The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-13
A HEROINE or THE MISSISSIPPI.
Ueath Of the First Lady to Travel on the
Mississippi River In a stea mb0at.
baltimore Sun. March 81

UAlTm0T6 sun, mAFc0 VI
Mrs. Lydia NJ Roosevelt. daughter OF Ben
jamin II. Latrobe, who founded the Maryland
family OF his name, died ut Skeneateles. New
York, Saturday last, aged eighty-six years.
Her husband, Nicholas J. Roosevelt ut the
beginning OF this century was an enterprising
merchant Of New York, and it was he who
planned and built the first steamer that piled
the swift current Of the Ohio and Mississippi.
Mrs. Roosevelt accompanied her husband on
his flT6t trip down these rivers, and the event
OF her life OF which she was prOudeSt was that
she was the first woman who descended these
waters In steamboat. Her death has revived
the incidents OF tho trip, aud the connection OF
Mr.. Roosevelt with the application OF steam
to water lUcOmptiOn. both VI which are mat
ters OF historical record.
It is somewhat remarkable that an article
In this connection published IN New York, the
home Of the Roosevelt family, should have
been 80 full q serious bun 2. as that which
The first steamboat that piled these waters
was the "Nsw Orleans and not the "Vesu-
yius," as the World stated: She was built at
Pittsburg by Mr.. Roosevelt in 1911, and cost
In the neghlorhood Of $4,000. Whether
steam could be employed Oh the Western ri,-
ers was question that it's success between
New York and Albany at that time, as applied
by Mr.. Fulton, WAS not regarded rs having
been entirely solved. and after the idea had
burg to ply between Natchez and New Or
leans 1t was considered necessary that nves-
LEGATIONS should be made as to the currents of
tile rivers TO be navgated in regard to the new
system.
These Investigations Mr.. Roosevelt under
took with the understanding that If the re-
port were favorable Chancellor Livingston
Mr.. Fulton and himself were to be equally
interested IN the undertaking. Mr.. Roose-
volt accordingly, accompanied by his wife,
made the voyage to New Orleans in a flat
boat floating with the current, occupying
period Of six months. Returning they took
passage for New York. The size and plan of
the first steamboat had been determined on
In New York, and had been furnished by
Mr.. Fulton. 1t was to be ITO feet long. with
40 feet beam aud "a inch cylnder engine.
In September, 1911 Mr.. Roosevelt, accom-
panied by his wife, undertook the voyage to
New Orleans. The efforts Of united friends
were unavailing to disstlade her from the
perilous undertaking, which they regarded as
utter folly, II not absolute madness. There
was d captain, an engineer ma med Baker An
drew Jack, the pilot, six hands, two female
servants, a man waiter q cook, and an i'm
mense Newfoundland dog named Tiger
Thus equipped, the New Orleans began the
voyage, which may almost be- said to have
changed the destiny of the West. The people
of Pittsburg turned out en- masse lining The
banks Of the Mon0ngahela, to witness the de-
parture.
Sometimes the Indians attempted to ap-
pr0ach the steamboat with apparently hos
tile intentions, md on one occasion gave hot
chase, but steam had the advantage Of en-
durance. They called the steamboat "Pene-
lore or ''iire canoe" and they supposed it to
have affinity with the comet that had pro-
duGed the earthquake Of that year Like all
romances, this one ended in a marriage; the
captaing falling In love with the maid they
were married on arrival at Na'chez,
The "Ttna" and "Vesuvus," built by Liv-
ingston, followed In the wake of the New
Orleans"