The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-06-05
AN OLD VETERAN.

Under this caption, the New Or.
leans Democrat, publishes an inter-
esting article, based on an interview
with our old friend, and former mess
mate, Captain Isaac Wright, well
known and remembered in this Town
by many of Qua old ones. We here
give the interview:
Among the Chas. Morgan's pas
sengers from here last Wednesday
was Captain Isaac Wright, one of
the oldest living steamboatmen,
whose experience and recollections
Of a life on the river run back sixty
odd years. Fortunate enough to
meet with the veteran Captain while
here, we give the substance of a con-
versation hurriedly taken down: ]
commenced boating in 1916; made
several trips with flatboats from the
falls Of the Ohio to New Orleans
during the years 1916, 1917 and 1878.
] walked through from New Orleans
to Louisville three times. Our route
was across Lake Pontchartrain to
Covington, where we took the Nat.
chez trace through the Indian Ma
ton, and we often had to fight our
way through them. continued fat.
boating until 1924, when I com.
menced steamboating on Red River
with boat called the Natchitoches.
We ran from Natchez 10 Natchito.
ches. Natchitoches in 1924 was a
great business place; twas the head
OF navigation on Red River. There
was a large Mexican trade carried
on at this time. The Mexicans
would come in with hundreds OF
pack mules, loaded with specie, buff
falo robes, tongues and peltries;
they would take in return dry goods,
etc. Natchitoches then had q con-
siderable Mexican population. In
1926 I ran on the steamboat Dolphin
as pilot. Captain P. F. Kimball, at
this time had a steamboat called the
Beaver, running to New Orleans
about the only one that ran through.
In 1926 I and Captain George Cur
ney came down through the Bon
Dieu in skiff. The Bon Dieu was
a small bayou about thirty feet wide.
1t did not become navigable for
steamboats, until about the year
1882, when the water began to cut
out large river. We went around
through Cane and Little rivers until
that year. 9ii sa sai Z
In 1926 Captain Waters and my.
self, with the assistance Of the plan
ters, bought boat called the Gin.
cinnati, and ran her from Alexand-
ria to Natuhez. When this boat was
loaded with cotton we had to lash
logs alongside of her to keep her
from turning over.
In 1927 we had the Miami, also the
Florence. Her engines were geare,l
like those Of SAW mill. She had
wooden shafts for her water wheels. &
In 1892 / ran on the Tigress, We
had large cargo Of gunpowdcr on her
up trip for the United States army gu
the Sabine, and unfortunately she blew
up just opposite Coll,oan's plantation
at that time Smiths.
In 1892 / made the first steamboa,
trip up RedRiver as high as tho mouth
Of Loggy Bayou. This was then the
foot of the great raft. We took up
some $40 or 600 Norwegian or German
colOnists. This colony was under the
management Of DR.. Baum, of Louis
Vile, Ky. They settled the lands or
both sides Of the river, opposite Loggy
Bayou. The colonists, from the sum
mer heat and the effects Of the climate
died by hundreds, and in one year,
time they had all disappeared either
died or ran away to the high lauds.
continued stcamboating to Natche;
during 1893, 1894, 1885 and 1886. l,
1888 I made the first trip as pilot Of TIN
Brian Boroilme, CAPT. Rufs Edwards
through the great Red River raft, a
high up as shreveport, or, as it wa
called at that time, Collins Bluff
This bluff is just above the head Q
Bayou Pierre. It was an Indian ira
ding post for the Caddo Indians
Shreveport was shortly after this foun
ded by Capt. H. M. Shreve and other,
In 1889 went above the raft int
Upper Red River, as high up as til
Choctaw and Chickasaw nations
wild country at that time. From 1874
to 1860 / commanded and piloted man
boats in Red River. For the past Fl
teen years ! have steamboated but yer
little. have been almost blind.
live near Troy, Indiana, where l hay
q fine farm. / come to New Orlear
every winter to be among my OIL