History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 26

Author: Laidley, William Sydney, 1839-1917. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1066

USA > West Virginia > Kanawha County > Charleston > History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens > Part 26

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In the year 1837, a company, composed of Cincinnati gentlemen, built a large passenger steamer for the Kanawha river trade. When she was ready to come out, a gentleman resid- ing in the eastern part of Virginia wrote the company that he would give them fifty dollars for the privilege of naming the boat, which was destined to navigate the waters of his na- tive State. The offer was accepted, the money and the name forwarded, and the new steamer Tuckahoe, left Cincinnati for the Kanawha river in the autumn of that year.

In the spring of the year 1838 Dr. Putney, William Atkeson, and Samuel Summers built a steamer at Buffalo, which they named the Osceola. She was taken to the Missouri river, where she ran for several years. Her com- mander, Captain William Atkeson, died in St. Louis, in 1846. He seems to have had a pre- sentiment of his approaching death, for before leaving Lexington, where he resided, on his last trip, he accompanied the sexton to the cem- etery and showed him the spot where he wished to be interred.

About the year 1832 a large steamer was built at the mouth of Elk by Captain Andrew Ruffner, and received the romantic name of Tisilwaugh, which is the Wyandotte name for Elk river. It signifies "plenty of big elk." Captain Ruffner ran her in the Kanawha and Cincinnati trade for some time, when she was sold and taken to the western river, whence she never returned.

Captain Payne, after having sold the Lelia, as before mentioned, went to Cincinnati and bought a new steamer called the Lawrence, built by Captain James Thomas, at the mouth of Big Sandy river, which he put in the Kana-

198

HISTORY OF KANAWHA COUNTY

wha river trade, where she continued to run for nearly two years, when she sank in a col- lision with the steamer Linden, at Concord, near the mouth of Bush creek, in the year 1842.

The machinery was taken from the wreck and placed upon a new boat, which Captain Payne had built to fill the place of the lost steamer. She was called the Laurel, and came out in 1845. She ran in the trade about a year, when she was sold to parties in Vicks- burg, Mississippi, and placed in the Yazoo trade, when she was freighted with supplies for the American army in Mexico, and sent to Rio Grande, where she sank in 1848.

In the year 1837, the Summers brothers built a boat at the mouth of Big Buffalo creek, which they christened the Texas. After running about a year she collapsed a flue at Red House shoals, and was taken to Gallipolis, where she was repaired and renamed the Salines. She then went to the Arkansas river, from which she never returned.

In .the year 1839, James M. Laidley, of Charleston, built a steamer at that place, which he named the Elk. She entered the Kanawha river trade and in 1840 she and the Hope were chartered to make an excursion to Pomeroy, Ohio, at which place General William H. Har- rison was to make a speech. The two boats were lashed together and carried a large house, built of Buckeye logs, representing Ohio, the Buckeye State. Mr. Laidley sold her to Clay- burn A. Wright and John Dickenson, who con- tinued to run her until she was condemned.

In the year 1843, Captain Payne built an -. other boat at Red House which he called the Ark. Her machinery was taken from a Pitts- burg steamer called the "Julia Graciot," which was brought to the Kanawha by Captain James Timms. When the new boat was launched Captain Payne placed Captain I. B. Parker- who had been his engineer for many years- on the roof. She was a heavy draught boat, and we are informed that she carried the heav- iest cargo of salt from the Salines ever taken out of the Kanawha river; but her name be- came a synonym for all that was slow. We have heard it related that on a certain occa- sion when she was ascending the Ohio, a num- ber of boys ran down along the beach and threw

stones at her, and that Captain Parker, hav- ing despaired of escaping from the bombard- ment, ordered the pilot to put on all available steam, and evade the deadly missiles by steer- ing in all haste to the opposite side of the river.

Another character now appeared upon the scene in the person of Captain B. J. Caffrey, who built and launched the new steamer Tri- umph, in the year 1846; but shortly after she came out, her captain sold her to a transporta- tion company in Vicksburg, who placed her in the Yazoo trade, where she continued to run until she was condemned. At this time Captain Payne had almost absolute control of the Kana- wha river trade, having at one time no less than five steamboats plying upon it and contig- uous waters.

