The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-05-07

contemporary pioneer associates for {
number Of years, was q navigator Of tn,
Ohio river so early as 1900, and for tou
years after that date made semi yearly
trips to'Plttsburgh, bringing back from
the Smoky City supplies Of goods and
produce for his store in Cincinnati. The
Colonel's watercraft was a small keel.boat
for before the forests echoed to the pant.
ing OF the steam engine the boats used
for conveying freight and passengers were
OF species known as Kentucky boats,
barges and keei.boats. The length oil
these roughly-constructed and awkward
watercrafts varied from rs to 100 feet
while their breadth Of beam ranged from
10 to 20 feet, giving them carrying ca.
pacity Of from 90 to lotions. The recep.
taCle for freight occupied considerable
portion Of the hulk, and was called car.
Go'box. Near the stern was small
apartment that served as a cabin for arts.
tocratic passengers. The roof of this
cabin was elevtaed above the main deck,
and from this roof the helmsman directed
the movements Of the boat.
The boat was usually provided with a
mast and sail, but when no wind prevail.
ed to wait the clumsy craft on its voyage,
oars and poles were substituted, while at
other times the hardy boatinen had re.
course to the cordelle, in which case each
member Of the boats crew performed the
service OF mule on thetowpath VA canal.
at other times the varying process was
adopted. The early boatmen were hardy
and lawless set OF men. Their arduous
labors gave them mucles OF iron, and they
were much given TO exhibitions OF their
proves by frequent hand to hand en-.
counters. The most noted boatman Of his
day was probably Mike Fink, who has
figured as the hero gilmore blood.curdling
romanCes than probably any single indi.
yidual who existed at the same epoch in
the early history Of the West The verita.
BILE Mike was blood.thirsty and revenge.
full rutIian of great strength and courage.
AN adept with the knife and rife, by VIC
lence he lived, and the same fate he had
melted out to SO may others was finally
his own doom, for, as the Kentuckians
would say: "He died with his boots on"
His choice associates were the Girtys, Bill
Harvey, Joe Carpenter, Jim Stevens, Jack
Dalton and others, all noted ireebooters,
who made their headquarters at q roman
tic spot on the Ohio river, some twenty
miles below Shawneetown, known as Cave
in'Rock. Here in the fastness OF their
cavern they planned for future operations,
divided their plumber and INDUCED their
midnight orgies that frequently led to
bloody encounters among themselves.
In l704 a young man by the name Of
Green carried the mail between Pitts
burgh and Cincinnati in pirogue or large
canoe, This boat on her downward trip
carried at times some little freight, and oc.
casionally, for slight compensation, pas
senger or two. These voyages were at
tended with considerable danger from
Indians, and in consequence the boatmen
OF that day as q class were experienced
Indian lighters. The Wetzels and Fowlers,
whose names are recorded in history as
sanguinary warriors, were also pioneer
boatmen. The first regular packet line
between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati was
formed January II, 1904, by the establish
ment OF four keelboats oftwenty tons each,
as appears by the following advertisement
in the Centinel OF the Northwestern Ter.
ritory, printed at Cincinnati, by William
Maxwell: "0hio Packet Boats Two
boats for the present will start from Gin.
cinnati to Pittsburgh and return TO Gin
cinnati in the following manner, viz:
First boat will leave Cincinnati this
morning at clock, and return to Cincin.
natl SO as to be ready to sail again in four
weeks from this date. Second boat will
leave Cincinnati on Saturday, the 30th
inst, and return as above. And so regular
" each boat performing the voyage to and
from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh once in
every four weeks.
The proprietor OF these boats having
maturely considered the many inConveni-
ences and dangers incidentto the common
method heretofore adopted Of navigating
the Ohio, and being influenced by love
OF philanthrophy, and 9 desire OF being
serviceable to the public, has taken great
pains to render the accommodations on
board the boats as agreeable and convent
emit as they could possibly be made. No
danger need be apprehended from the en-
envy, as every person on board viii be un;;
der cover made proof to rifle balls, and
convenient port holes for firing out. Each
OF the boats is armed with six pieces, car
rying pound ball; also good number
OF musEets, and amply supplied with am
munition, strongly manned with choice
men, and the master Of approved knowl.
edge. A separate cabin from that design
ed Tor the men Is partitioned of in each
boat for accommodating the ladies on their
passage. ConvenienCes are constructed
ON board each boat 80 as to render landing
unnecessary, as it might at times be at
tended with danger. Rules and regula-
tons for maintaining order on board, and
for the good management OF the boats, and
tables accurately calculated for the rates
loffreightage, for passengers and carriage OF
letters to and from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh,
also a table OF the exact time OF the arrival
and departure TO and from the different
places on the Ohio between Cincinnati
and Pittsburgh, may be seen on board
each boat, and at the printing office in Gin.
cinnati. Passengers will DO supplied with
provisions and liquors Of oil kinds, Of the
tirst quality, at the most reasonable rates
possible. Persons DESTROYS OF working
their passage will be admitted on finding
themselves, subject, however, to the samt
order and directions from the master OIL
the boats as the rest oil the working handl
ii the boats crew, An office Of insurance
will BIO kept at Cincinnati, Limestone ant
Pittsburgh, where persons DESTROYS OF hav
ing their property insured may apply
Tic rates Of insurance will be moderate.
!, sarker Nelson and Robert Richardson
were early builders Of keel and Aatboats
Their yard was ct q cove on the river banl
. between Butler and Pike streets. The,
were honest, handwriting meohaniot
: and amassed a competency, OF which the
lived comfortably in their old age. The,
: lived 10 see many changes In their old Fla
. Iron District, and died Christian men an
respected, worthy citizens.
In the tPsttn Spy Of March 20, 1901, Of
. pears the notice for a meeting to be Aet
al Griffin Yeatman's tavern, then locate
at the cove, corner Of Sycamore and Fror
streets, 10 take into consideration th
. - fs,WV NJ. r..