Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-07-20
The n. w. Union Packet Com
pany.

upper Mississippi, ircm which we extract
the following;
In the year 1854 Capt. William F. Da
wilson toe founder and at this time Pres
ident of the Northwestern Union Pack ct
Company, built in Cincinnati the steamer
Jacob Traber. When nearly completed,
and lying on the docks at the mouth of
Licking river, at its confluence with the
Ohio, the ice ia the former broke up. and
came down with such force against the
side of the Traber as to break it in, and
sunk the boat With it the public sup
posed had sunk the fortunes aud hopes of
Capt. Davidson; but he, undaunted, and
determined to succeed, went to work with
that will and perseverance which has
characterized his career and borne him
safely out of many places that try the
metal of men, to raise it. West d Du-
mont, who furnished boilers, took them
off to secure themselves against loss. AT
this iuncture of affairs, amid the incredu-
lous head shakings of those who thought
they scented failure in the project, and
manifesting no willingness to lend help
ing hand, a friend of his residing in Gin
cinnati came forward and purchased cue
Thousand empty whisky barrels, and by
means of applying them to the dock float
ed the steamer, aud it was placed on the
docks and repaired. He run this steamer
between Cincinnati aud Wheeling, occa-
sionslIy making trip to st. Louis until
the fall Of 1856, when he came to the
Mississippi, accompanied by his brother,
p. s. Davidson. and VIM. Rhodes, Esq,
and commenced running between Dun
ieith and ST. Paul. The Galens and
Dunleith Packet Company, which had
been doing business on the river several
years, had a monopoly of it, running in
connection with the railroads. Davidson
carried such freight as they declined and
he could otherwise get. This was the
first step toward the breaking up Of q
wealthy and powerful corporation that
had assumed the proportions and formed
the combinations constituting a great
monopoly.
Capt. Davidson becoming satisfied from
what hesshad seen aud done that he could
do a profitable business on this river pro-
posed to extend his facilities for transpor-
iation. and accordingly. during the follow
ing winter 1857, from the ear nings Of pre-
vIous seasons, built the steamer Frank
Steele. at Cincinnati, and the following
spring started from that point with two
steamers. laden with settlers and freight
for New Ulm, on Minnesota river. These
settlers were all Germans from Cincinnati,
aud constituted the nucleus of the well
known German town of that name in
Minnesota. Believing there was pros
pect Of doing good business on the Min
nsSota, he concluded to remain, aud did
so, running the Frank Steele and Trade.
during the season. The following winter
he built the steamer FavOrite, and when
navigation opened, came up the MisSiss-
ippi with two boats and established
tri-Weekly line on the Minnesota, but
baudoned it on account Of low water.
Ia August, 1859, was solicited to do the
business of the La Crosse and Milwaukee
railroad, by its general manager, (. II.
Goodrich, and to carry the United States
mails, by special Northwestern Mail A
gent v orden (Iate Of the Chicago Times
both of whom had had some misunder-
standing with the Galena Company
which had heretofore done 1t. An ar
rangement was effected, and the steamer
Winona purchased, and line between
La Crosse and St. Paul eslab!is shed and
continued during the season. The Gale
ua Company now declared war against
the Davidson line, and to carry it on and
break up, if possible, tits young enter
prise, rednced the fare, in connection with
the railroads, between Chicago and St
Paul to 81, meals and bsrths included,
and a corresponding reduction on freight.
This proved an advantage to the public.
but destructive TO the Galena Packet
Company. This afforded another op.
portunity for the display of that cool de
termination which had characterized the
career of Capt. Davidson heretofore, sup
ported by the superior executive capacity
of VIM. Rhodes, ESQ.,, who had been,
and still was. the genius who assisted in
the planning and direction of affairs from
the first; they were not discouraged by
what would appear TO have been an over
whelming and crushing opposition.
but instead of yielding to, they trinmphed
over this powerful monopoly, and proved
themselves equal to the emergency,
Thus they fought their way along up,
never yielding to circumstances, but over
coming all opposition. Capt. VIM. F.
Davidson, p. S. Davidson, and VIM.
Rhodes are men who not only had the
sagaeity to discover and touch the springs
that lead to success, but also possessed
the ability, energy, and enterprise to
manage and control them to the accom-
plishment of the desired results. 1t is
often that men have the foresight to see
means that will lead to success, but lack
the courage and ability to prosecute the
same and attain it; hence so many fail
ures in great though feasible projects.
In these men were welded these qualities
In meeting this formidable opposition
of q powerful corporation, this line paid
the charges on and carried 5000 tons of
freight and thousands of passengers free.
The Galena stock at the outset of this
fight was worth 500 per cent, but be.
came deprecated and nearly worthless,
the strength of the company broken, and
it was eventually dissolved.
In 1850, compromise was effected
between the lines by the GaIena selling