, 1864-03-16
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Regular Monthly Meeting-.-Interest.
ing Papers on the History Of the
4 West-The Death Of Dr. F.
:: Ecammnn

atte1Eoon-P7cHfdcnt ". L. feWberry to the chair.
Atcr the approval Of the minutes oi the preceding
meeting, the Secretary presented tho following
port Of his operations for the month.
Donations: books, 1885; pamphlets, 757; old and
rare newspapers, 10; newspaper ales, 81; tiles Of
eerisla, 4t; manuscripts, 10; maps and charts, 9;
prints, 2; for Cabinet g; collection, 4-Tota LOSS.
Lctters written, 81 letters received, 40.
EARLY COMMERCE. OF THE LAKES.
Following the report Of the Secretary, an original
paper on the carly commerce Of the 1nkes, by Hon.
Henry s. Baird, was read as follows;
In the month Of May 1919, the writer came to
cleyeland, Ohio: That year the first steamboat
cd The.waIk.in.t .the.Wa!er.'' She continued to
run between Bufla]o and Detroit until she was
wrecked IN tie fall Of 1ss1 between Erie and Cleve-
which was considered great achievement in Tie
history Of navigation. This boat was Of medium
size, Of no great power, and AZ was proved BY her
the trade and commerce on tho lakes Was carried
on By means OF sail vessels. These vessels were
generally q email ton9ase. tfem e to s9 tons 6a1
splendid ships which NOW cover our inland ecas
They were constructed with view to carry freight
with deep hold and broad Of bc1m-ana when
ssnss5 saEss51sy o. modern oSsa eonst%etion These
Tint eary day but little travel BY water the accom-
modatons were neither extensive nor cummo-
dlops. small cabin On The Stem, fifteen Or
tWInty feet square, with ten or twelve bertha not
long enough for tall man TO stretch himself, OF
lat one to turn IN. The table was spread with
soGa bad & fn bef por ana
sons Of the year sail vessel would he from ten to
twenty days In making a trip from Buffalo to Green
The Or yol oae1s e se
tsr Ter class-the AZ "SnperioF Henry Clay "Shcl-
aaa and eas fss hun tas5e
far inferior to the floating pa1aces Of the pres
had no upper cabins; The atatessoms and cabins
were on the frat deck and in the hull Of the veg
sc]s. It was not until after GONE years experience
in steam navigation, and until the great Increase
,s, IF 1Se ,S seaaa more @ r.
Of two-story steamers, It was dccn,ea in csr1y
PEARS unsafe to put on The unper olbin. fearirs 70
.are 5aasr The hea s to tohssy and more eu to
Between lie ycar is1s ind isss there xrre Int
sail yeseels On he iaSesEnerhsns twenty to tb,rtv
Deo Wben he fst q stcaer a5e er ane
masters md onea Of he YAH cra X tbee see
Se on S e 6e se
r. poor aWaIE.ln.t6e-Watef' was announced i at
.s'es and e, sene Ct ths epeIs @ q t6s vessels =
and +; 1enar ca IT. t Lee M 10 r21ee
seneIa11y." rem s"''' '"''''oD ~ D'''e s''o 'lne
sells entered GTrcn HaT an3 Far Rirer Tbcr a vere
iva scfoone1a and erc e1anInred r. te E1sxse1s
ment to t1ansno1t the frst AGcricaE ~ troons fbat
manifcd ht: Col- Chamhcrs then of tha r. 1 ormr
On Their srriyai at MacSi1ac. tbe Coi' tnnnd tvn
French traders thc1e rom Green by % Sausus,ns ss
JsPRs e. Ti5.s its sa f. Bss
Juling ths eaIly period q Lie 9syieat,en the
an Seh,csn9 cansste ~ ~ * 1
thr m ntaa ~ onna and crhaId;aa fs ~
Indian trade aud to eupn1y the Tants oY the few @
the tTnns th iri,n menart,ent ~ , aso ~,
tants. White az wei a. indIana' viii T nrasnne and
fss At III. od ts
NeT Yn1f. IN sr,nnf,es ~ ali kiniaAtho S.na1
being .sfcw and III between and Eat ahle to snns
Irins carreT tfsh When thev enna t'e, ,Hn, hn,
more frequently went II ballast Fo5 several
;!,d lsadm waien M Mas 1cEau "a ao1aaanSe On an
lsiand H. ncaf saaenac; @ -. Eof II many seaTs Aasklnac
ean fur Company, composed Of the late John
Jaeob Aetet, kamsa1 Crooks 9rd Robert STUART At
tn. ps1sod nsas an INC inl tfaae q me
Wisconsin. VIZ Iowa, Minnesota. ana parts Of niinola
ao1as aua tnoaanA ane eappnes " Inc ameEean tnf
saI3 sEotnI%n3 ~ H. uaeiE naae "eso maanIff
MocS;nsc J., e.n.ttes,H =, sn5 .. H. ,1..a 10
az ana eant ~ hsar u e. e iat'es piace
nna1s n he tntrI;o1 ~ tbe ron,t ~ tho .n4aS
cn eni,h crh,rsc " "a ~ Mo1ae .e
Iarcc TreErs ~ f,anadions destine3 fnr ia Ina,o
trude Until about the wear 3a-S but lew trins al
steamboats, were made between BnfEalo and Green
w anu calcasn; me 13re lof caein passage from
rn ~ tb,. ner,oS ~ s1c.,oaoat par;ea p1I;
~ f1pm een IL a tha n,,mho-
~ sta,<nc,s ivcresenI ona .hn ...rait"a
ca,,mnnitv ten+ cnnni nscr tho t,,e W,s ets1usIIE
snca9 mIt;t arn,o1aatit{or snI thn-rn-e -
~ t1nSanM hy esifrnsa hara hronaht - -,
II h4 ~ ta J9,ie-S T-or, e;thar nnt3 ~, Nv 1in
,.. -. " pny1o 'N e4AAe@ poie w A9Ae aien-
' he ~ = Rin11" H,ut ua,,, of 1923 ;,.,,,,.+oa
nsT ~ ., och n tha hitnrr and Ssro,nraSnt ~ ~
snd n ihc so1rmerce ~ naH,,.a+tn
~ ~ ree+ 1aEcs - ~ FroTn mi rornS ~ ~ os
ont theEe hns 1,ee ronstnnt ;nrTesse ~ ste,msEs
and snii yessels unsu9nassed in sniendof and 81
Eeets Of vessels Laden with he product Of fore~1
10 one Vho carne 10 reside in this region dur,no
the frst unsrter OF the present centnT. and Eh6
Wituesscd tic slow and uncertain passasc. In sai1
vessels, dependent upon the winds and waves, and
comparing it with the present rats Of s.lichtninc
speed it is difficult to realize :he great change
Were It not that the change has been gradual, and
long coming. 1t would appear as the result magic
Like eye1y other branch Of human industry
and the marvellous and rapid Improvement in sci-
euce and the mechanical arts, the trade and CON-
mcrce Of our lake have from email beginnings and
limited resources gradually increased for forty.
years IEH millions are invested In this branch of