Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-12


seen to be highly gratifying.
the BIG MUDDY.
Capt. LaBargc Gives Some "Reminiscences
ofthc Past.
Omaha Bee, Sep It'll.
The steamer "John n. Chambers," now
temporarily in the employ of the Union
Pacific railroad, and lying just above the
foot Of Douglas street, is commanded and
owned by Captain Joseph LaBargs Who has
since the year 1881, longer period than
any other steamboat man was ever engaged
on this stream.
In IN interview with this veteran captain
Bee reporter obtained zone very interest
ing scraps of history.
In 1882, Captain LaBarge, then but
seventeen years old, was running on the
Mississippi, and was present at the Indian
battle of Bad AK, in Wisconsin. During
the same year he came on to the Missouri
and began learning the river preparatory to
becoming pilot.
His first trip up the Missouri river was
on the yellowstone" which was built in
Pittsburg in 1927, and was the first eteam-
boat to engage in the upper Missouri trade.
She was built and owned by the American
Fur company, and was commanded by Cap.
tain Young. She was laden with miecella-
neous merchandise designed for trading
purposes. This boat went up the river to
the mouth of the Yellowstone, the trip
taking all SUNNI er. In those days, and for
some time Afterwards. said the captain, steam
boats were of primitive character, both in
nd mott otS ofr
heavy draft, leaving St. Louis drawing five
or six feet Of water. They were very mar
row, had single engines, side wheels, and
we're very hard to manage. Still the trip
ofthe Yellowstone" was made, but with
very hard work. 1t would be very difficult
now to get men to undergo the same hard
ships. The yellowstone" ran back to St.
Louis in the fall and up the river once more,
and LaBarge spent the winter with Caban-
ne, trader who was located just above the
present site of Florence. In fact, he spent
every winter in this locality until 1910.
The "Yellowstone" continued to run on
the Missouri during the years 1882 and
1858, and In 1884 the American Fur COM
pany sold her and built new boat called
the "Assiniboyne," named after an Indian
tribe, to take her place. She was command
ed by Captain, now General, Pratt. She
made very successful trip, but in 1885 she
was burned about three miles below where
now stands Fort Abraham Lincoln. There
was no insurance, and the company lost
about $4,000 in furs which was very
large amount at that time. They had put |
on board of her all the fine fur, thinking
they would be safer there than on the Mack
inac boats.
Captain LaBarge was put in charge of
the company's boats, and continued pilot
for them for thirty years. He has never
lost boat during his forty-six years ex-
perience. He also built quite number of
boats for the Missouri river, beginning in
1889. The steamer "Chambers' is the
fifteenth boat that he has built, and is the
first stern wheeler that he ever constructed
and owned. He thinks 4 stern wheeler is
better adapted to the Missouri river than
any other kind of boat, and it is especially
adopted for the navigation of the Yellow
stone.
''It is wonder rful," said Captain La Barge,
casting his eye over Omaha, from the deck
of his steamer, ito see the many remarka-
bic changes that have taken place since
then. Little did think that would ever
live to witness them, and can hardly re-
alize it. In 1881 thers was at the spot
where Bellevue row is, noted trading es-
tablishment. 1t was the rendezvous for the
tribes of the Rocky Mountains, and was
under the control Of Fontenelle and Dripps,
and it afterwards became the property of old
Peter Sarpy. The Omahas were located
along here, where the city of Omaha now
stands. Just above where Florence now is
Cabanne had his trading post All Of these
points along the river in this vicinity were
quite important trading posts, the trading
ho;nO dona vv;tI, Tho nn,sho, tbn Otoou onI
the Pawnees. These trading posts, a. we'll
a. others, were outftted by the American
Fur company. Their next post up the river
was just below the mouth of the Vermillion,
and twenty miles above Sioux City. It was
. large establishment.
II remember many interesting incidents
that occurred hereabouts," said Captain La
Barge "and one in particular, which proved
to be quite an important event before the
end was reached. 1t was in 1888. One
LIE Clair, who had been in the employ Of the
American Fur company for some time, and
had saved up several thousand dollars, went
to St. Louis, and purchasing keel boat,
loaded it with merchandise and started up
the Missouri river with the craft, intending
to trade with the Indians on his own ac-
count. Henry Shaw, of St. Louis the pro.
prietor of "Shaw's Gardens" was heavily
interested with him in the enterprise.
lie Clair had slow trip of it, as it was
tedious work cordelling the boat up the
river. The American Fur company had
the only steamboat for this trade. Steam
boats were both scarce and expensive then,
while keel-boats were of course cheaper, and
more numerous. The only way to get them
up stream was to pull them by tow line
along the bank Of the river.
when Le Clair was approaching this
point, the American Fur company gave
orders to watch him closely and at the frat
good opportunity to capture the whole outfit, |
as they would not ALLOW any opposition. At
that time there was long bend in the river,
opposite where Florence now is, and where
Cabanne's trading establishment was located.
It was ten miles around the bend, and only
two miles across the neck of the land to
Cabanne's post, which consisted of five or
six large and substantial buildings.
CAS- the boat was going around this bend.