In the year 1846, Messrs. Warth and Eng- lish built a large boat at Cincinnati, designed to run between that city and Charleston, which they launched and named the Blue Ridge. Captain Payne having an eye to business, sent an agent to Cincinnati, who, when she was ready to come out, purchased her and put her in the trade for which she had been built, with Captain William Summers in command She continued to make regular trips for two years, when she exploded her boilers at a point on the Ohio, four miles below Gallipolis. Many per- sons yet residing along the river remember the sad disaster by which fourteen persons lost their lives. Among the killed were Joseph Mil- ler, of Point Pleasant ; John Carr, of Buffalo; William Whitteker, a merchant of Charleston ; Francis Sanns, of Gallipolis; Albert Chapman, P. Carpenter and a Mrs. Mayse. The names of the other victims the writer has been unable to learn.

In the year 1830, Armstrong, Grant & Co. bought and placed in the Kanawha trade a large steamer which was called the Oliver H. Perry. She was commanded by Captain Wil- liam Rand, of Charleston, and V. B. Donnally presided in the office. She collapsed a flue at Red House shoals, and was taken to Gallipolis, where she was repaired, and under the name of the "Daniel Webster" entered the Ohio river trade.

In 1847, Captain Payne repaired to Buffalo, where he built a steamer which he named the

199

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Herman. She was built for the Kanawha and Cincinnati trade, but soon after she was launched, she was chartered by the government and sent to Mexico with a cargo of supplies for the American army, then concentrating on the banks of the Rio Grande. She never returned to the Kanawha river.

In the year 1832 a steamer was built at John Mayes Landing, by Captain William Keys, who took her to the Galena Lead Mines, where she was loaded with lead ore for the Mobile market, and upon her arrival in that distant port was sold to merchants of that city.

About this time Captain J. B. Parker re- signed his commission as captain of the "Ark" and repaired to Vintroux Landing, and, asso- ciating himself with Mr. L. E. Vintroux, they began the construction of a boat which they called the Olevia. She entered the trade in the year 1847, with the following complement of officers : Captain, I. B. Parker ; first clerk, John WV. Wyatt and Riley Finney, pilot. Captain Shipley, later commanding the steamer "City of Alton," of the Mississippi Anchor Line, was her second clerk. Shortly after she came out she collapsed a flue at Tinkersville, in the Kana- wha Salines, which caused the death of Charles H. Parker, the captain's brother. Soon after- ward she was sold to Jerry H. Baldwin, of St. Louis, and by him taken to the Upper Missis- sippi.

Having now noticed the most important steamers on the river prior to the year 1850, it will be unnecessary to mention those since that date, for the reason that almost every one is familiar with the navigation of the river since that time; and, furthermore, a bare mention of the many steamers on the river in recent years would weary the reader by its similarity. The boats of the first half century were crude and illy-built compared with our palatial steamers of to-day. Many of them had the cabin and cook- house both on deck, and the writer is informed that the first steamer that ascended the river was nothing more than a barge with an engine placed upon it. It is worthy of remark that this boat made its ascent of the river in the same year (1819) that the first steamship crossed the Atlantic; and if the appearance of the "Thomson" on the Kanawha river was a

surprise to the settlers residing upon its banks, how much greater must the surprise have been when the "Savannah" steamed into the ports of Western Europe !

The earliest settlers of the valley were hardy pioneers, who "came to conquer." They were endowed with the spirit of progress which has ever characterized the Anglo-Saxon race, thus distinguishing it from the other races of the world. Their first object was to expel the ruth- less savage from the beautiful valley which they had chosen for their future home. This ac- complished, they set about felling the gigantic forests which, in their primeval grandeur, cov- ered the hills and vales of the entire valley. The next step was to develop the mineral re- sources, which were hid away in inexhaustible supplies, which ages of most active industry could not consume. This begun, they must have communication with the outside world, and the improvement and navigation of their beautiful river next engaged their attention; and here, again, they exhibited that indomitable energy and enterprise which gave the Kanawha river boatmen notoriety wherever inland navigation extended ; and whenever they came in contact or conflict with the boatmen of other rivers, they invariably came off conquerors, as in the following instance :

About the 1837, a number of Kanawha boat- men from the Salines, were at the mouth of the Cumberland river, and being desirous of return- ing home, they chartered a small boat called the Dove, to convey them to their destination. The boat brought them to Louisville, when the captain found that he could do a more lucra- tive business than to make a trip to the Kana- wha river, and accordingly he refused to pro- ceed further. Whereupon, the boatmen quietly arrested the captain and entire crew and placed them in close confinement, then proceeded to elect a complement of officers from their own number, who ran the boat to Charleston, where they released the crew, and permitted the boat to return. Thus, they were noted not only for discharging their own obligations, but also for compelling others to do likewise.

