, 1876-11-11
STEAM
HOW MEN LIVE, UPON OUR
INLAND SEA.
SOMETHING OF LIFE ON WHEELS.

a
steam is cosmopolitan, but that of
river and inland navigation is essen
TALLY a profession nurturcd upon
the western continent. This is a
legitimate result of geography, for
while the rivers of Europe are in
significant streams, aside from their
history, the great currents of the
Mississippi. ST. Lawrence and Co
lumbia, are peculiarities of the Oc-
cidental hemisphere. As the Hud-
son was the scene of
FULToN's EARLY TRIUMPHS
Over the frowns of adversely, so it
has always maintained its prestige
as possessing the fastest and most
palatial steamers in the world.
Probably no other line of steamers
in the world could equal the old
Peoples line from New York to Al
bany, comprising in the past twenty
wears. the steamers Hendrick Hud-
son. Isaac Newton, New World,
Daniel Drew, Chauncey Vibbard,
st. John, and Dean Richmond
any one of which could average
twenty miles per hour in slack
water. The Hudson is the smallest
of American rivers and carries the
GREATEST TONNAGE
In steamboats,, except the Missis-
sippi. The boats just alluded to
were all over $50 feet long, and
above 600 tons measurement un-
der the old rule. They were all
propelled by an American invention,
the vertical beam engine, invented
by J. ?. Allaire of New York. The
position Of this engine, standing as
it does upon huge gallows frame
of solid timber. necessarily destroys
the beauty Of steamers main sa-
loon, hence the Mississippi steam
ers, with their horizontal high
pressure engines. below the boiler
deck, always presented more ele-
giant ensemble to the eye of the trav-
eler. On them a single unbroken
cabin OF ttco Iundred and serenity fire
feet. was no novelty. And we can
well recall the
DIZZY DREAM OF ENCHANTMENT
That swept through our mind as We
first looked along the cabins of the
Robert J. Ward. a famous Mlssis-
sippi packet of twenty years ago.
She carried a crew that almost ri
vailed an army two pilots, three
mates, one watchman, chief engi-
neer. two assistants, four strikers,
or water tenders, twenty-five deck
hands, twelve fremen, fifteen wal
ters, one steward and two assistants,
three clerks the name of purser
being very properly ignored), and
two porters. Her cabin had 22S
state-rooms, while " shakedowns'
for at least $50 more people We're
spread on the cabin floor every
night She lad to carry four hun
dred passengers and seven hundred
tons OF freight every trip to
CLEAR HER EXPENSES
Nor can we remember a trip when
she failed to do it. Her former
commander, Capt. Miller. now keeps
the Gait House, at Louisville, KY
When q passenger went on board
one Of those boats, he bought his
ticket and that was the end Of it.
His fare paid, that included meals
and berth, if the berths were not all
engaged in advance. There was no
saucy waiter at your elbow to Cry
ga dollar, sir p just as you wet the
spoon in your soup; nor no occasion
to turn out an interloper from your
berth. A few boats of this class
were introduced On Pacific waters
the Eclipse. Queen City, J. Brag-
don, Urilda, Helen Hensley, and
Comauche, in California ; and the
Lot Whitcomb, Nallame5 and One
onta in Oregon. The latter was the
handsomest little boat of that class
we ever saw. She was really in ad-
vance of the trade for which she was
built, and far ahead of the tastes OF
the people she carried.
PUGET SOUND BOATS
Are as much de sui generis as any
others in the world. They must
not be too deep, or they cannot get
in and out Of Olympia and Victoria.
Yet they must have sufficient draft
to enable them to battle the storms
in Fuca Straits. The Olympia was
really the best boat OF this sort ever
on these waters, though the North
Pacific is of mere graceful model
and, in all probability, faster boat
These boats are housed up for rough
weather, like those on the great
lakes and Long Island Sound. The
Olympia and New World came
around Cape Horn, the latter boat
running away from a Sheriff.
keeper, the notorious "Dad" Gun
ningham, who was one of Bill
Poole's gang. Capt. Ned. Wake
man brought her out, and she mad.
a bushel of money on the Sacra
mento.
THE ELIZA ANDERSON
Is the Oldest of the present passen
ger feet, though the Goliah
which we went from San Francisc'
to Gold Bluff, twenty-one year
d. ago-would make very respectabl