USA > Wisconsin > Winnebago County > History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Its Cities, Towns, Resources, People > Part 57
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The side-wheel towboat "Portage" was built at Eureka in 1862. She was intended to be used for towing barges between Green Bay and Portage, commanded by Captain Clint Stevens. She was owned by the Portage Steamboat Company. She was sold to the United States Engineering Department and used on the improvement of the Wisconsin river. In 1891 she was pur- chased from the United States Engineering Department by Tal- bot, of Berlin, Wisconsin, and placed on the route between Osh- kosh and Berlin, and in 1898 was hauled out at Berlin and dis- mantled.
In the winter of 1864-1865 the side-wheel steamer "Northwest- ern" was built at Winneconne by Captain John Lynch, Ruben Doud and Tom Wall. She was placed on the route between Osh- kosh and New London under command of Captain Jack Anson
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and continued in that trade until she was abandoned in the fall of 1883.
During the spring of 1863 the side-wheel towboat "76" was built at Berlin. She was eighty feet long and twenty foot beam. She was later sold to Captain Stimpson of New London, was hauled out and lengthened and her name changed to "A. N. Lincoln," and then ran on the Fox river route. In the summer of 1863 she was rebuilt and named the "E. P. Weston." In the spring of 1869 she was put on the route between Montello and Berlin on the Fox river in connection with the St. Paul Railroad. In the fall of 1886 she was abandoned as worthless and her ma- chinery placed on the barge "Bismarck," and this craft was then called the "T. S. Chitterton." In the fall of 1888, the "Chitterton" was abandoned and the same machinery was transferred to the hull of the steamer "Leander Choate" that had been burned. This craft was placed in commission in 1869, and was called the "C. S. Morris."
The side-wheel steamer "L. W. Barden" was built at Berlin in 1864 by the .Portage Company for the purpose of towing barges in that company's lumber trade. She was about ninety- five feet long. twenty foot beam. In 1868 she was sold to Web- ster & Lawson, of Menasha and her name changed to "P. V. Lawson." She was employed in the lumber trade for several years, and was then sold and taken to Dubuque, Iowa.
The side-wheel steamer "Winnebago," 130 feet long, 25 foot beam, was built at Green Bay by J. F. Kirkland in 1865, and was placed under the command of Captain James Brooks, and in 1867 she was purchased by the Lake & Railroad Transporta- tion Company, and came out commanded by Captain E. M. Neff. She was later purchased by W. Hart of Green Bay, and in 1879 she was condemned as a steamer and her hull made into a barge.
In 1865 the boating firm of Neff & Leach built the stern-wheel steamer "Brooklyn," 135 feet long and 28 foot beam, and under the command of Captain W. W. Neff, ran from Oshkosh to Green Bay. In 1867 the "Brooklyn" started on an experi- mental trip with a cargo of coal and other merchandise from Green Bay to St. Paul. She left Green Bay June 4, and arrived at St. Paul June 16. Taking on a return cargo she arrived in Green Bay June 22, making the first and only round trip ever made between those two ports. In 1873 she was sold to McKen- zie & Crawford, and was put on the route between Oshkosh and
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Green Bay, under the command of Captain John Crawford, and in 1883 she was dismantled and her machinery placed in a new steamer built by the same firm and named the "Evelyn."
In 1865 the side-wheel steamer "L. W. Crane" was built at Berlin by McArthur & Co. She was 100 feet long, 20 foot beam, had two boilers and two engines that were geared to main shaft at the ratio of two and one-half to one. In 1886 she was pur- chased by a stock company and taken over onto the Allegheny river. She returned to the Mississippi river and was used there for towing logs under the ownership of Abner Conro of Osh- kosh. She was brought back to this city in 1874, and in the summer of 1880, whilst she was laid up in the St. Paul R. R. slip at Oshkosh, she caught fire and burned to the water's edge.
In the winter of 1866-1867 the side-wheel steamer "Tigress" was built at New London, 115 feet long and 20 foot beam, and went into commission on the Wolf river route, commanded by Captain M. Stimpson. She was purchased by the Wolf River Transportation Company and came out the next spring in charge of Captain Tom Golden. The "Tigress" and "Northwestern" formed a daily line between Oshkosh and New London for sev- eral years. The "Tigress" was dismantled in 1873 and her machinery was placed in a new stern-wheel steamer named the "Tom Wall."