They were also famous for throwing stones. As long since as the writer can remember, he has heard the boulders lying along the Ohio

200

HISTORY OF KANAWHA COUNTY

river called the Kanawha boatman's "confi- dence," and the boatmen themselves called "limestone artillerymen." How the art of throwing stones, which has distinguished dif- ferent nations and tribes from the days of Go- liath down to the present time, became asso- ciated with the Kanawha boatmen, we do not know, but, nevertheless, they gained a national reputation for the accuracy with which they threw them.

When the bill providing for the removal of the Cherokees, Seminoles and Choctaws beyond the Mississippi was before the Senate, Thomas H. Benton, then United States senator from Missouri, opposed the appropriation asked for by the committee to defray the expense of re- moval, and in a speech at that time, said that if the government would furnish him with a train to haul stones, he would pass down the Kanawha river, collect the boatmen, and drive every Indian from the southern States within three months. Another characteristic of these men was the manner in which they sustained losses in business. If one lost a steamer by col- lision or otherwise, he immediately set about building another.

As an instance of almost reckless daring we note the following: In the year 1841, Captain Payne contracted to remove all salt from the yards of Thomas Friend, a prominent salt man- ufacturer of the Salines. The water was so low during the summer that he was compelled to transport it in flatboats to the mouth of the Kanawha. Upon one occasion, when one of these boats was descending the Kanawha, it reached Johnsons Shoals just at dark, and the pilot refused to run through the chute until the next morning, whereupon Captain Payne, who was himself aboard, declared that the boat should go through that night and that he would run it through. Accordingly the boat was pushed off and when about half way through, struck a rock, and in a few minutes was torn to pieces. Captain Payne seized hold of a piece of gunwale, and with his boat a total wreck, and 2,000 barrels of salt in the bottom of the river, remarked, with the utmost sangfroid, that if he could get the gunwale home it would make a good bee stand.

KANAWHA RIVER IMPROVEMENT.

The first record of navigation of the Kana- wha was in 1774, when General Andrew Lewis had canoes constructed at the mouth of Elk, in which he transported a part of his supplies and ammunition which had been brought thus far on pack horses; and on such road, it was a great relief to ship by boat.

In 1788, Fleming Cobb made the trip in a canoe to Fort Randolph and return, for ammu- . nition, and he made it safely, but at great risk, being pursued by Indians. The inmates of Fort Tacket being in want of salt in 1788, sent a canoe to Campbell's creek, filled it with salt water and took it back to the Fort, and boiled it down to salt. John Young navigated the said river from Coal's mouth to Elk's mouth by canoe with his wife and baby, with the In- dians after him, through storm and rain and dark.

Salt was shipped after the quantity increased and this was done in 1808 by logs fastened to- gether by hickory poles and the salt placed in barrels on the raft floated it down to the new settlements. In the removal of families to the West, they had boats built at Hughes' creek, Kelly's creek and Paint creek, with which the transportation was made comfortably.

Salt boats built at these points were made to carry 2,000 barrels, and were sold when the salt was disposed of. For up stream transpor- tation of family supplies, the boat was made with more care and were called batteaux and keels. Steamboats began in 1819-1820. This necessitated some improvement by removal of sunken logs, projecting trees, etc., and the legislature of Virginia, in 1820-21, passed an order directing the "James River and Kanawha Company," to cause improvements to be made in the river so there would be at least three feet of water all the year from the Falls to the mouth of the Kanawha. This was easier said than done and they had no appreciation of the magnitude of the work that they were ordering. In 1825, it was attempted by chutes and wing-dams. Messrs. Moore and Briggs, contractors, did much work, they cut the old chute through the rock at the Red House, re-

201

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

paired the chutes at Tyler, at Debby, Eighteen, Knob Shoals, Tacket, Johnston, etc., so well remembered by the salt flat-boatmen.

In 1838 there was a survey of the entire river made by E. H. Gill, engineer under Col. Charles Ellett, Jr., chief of engineers. In 1855 large shipments of cannel coal were made from Cannelton, Elk, splint coal from Field's creek, Paint creek, Armstrong's creek, also shipments of oil manufactured from cannel coal from said places. With the coal production, oil, salt, etc., an improvement in the river was urgently called for. Another survey of the river was made by John A. Byers, engineer under Col. John A. Fisk. Two systems were discussed and advocated respectively and a report made to the director of the James River and Kana- wha Company in 1858, all of which were con- sidered by the engineers of the county. The reservior system was an untried experiment, which might prove a dangerous experiment, so they continued to improve by wing-dams and sluices, and Barton and Robinson had a con- tract for such work when the Civil War inter- fered.

