The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-08-03
River Intelligence.
OFFICE OF TEE SOUTH WESTERN,
Shreveport, August B, l:

We have had cloudy, rainy and pleasant weatt
during the week. Several heavy rains have fallen,
heaviest on Monday, when it came down in torrsn
We do not know how far it extended in the country
The river rose from Wednesday last to Saturd
night IA inches, when it commenced to fall gradual
and has since fallen 219 inches, leaving it . inch
above the highest mark of the season.
The Era No. reports plenty water in the lakes al
bayou for all purposes pertaining to navigation, g
though the lake is falling slowly.
At last accounts from above the raft the river vi
falling, and at the Cutoff y "A feet below IL
highest point of the last rise.
The Mississippi is quite low, and Red river runnin
out like mtale. 1t was rising at Louisville on th
27h with rs inches in the chute and feet on Portlan
bar
The Era No. 9, Big Horn, Flavilla and Flirt were
the wharf yesterday. and the 18th Era in afte
dark
We have no river items of interest to record.
WEDNESDAY, July 26.-The Feta, John Pof, master
D. N. Tavares, clerk, came up about with fai
freight, mostly for Jefferson, towards which point sh
steamed after discharging her Shreveport packages
Mr.. Tavares, though a stranger in waters, read,
fell into the custom of obiging and favored US with
file OF city dates.
The Flirt came down from Jefferson this afternoon
THURSDAY july 28.-The Enterprise down this
afternoon from Jefferson.
At $3.50 Pm the fine passenger packet 1otawanna
Capt w. I. Boardman, Lowd Walden, clerk, arrived
from the city with good trip.
Friday July 29.-The Enterprise got off at an early
hour this morning with $50 head of cattle big and little
In the forenoon the FIeta down from Jefferson
took Il9 head of cattle $50 head of sheep, fair lot
ofpassengers, and went down at 7, Pm
The Lotawanna left late this evening with 43 bales
of cotton and many cattle and sheep she could
carry.
SATURDAY, July 3O--There was not a single arrival
either from above or below.
SUNDAY, July 9l.-The Era No. 9, Martin H. Kou' MS
master, Chas. W. Drown clerk, up to-day about
loan with fine freight, mostly for Jefferson. She
left here for that port in the afternoon. While
river clerks all honorable men, must give the
palm to Charley Drown of the No. g. He not salts
hed with supplying us with city, Northern, Eastern,
Western and picture papers, but adds to all these
some of the monthly magazines. Passengers cannot
possibly suffer boat that carries so clever clerk.
MONDAY, August Neither arrival nor depa rture
to-day.
TUESDAY, August about o'clock P N. the Era No.
came down from Jefferson with 43 bales of cotton, s
bales hides and few passengers. She will get fine
a Big Horn, j. NJ Gillian master, W. T. Gillian,
clerk, re up with good trip Her clerk kindly sup
piled h city dates.
Shortly before tonight the 18th Era VIM GilIen |
master A c. Green clerk reported here for duty Her
freight principally for Jefferson Thanks to her
officers for city papers of the 29th.
For NEW ORLEANS WEpNEsDAY.-The feet packet !
Julia A. Rudolph, Capt a. G McComas, James Bell and
A. A Roland clerks will leave as above, at II O'Clock
FoR NEW ORLEANS, WEDNEsDAY.-The new and swift
sidewheel packet Bradish Johnson Capt W s. Bassett,
J. ". Bryant clerk will leave as above, on the ar
rival of the cars from Hallvile.
FoR New ORLEANS, THURsDAY.-The new and elegant
steamer 18th Era, Capt VIM GileB, A. G. Green,
clerk will leave above, the arrival of the
from Hall7ie.
FoR ST. LOUIS, THuRspAE.-The elegant, new and sub
stsntal Carter-line packet, Nick WALL Thomas Poe,
master will leave assabove on the arrival of the cars
from Hallville.
From our Exehanges.I
The Monroe Inteigencer of the 9th says the river
at that point is nearly at low water. The Economist
had made the landing twice since the previous issue
the paper, with very good trips. She connects with
the Tahlequah and Seminole at the bar ten miles below
Monroe
BoARDMAss Iron STEANRoAT-Since the openipp of
the discussion OF the subject OF
marine by substituting iron instead of wood in boat
building both Pittsburg and Cincn natl have become
arouse to the Importance gaining the prestige of be-
ing nrst to build iron steamers At Ltherburgs boat
yard, Cincinnati, Capt. Boardnan has boat now in
process of construction. This boat is emphacay an
iron boat and if ST. Louis does not have the honor of
building the first iron steamboat after lapse oftwenty
i've years, Missouri has the honor of furnishing the
ron The following particulars concerning the boat
may be here noted Her hull will be $50 feet long, 40
feet door, AZ feet beam, 81 feet hold and all iron-not
square inch of wood being used The thickness of the
ron in her keel is e of inch; her forward body is
and after body e of an inch large. As the boat is
Intended for Red river, which is believed to contain
more snags than any other navgabe Western river G
will be readily why the iron forward is "a of an
nch thlckes than it is aft Her floors of H. IA and
rch centres, of angular iron 315x415 inches, with
very alternate floor reversed angle the top max
ng the floors inches deep, by e of inch thick II
The iron plates of which her hull constructed,
eet WIDE and vary in length from 10 to IA feet. The
'utts of the plate strapped with iron of the same
thickness, double rveted, what steamboat builders
all the stagger rvet" All the iron of the hull was
manufactured by Alex Swift, of this city, from Iron
fountain ore, and is of superior quality and Mr. Swift
las the contract for building the hull which will cost
bout ,000
The hull will be divided into twelve watertight cob >
'artments, by iron bulk heads running both ways II
each all these compartments six matches only are !
essary, the two forward compartments having each
latch The main deck will be principally of wood, bit
% feet fore and aft by "a feet wide of that part undr
be boilers will be iron This is to provide against !
ire from the furnaces. The engine frames (usualy
allied cylinder tmbers) will be of iron. The guahs :
nd deck beams will also be of iron Her stern pests
re of wrought iron, by inches in diameter. She !
'il have steel cylindrical wheel shaft 81 inche in
ameter, of u inch steel. The steel is being manu-
Rctured at Pitsburg, and the shaft will be mad by
Dennis Long Co., Louisville. Her cranks saft- | :
sads etc. forged in Buffalo, New York, an! are
ow at Louisville. II
The wheel itself will be of iron the same as sea 60
ng vessel 1t will be % feet long by % feet in tia-
ter, with 20-inch buckets.
The measurement of the tonnage of the boat will be
bout 500 tons, but she will have carrying capacity
1000 tons. Her actual weight will not be NOR, than
af that of wooden vessel of the same dimensions
he cost of building her will be nearly double that of
1ooden vessel Of the size but to offset this it Is
laimed that she will not have to be locked periodi-
ally, and that she will outwear half dozen wooden
TSt Iouis TeDnhica1 |,