In 1865 a steamboat about eighty foot keel, sixteen foot beam was built at North Port on the Wolf river by Reuben Doud and J. P. Morse & Co. She was first named "Reuben Doud" without that gentleman's knowledge or consent. When he first saw his name painted on the paddle box of this nondescript he was furious and immediately ordered the name erased or the boat destroyed. He did not care a - which. The name was changed to "Montello" and she was run on the upper Fox river as a passenger and towboat under the command of Captain Elias Peterson. In 1874 she was dismantled and her machinery placed on the barge "Bismarck." The hull was sold to Captain Robert Booth and by him rebuilt and made into a side-wheel pile driver. and has been in commission from that time up to the present date. 1908.
In 1867 the Lake & R. T. Co. built a large barge as a con- sort for the steamer "Portage." This barge was later trans- formed into a twin serew propeller named "Cornucopia." She came out the next summer under the command of Captain Sam Neff. In 1873 she was purchased by the United States Engi-
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neering Department, remodeled somewhat and her name changed to the "Crawford." In 1879 she was condemned and her hull converted into a barge.
In 1867 the stern-wheel steamer "Lumberman" was built at Oshkosh by the late Senator Philetus Sawyer and Captain Bar- ney Dougherty. She was 130 feet long, 22 foot beam, and built for the purpose of boating lumber from Oshkosh to Fond du Lac. In the spring of 1871 she was taken onto the upper Mississippi and remained there.
In 1868 the stern-wheel steam barge "Energy" was built at Winneconne by Wall & Williams. She was 135 feet long and 26 foot beam and came out commanded by Captain Mike Golden as a general freighter. In 1872 she was converted into a tow barge and her machinery was placed on the "Lady Allender."
In 1869 the stern-wheel steamer "Northport Belle" was built at Northport on the Wolf river. She was 120 feet long and 24 foot beam, intended as a heavy freight boat. In 1882 her hull had become worthless. She was then stripped of her machinery and abandoned.
The stern-wheel steamer "Island City" was built in 1868 by Plummer & Moulton at Menasha. She came out in May of that year under the command of Captain Hollis Thurston. She was 124 feet long and 24 foot beam. She was put on the Mena- sha and east shore route of Lake Winnebago and remained on that route until 1872, and then sold to Day & Cook and was put on the route between Oshkosh and Clifton on the east shore under the command of Captain W. W. Neff. In 1877 she was dismantled and her machinery placed in the new boat "B. F. Carter." The hull of the "Island City" was later fitted up with machinery, and in 1882 was taken over on the Mississippi.
The side-wheel steamer "Milwaukee" was built at Winneconne by the Wolf River Transportation Company in 1869. She was 115 feet in length, 22 foot beam and was intended to run in con- nection with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R. Co. from Winneconne to Gill's Landing on the Wolf river. She was in charge of Captain Stimpson. In 1872 she was transferred to the route between Oshkosh and New London under the command of Captain Tom Golden, and remained on that line until the fall of 1884. She was then stripped of her machinery and her hull made into a barge.
The side-wheel tugboat "L. P. Sheldon" was built at Osh- kosh in 1869. She was 90 feet long and 18 foot beam and came
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out commanded by a son of the owner, Captain Ed Sheldon. She was lengthened out and had a cabin built on her in 1871. and ran for a while in connection with the S. and F. R. R. Later she established a route between Oshkosh, Neenah, Menasha and the east shore of Lake Winnebago. She was sold to some Fond du Lac parties, and by them sold and taken to Green Bay and her name changed to the "City of Styles." She was finally abandoned in 1884.
In 1871 the side-wheel steamer "Diamond," 120 feet long, 17 foot beam, was built at Oshkosh by Morse & Paige. She was placed on the Berlin route on the Fox river and on the 22d of June that same year her upper works were burned down to her main deck. New upper works were built on the hull and she came out again that fall. In 1878 she was laid up and her ma- chinery was taken out and sold to Captain Hart of Green Bay, and her hull was sold to Captain Sam Neff, who placed the ma- chinery of his steam barge "76" into her and she came out under the name of "76." In the fall of 1879 she was remodeled into a propeller and the next season she was purchased by Lew and John Day and placed in the wood and lumber trade from Chambers Island on Green Bay. She changed owners several times and finally, under the ownership of W. L. Miller, of Winne- conne, she was stripped of her machinery and her hull mad into a barge.
The twin screw steamer "Abel Neff," 90 foot keel. 16 foot beam, with two boilers and two engines 10x12 inches, was built in Oshkosh in 1871. She came out in the fall under the com- mand of Captain Jim Stanton. In the fall of 1872 she was taken to Green Bay. She continued to run on the waters of Green Bay for several seasons, and was then sold and taken to Isle Royale in Lake Superior to run from that island to the mainland. and was wrecked on Island Royale in 1885.