In 1863, West Virginia took charge of the said river, created a board to carry on the improvement, yet it was manifestly inadequate, and it was determined to make application to the government of the United States to take control of the same. There was a general inter- est in the matter of water-ways throughout the West by said government, and a commission appointed to gather information for Congress and President Grant, and this led to the inves- tigation by United States engineers, whose re- port was voluminous and favorable.

IMPROVEMENT OF KANAWHA RIVER BY U. S. GOVERNMENT

In 1873-4 Congress made two small appro- priations of $25,000 each and in June, 1873, the work commenced on the river under Col. W. E. Merrell, of U. S. engineer corps, and Mr. Addison M. Scott, as resident engineer. The first work was to do on a large scale what the Kanawha board had been doing on a small scale, that is dredging, sluicing, wing- dams, to assist current navigation, but it was considered that nothing short of slack water

by locks and dams would give satisfactory navigation.

In 1874 the work was placed under Col. W. P. Craighill, of the U. S. engineer corps. That fall a survey for slack water was made by Resident Engineer A. M. Scott, assisted by Civil Engineers C. K. McDermott and John S. Hogue, and a preliminary location of locks and dams made from Loup creek to the mouth of the river, and under date of January 29, 1875, Mr. Scott submitted a report with esti- mates of cost, to Col. Craighill on three differ- ent systems of improvements, viz :

(I) For lock and dam improvement from the falls to foot of Paint creek and for sluice navigation in the remainder of the river, as- sisted by a reservoir or Meadow river.

(2) For a lock and dam improvement, by fixed dams, throughout.

(3) For fixed dams in the upper and mov- able dams in the lower part of the river.

In this report (Report of Chief of Engineers U. S. A. for 1877), Mr. Scott decidedly recom- mended a lock and dam improvement instead of the old reservoir and sluice plan. In March following congress appropriated $300,000 with which to commence the permanent improve- ment of the river. Soon after a board of U. S. engineers, consisting of General H. G. Wright, Col. W. P. Craighill, General O. M. Poe, recommended the adoption of the lock and dam slack water improvement, with the use of permanent dams at and above Paint creek and movable or adjustable dams below that point. These recommendations were adopted and approved by the authorities at Washington in the fall of 1875, and locks No. 4 and 5 were placed under contract. It was first con- templated to have twelve locks and dams from the Falls to the mouth of the river. There were to have been three fixed or permanent dams and nine movable ones. The estimated cost of the whole was $4,071,216. No. I was to have been a fixed dam and located at the foot of Loup Creek Shoal, was considered of less urgent necessity than the others and has not been constructed.

In the progress of the work it was found, by careful measurements and engineering calcu- lations that one of the nine movable dams

202

HISTORY OF KANAWHA COUNTY

could be dispensed with by dividing the lift between the others which was done thus re- ducing the whole number in the series to ten instead of eleven or twelve.

No. of lock and dam, 2. Location, I mile be- low Montgomery. . Distance from mouth of river, 841/2 miles. Style of dam, fixed. Height of upper pool above sea level, 597.75 feet. Maximum lift, 10.33 feet. Length of dam, 524.0 feet. Lock dimensions: clear width, 50 feet ; length between quoins, 308 feet. Fin- ished in 1887.

No. of lock and dam, 3. Location, I mile below Dego. Distance from mouth of river, 791/2 miles. Style of dam, fixed. Height of upper pool above sea level, 587.42 feet. Maxi- mum lift of 13.67 feet. Length of dam, 564.5 feet. Lock dimensions: clear width, 50 feet ; length between quoins, 312 feet. Finished in 1882.

No. of lock and dam, 4. Location, 11/2 miles below Coalburg. Distance from mouth of river, 7314 miles. Style of dam, movable. Height of upper pool above sea level, 573.75 feet. Maximum lift, 7.50 feet. Length of dam: navigation pass, 248.0 feet; center pier (width), 10.0 feet; weir, 210.0 feet; total 468.0 feet. Lock dimensions: clear width, 50 feet ; length between quoins, 300 feet. Finished in 1880.

No. of lock and dam, 5. Location, 91/4 miles above Charleston. Distance from mouth of river, 671/4 miles. Style of dam, movable. Height of upper pool above sea level, 566.50 feet. Maximum lift, 7.50 feet. Location of dam: navigation pass, 250.0 feet; center pier (width), 13.5 feet; weir, 265.5 feet; total, 529.0 feet. Lock dimensions: clear width, 50 feet ; length between quoins, 300 feet. Finished in 1880.

