. Two or three planks were used, and, if need be, tied together. Whistles were unknown, but bells were rung, and the captains were very proud of a big bell. For a number of years there was no signal for passing or meeting boats, and the result was many collisions.
"There were no regular packets then. A boat started from Pittsburg was just as likely to go to St. Paul as anywhere, or up any of the other rivers, and they had no regular hours 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 taken in, all but one, and then launch their planks out 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 bargain, and very often great deception
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was practiced. The engines being small and very imperfect in those days, the boats were very slow. I have known some of the boats in the case of a sudden rise in the river and consequent 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.
"The Eagle was one of the first boats to run between St. Louis and Alton. She had one engine, was a side-wheeler, about 18 feet beam and 75 feet long. She carried about 50 tons, and it took her about seven hours to go to Alton. She was commanded by that veteran steamboat man, Captain Lamothe.
"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 emigration at that time, boats could not be built fast enough. It was said of a certain boat-yard at Freedom, Pennsylvania, that they kept a lot of the 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 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 either torn up to build a more modern boat, or had sunk or blown up. Need I tell you that in one bend in the river there lie the wrecks of one hundred and three steamboats, between St. Louis and Cairo?"
When Edmund Flagg came from Boston to be the editor of a St. Louis paper about 1838 he was much entertained with the firing of a salute: "As we drew nigh to Alton the fireman of our steamer deemed proper, in testimonial of the dignity of our arrival, to let off a certain rusty old swivel which chanced to be on board; and to have witnessed the marvelous fashion in which this marvelous manœuver was executed by our worthies would have pardoned a smile on the visage of Heraclitus himself. 'One lanky-limbed genius held a huge dipper of gunpowder ; another, seizing upon the extremity of a hawser and severing a generous frag- ment, made use thereof for wadding; a third rammed home the charge with that fearful weapon wherewith he poked the furnaces; while a fourth, honest wight, all preparations being complete, advanced with a shovel of glowing coals, which, poured upon the touchhole, the old piece was briefly delivered of its charge, and the woods and shore and welkin rang with the roar."
The Perils of River Navigation.
The steamboat era made a record for casualty and mortality which was ap- palling. St. Louis newspaper files show that during the eighteen years preced- ing 1852 twenty-seven steamboats exploded their boilers, and that in the twenty- seven explosions there were killed 1,002 persons. In the eighteen years subse- quent to 1852 fifty-four boats met with disaster. The number of fatalities was 3,100. The first serious explosion occurred as early as 1816. "The Washington" blew up, destroying nine lives. The climax in the series of disasters was reached when the Sultana exploded her boilers in 1864, killing 1,647 people, most of them returning soldiers. The explosions which cost fifty lives or more were those of the Ellen McGregor in 1836; the Blackhawk in 1837; the Orinoco in 1838; the General Brown in 1838; the H. W. Johnston in 1846; the Edward Bates in 1847; Louisiana in 1849; Princess in 1859; Ben Sherrod in 1861; Pennsylvania in 1862; Anglo-Norman in 1850; Glencoe in 1852; W. R. Arthur in 1871.
On the second of July, 1842, the Steamer Edna left St. Louis bound up the Missouri River carrying about one hundred passengers. Most of the people were
BOAT WITH CORDELLE, SAIL AND POLES USED BY PIONEER MISSOURIANS
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German immigrants who were on their way to new homes along the Missouri. The boat stopped for a night near the mouth of the river, the intention being to start out at daylight. Many of the immigrants were deck passengers and lay down to sleep near the boilers. At daybreak the assistant engineer started the engine. Almost before the wheel had turned the boiler collapsed and the hot water was thrown over the deck passengers. The steamboats Iatan and Annawan were within sight. They came at once to the assistance of the Edna. The boat was towed back to St. Louis. The injured were transferred to the Sisters' Hos- pital. The dead numbered fifty-five. On the 4th of July was presented one of the saddest scenes in the history of the State. A public funeral was held at the courthouse, attended by thousands of citizens.
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