The "Flora Webster," a double-wheel propeller, was built at Menasha by Webster & Lawson in 1871. She was 125 feet long, 29 foot beam, had one boiler. four engines 9x12 and two hoist- ing engines 6x8. She was built for the purpose of transporting logs and heavy timber from upriver to their mill at Menasha. In 1875 she was taken to Ft. Howard and sold. McKinzie & Crawford later on became her owners, and in 1880 they sold her to Burnham & Son of Milwaukee. She was then hauled out at Green Bay and rebuilt, being very much enlarged and then taken to Milwaukee. Finding her steam-power insufficient she was put
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in dry dock and again rebuilt and changed into a single wheel propeller and new boilers and engines of greater power placed on board. Several years later she burned at the McCormick docks at Green Bay.
In 1872 the steamer "Lady Allender" was built at Belle Plains on the Wolf river. She was 80 feet long. 18 foot beam and was fitted out with the machinery taken out of the steam barge "Energy." She was put on the route between New London and Shawano, commanded by Captain Tom Allender. In 1877 she was sold to the Trow Brothers of Eureka. and her name changed to "Isabella" and run from Oshkosh to Berlin. In 1878 she was taken onto the Illinois river.
The double-wheel propeller "Neptune" was built at Oshkosh in 1872. She was 137 feet long and 28 foot beam. She came out under the command of Captain Herman Hitz, and was put on the route between Oshkosh and the east shore of Lake Winne- bago in the brick and stone trade, and sold to the Green Bay Iron Company in 1873, after being rebuilt by that company, and used in the iron ore trade between Escanaba and Depere, her name was changed to "W. L. Brown." In 1886, whilst bound from Escanaba to Depere loaded with iron ore, she sprung a leak and sunk just north of Sturgeon Bay in about eighty feet of water. She was commanded by Captain F. W. Stafford at the time.
The stern-wheel steamer "Tom Wall" was built at Winne- conne by the Wolf River Transportation Company in 1873. She was 126 feet long and 24 foot beam and was supplied with ma- chinery from the steamer "Tigress" and came out with Captain Jack Anson in charge on the Wolf river route. The "Wall" proved too expensive for this route, and in 1877 she was laid up and was replaced by the new steamer "John Lynch." The "Wall" was later chartered by Captains Sam and W. W. Neff and remained in commission for excursion business. Finally. being purchased by parties from Fremont and employed in the wood trade, under command of Captain Mike Golden. She was snagged and sunk on the Wolf river on August 2, 1888. Her machinery was recovered, but the hull remained a total wreck.
The stern-wheel steamer "Edna" was built in Oshkosh in 1873, by the United States Engineering Department. She was 115 feet long and 20 foot beam. In 1876 she was fitted with new and larger machinery, and her name was changed to "Neenah." She was commanded by Captain Barney Dougherty.
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After several years' service for the Government she was con- demned and dismantled.
The stern-wheel steamer "76," owned by Captain Sam Neff, had been made over from a barge bought from the Appleton Iron Furnace Company. She was 110 feet long and 30 foot beam. The "76" did general freighting for some years and was dismantled and reduced to a tow barge for Captain Neff's new tug "Ajax."
The stern-wheel steamer "John Lynch" was built at Osh- kosh in 1877, by Captain John Lynch and Tom Wall. She was 115 foot keel and 18 foot beam, and ran from Oshkosh to New London. In 1883 she was purchased by L. B. Reed to run from Oshkosh to Tustin on Lake Poygan. In 1885 the Lynch was sold to Clark & Lefevre and run on the same route under the command of Captain Paul Lefevre, and on May 2, 1902, she was burned to the water's edge in Lake Poygan near the mouth of the Wolf river.
The stern-wheel steamer "B. F. Carter" was built at Oshkosh. by the Cook & Brown Lime Company in 1877. Her length over all is 125 feet, breadth of beam 24 feet. She was built by this company to run between Oshkosh and the east shore freighting lime, brick and stone from their quarries on the east shore to Oshkosh. She came out under the command of Captain Her- man Hitz, and he remained in continuous command for twenty- eight years, when the veteran Captain retired from service by reason of age. The "('arter" has been rebuilt several times and is still in active service, always being the first steamboat to get under way in the spring and the last boat to be laid up in the fall.
The stern-wheel steamer "Gussie Girdon," built at Burling- ton, Iowa, came over on these waters and ran between Berlin and Portage for one season, then purchased by II. Steadman, of Berlin, and run between Oshkosh and Berlin. In 1880 she was hauled out at Berlin and dismantled.