No. of lock and dam, 6. Location, 4 miles above Charleston. Distance from mouth of river, 54 miles. Style of dam, movable. Height of upper pool above sea level, 559.0 feet. Max- imum lift, 8.50 feet. Length of dam: naviga- tion pass, 248.0 feet ; center pier (width), 10.0 feet; weir. 310.0 feet ; total 568.0 feet. Lock dimensions : clear width, 55 feet ; length be- tween quoins, 342 feet. Finished in 1886.

miles below St. Albans. Distance from mouth of river, 44 miles. Style of dam, movable. Height of upper pool above sea level, 550.50 feet. Maximum lift, 8.25 feet. Length of dam : navigation pass, 248.0 feet ; center pier ( width) 10.0 feet; weir, 316.0 feet; total, 574.0 feet. Lock dimensions: clear width, 55 feet; length between quoins, 342 feet. Finished in 1893.

No. of lock and dam, 8. Location, 212 miles below Raymond City. Distance from mouth of river, 36 miles. Style of dam, mov- able. Height of upper pool above sea level, 542.25 feet. Maximum lift, 8.00 feet. Length of dam: navigation pass, 248.0 feet; center pier (width), 10.0 feet; weir, 292.0 feet; to- tal, 550.0 feet. Lock dimensions: clear width, 55 feet ; length between quoins, 342 feet. Fin- ished in 1893.

No. of lock and dam, 9. Location, 334 miles above Buffalo. Distance from mouth of river, 2514 miles. Style of dam, movable. Height of upper pool above sea level, 534.25 feet. Maximum lift, 6.25 feet. Length of dam: navigation, pass, 248.0 feet; center pier (width), 10.0 feet; weir, 284.0 feet; total, 542.0 feet. Lock dimensions: clear width, 55 feet; length between quoins, 342 feet. Fin- ished in 1898.

No. of lock and dam, 10. Location, 21/2 miles below Buffalo. Distance from mouth of river, 19 miles. Style of dam, movable. Height of upper pool above sea level, 528.00 feet. Maximum lift, 7.00 feet. Length of dam: navigation pass, 248.0 feet; center pier (width), 10.0 feet; weir, 284.0 feet; total, 542.0 feet. Lock dimensions: clear width, 55 feet ; length between quoins, 342 feet. Finished in 1898.

No. of lock and dam, II. Location, foot Three Mile Bar. Distance from mouth of river, 13/4 miles. Style of dam, movable. Height of upper pool above sea level, 521.00 feet. Maximum lift, 11.20 feet. Length of dam: navigation pass, 304.0 feet; center pier (width), 10.0 feet; weir; 364.0 feet; total, 678.0 feet. Lock dimensions: clear width, 55 feet ; length between quoins, 342 feet. Finished in 1898.

Low water in Ohio river at mouth of Great No. of lock and dam, 7. Location, 114 Kanawha river, 509.80 feet.

EDGEWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, CHARLESTON

VIEW ON CAPITOL STREET, CHARLESTON

MOVEABLE LOCK ON KANAWHA RIVER

Y. M. C. A. BUILDING, CHARLESTON

205

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

The lucid detail description of the locks and dams furnished by Mr. A. M. Scott might be exceedingly interesting to engineers, for which those interested would prefer headquarters therefor, and all others would find it more lucid without detail.

It is well to note that the locks and dams are of cement mortared masonry built on solid rock. The gates are 22 feet high, 32 feet 8 inches long and two feet thick, weighing about 38 tons. The pool formed by lock and dam No. 6 is nearly 14 miles long. It raises the water at Charleston 4 feet 8 inches above low water mark and makes good 7 feet 6 inches depth for tows at the old slacking place at the foot of Elk Shoal. Pool No. 6 is no doubt destined to be one of the largest and most important coal harbors in the world.

MOVABLE DAMS

The experience with movable dams on this river has been very satisfactory. They are easily and rapidly maneuvered, and the expense attending their operation is but little more than the fixed dams and they are highly satisfactory to the river interests. These dams are kept up when there is not water enough for coal boat navigation and down at other times, with fixed dams, everything must pass through the locks, and navigation is suspended when the river is near or about the lock walls, while with mov- able dams the locks are only used when the dis- charge of the river is so small as to make them essential.

This advantage has long since been recog- nized in Europe. In 1878 there were 124 mov- able dams in operation in France alone, and the Kanawha river has the honor of possessing the first movable dams in America. During the summer season five men are employed regularly at each movable dam, and there are provided comfortable houses for the said employees and each is provided with a garden spot.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 26

Author: Laidley, William Sydney, 1839-1917. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co Number of Pages: 1066

Author: Laidley, William Sydney, 1839-1917. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1066