The steamer "K. M. Hutchinson" was remodeled from a barge in 1880, and converted into a stern-wheel boat, 118 feet long 22 foot beam. In 1886 she was hauled out and lengthened to 135 feet over all, and run on the Oshkosh and Green Bay route. under the command of her owner, Captain Bangs. A series of misfortunes attended her career. She was sunk a number of times and once was beached near Fond du Lac and on August
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31, 1895, she was burned to the water's edge just below Lake Poygan.
The twin screw steamer "Ossian Cook" was built at Osh- kosh in 1880 by the Cook & Brown Lime Company. She was 115 feet long and 24 foot beam, commanded by Captain Frank Schlissing, and was used, by the Cook & Brown Company in their lime and stone business between Oshkosh and the east shore until 1895, when she was abandoned as worthless.
The stern-wheel steamer "Fashion" was built at Berlin, in 1881, by H. Steadman. She was 110 feet long, 20 foot beam and was fitted out with machinery taken out of the "Gussie Girdon" and then placed on the Oshkosh and Berlin route, and remained on this route for a number of seasons, and was finally sold to the Clark & Lefevre Company, and by them used on various routes wherever business demanded. She was sold to the Osh- kosh Steamboat Company in the spring of 1908.
The propeller barge "Sam Neff" was built at Oshkosh by Captain Sam Neff in 1881. She was 140 feet long and 30 foot beam, and was supplied with machinery taken out of the tug "Ajax." She was run on these waters for one season and then taken onto Lake Michigan by Captain Neff, and ran there sev- eral seasons. She was transferred to several different owners, and the last known of her she was owned in Cleveland, Ohio, and was used in the sand trade on Lake Erie.
The stern-wheel steamer "Evelyn" was built in 1883 by McKinzie & Crawford. She was 143 feet long, 28 foot beam, and supplied with machinery taken out of the steamer "Brook- lyn," and under the command of Captain John Crawford, was placed in the coal trade between Oshkosh and Green Bay. She was overhauled and rebuilt in 1898, and came out com- manded by Captain Mike Golden. She was later sold to the Oshkosh Steamboat Company, and in the fall of 1907 she was dismantled of her machinery and her hull is to be used as a hunting lodge on the marsh at the head of Lake Butte des Morts.
The side-wheel steamer "Leander C'hoate" was built by Berg- stresser and the Spaulding Brothers at Oshkosh in 1884. She was 132 feet long and 22 foot beam. She was intended for the Oshkosh and New London route and came out under the com- mand of Captain Mike Golden. She was burned at Northport on the Wolf river July 19, 1888. Her hull was towed to Osh- kosh and her machinery removed and the huil was then sold to
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Nick Garrow, who rebuilt her upper works and placed the machinery of the old steamer "E. P. Weston" in her and named her the "C. S. Morris," commanded by Captain Nick Garrow. . In 1899 she was sold to Bergstresser, of Fremont, and again over- hauled and her name changed to "City of Fremont," under the command of Captain John Welta. She was at last worn out and abandoned.
The side-wheel steamer "O. B. Reed" was built at Oshkosh the winter of 1885, from a model designed by the noted yacht builder, Robert Brand. She was 118 feet long, 1812 foot beam and was supplied with the machinery taken out of the old "Northwestern." She was no doubt the speediest steamer ever on these waters. She came out in the spring of 1885, and ran from Oshkosh to Tustin, Freemont and the east shore of Lake Winnebago. In the fall of 1893 she was sold to go to Toledo, Ohio. Her name was changed to "Idler." She was sunk and abandoned at Toledo in 1896.
The propeller "M. E. Neff" was built at Oshkosh in 1887 for Captain Sam Neff. She was 140 feet long, 28 foot beam, and intended by Captain Neff for the big lakes, and sold as soon as completed to Chicago parties, her name changed to "Ida E."
The steam propeller "M. C. Neff" was built in Oshkosh by Captain Sam Neff in 1888, 141 feet long and 28 foot beam, built for the big lakes and when completed was taken there and added to the small fleet of boats owned by Captain Neff on those waters. Later she was sold to Chicago.
The stern-wheel steamer "W. B. Hopkins" was built at New London in 1899, 100 feet long and 18 foot beam. Her ma- chinery was supplied from the tug "Eagle" that was originally the old tug "Fond du Lac." In 1890 she was sold to C. C. Paige and in 1894 was sold to Detroit, Michigan, and by them taken onto the St. Claire river.
The side-wheel steamer "Lefevre" was built at Oshkosh by Clark and Lefevre in 1901, and under the command of Captain Paul Lefevre, run on the Oshkosh and Lake Poygan route for several seasons. She was speedy and a reliable sea boat. In 1906 she was sold to D. E. Cleary and taken to Sandusky. Ohio.
The stern-wheel steamer "Paul Lefevre, known as the "Paul L.," was built at Oshkosh in 1907, by Clark & Lafevre. She was designed for and still is running on the Oshkosh and Lake Poygan route, commanded by Captain Paul Lefevre. She is
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123 feet long and 22 foot beam, quite fast, seaworthy, and very suitable for the trade on these waters.
The stern-wheel steamer "Leander Choate" was built at Osh- kosh by the Oshkosh Steamboat Company in 1908, is 146 feet long, 30 foot beam and 7 foot deep in the hold. This boat is the largest and best steamer on these waters. She was completed and put in service about May 1, 1908, under the command of Captain Mike Golden, on the Green Bay route, and will also be used in the excursion business. .
The tugboat history of these waters is deserving of especial mention, inasmuch as the grouser tug was originally designed in this locality, flourished and grew up to perfection during the palmy days when the lumbering interests were paramount. The design of the grouser tug could hardly be improved upon when one takes into account the conditions and necessities of the busi- ness they were engaged in. They were built for the purpose of towing logs from the rafting place to the sawmills on the lower Wolf, Fox river and Lake Winnebago. This work was at first done with horse-power boats, but the lumbering interest soon increased beyond their capacity to handle and the grouser tug was developed.
The description of one tug will serve as a description of them all, as they were identical in design, except that some of the tugboats were larger and more powerful than others. The first steam tugboat built on these waters for the purpose of towing logs was named the "Active." She was built by Rudrick & Company, of Berlin, in 1854.
The grouser tug hull was usually from 80 to 100 feet in length and about 20 foot beam. and built very strong in order to with- stand the strain while towing logs. On the forward deck was located what was known as the grouser box. This was built of oak timber and projected from about four feet above the main deck clear through the bottom of the hull, and it was of sufficient size to permit the grouser to pass through it freely. The grouser was made out of a stick of selected oak timber about forty-five feet in length and about twelve by sixteen inches diameter. The lower end was sharpened and a large iron shod point attached to it. A chain cable attached to the foot of the grouser passed up through the grouser box and then car- ried back through the hold of the vessel to a reel or spool operated by the machinery for the purpose of hoisting the grouser.
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The machinery consisted of two engines connected at right angles to a short section of shafting located just forward of the main shaft and to which it was connected by a core wheel and pinion at the ratio of three to one. The main shaft was fitted with couplings so that either or both paddle wheels could be detached at will. The central portion of the main shaft was provided with a spool upon which was wound the tow line when towing logs. The tow line was heavy hemp cable about 2,000 feet long. The tug would run out the length of the tow line from the fleet of logs, then drop the grouser, the paddle wheels would then be uncoupled from the main shaft and the spool would then be engaged to the power shaft by a movable clutch and the tow line wound up on the spool by the engines. By this means a fleet of log rafts consisting of one and a half to 2,000,000 feet of lumber would be propelled at the rate of about three miles an hour in good weather. The grouser was a novelty to the steamboat inspectors inasmuch as it seemed to be a panacea for about all the troubles that a tugboat might be afflicted with.
The late James Guthrie, an old-time steamboat inspector, was examining Captain James Little, one of the early tugboat men, for a license. To nearly every question the inspector would ask. Captain Little would reply that he would drop the grouser. The inspector said, "You people seem to do everything with the grouser. What would you do if you were out in the lake in a storm and your fleet was drifting ashore?" "Drop the grouser and endeavor to hold it," replied Captain Little. "Yes," said the inspector. "Now, what would you do if your boat should spring a leak and commence sinking?" "Climb the grouser," promptly replied the Captain.
The list of tugboats that once plied these waters were at one time quite numerous, consisting of the "Active," "Johnny Mc('lean," "Oshkosh," "Fond du Lac," "Huntress," "Winne- conne," "Hercules," "M. D. Moore," "S. W. Hollister," and others. The decline of the lumbering interest has caused all of those tugboats to disappear except the "S. W. IIollister." Some were worn out and never rebuilt. The "Hercules" went to Florida. The "Active" went to the Mississippi river. The "Winneconne" was purchased by the Government and taken to Rock Island and used to work on the improvement of the rapids of the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers. The "Johnny McClean" was taken to Oconto on Green Bay.
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At the present date (1908) the "S. W. Hollister" is the only survivor of the once numerous fleet of grouser tugboats on these waters.
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