Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
The steamboat on the Ohio.

y
introduced steamboats, on the Hudson,
the first steamboat which ever sailed on
the Western waters was built at Pitts
burgh. ~
She was called the New Orleans, and
in October of that year she made her
experimental voyage down the Ohio.
carrying her builder, Mr.. Roosevelt, his
wife and family, the engineer. the pilot
six hands and several servants.
AS there were then no wood or coal
yards along the bank of the rivers, they
were obliged to wait while the men
went on shore, cut down trees and pre-
pared them for fuel.
NJ. Roosevelt discovered in former
voyage,a a coal-bed near Yellow Banks.
on the Indiana side of the river, and
purchased of the State Government the
privilege of taking fuel from 1t.
The early chronicles speak Of the in
tense excitement created among the set
tiers along the Ohio by the appearance
of the steamboat. No rum0r of tie
strange boat had reached them; they
gaZed with astonishment as the singular
craft, without sails or oars, and ahead
of the current, passed before them.
On a still, moonlight the vessel sud-
denly appeared before Louisville, and
allowed the steam to escape from the
steam-pipe. The inhabitants we're alarm
ed, and rising from their beds, rushed
out to ascertain the cause. Many fed in
terror, declaring that the comet, then
visible, had fallen into the Ohio, and
produced the strange kissing sound.
On arriving at the coal-vein, 1t was
discovered that large quantity of coal
had been quarried out and laid on the
shore by thieves, who intended to carry
it off.
While the hands were loading the
boat with this coal, the settlers in great
alarm hecked to inquire If they had not
heard strange noises on the river and
woods during the previous day. The
voyagers laughed at their fears. Beliey-
ing them to be created by the noise OF
the steamboat. But the squatters in
sisted that they had not only felt the
earth tremble, but seen the shores
shake.
The next day the voyage was resumed.
The weather, though it was in Novem-
Der, was oppressively hot. The atmos-
phere was thick and heavy, though still.
The sun shone like red ball of fire.
The vast sOlitudes around them and the
surface of the water seemed enveloped
| in mOurnful twilight. One chrOnicler
describes it as AN awful day; so still you
could have heard pin drop on the
deck"
In the night they often heard rush
| ing sound and violent splash. Then
large portions of the shore would tear
away from the land and fall into the
river. The voyagers were convinced
that there had seen an earthquake.
On the second day there was a strange
appearance of the sky, and the terrible
cOnvulsions of nature increased. The
pilot, becoming alarmed and confused
declared that he did not know which
way to steer. The channel had been SO
changed. and where deep water had
been there lay large trees. with theil
roots turned upwards.
The trees on the banks of the river
swayed to and fro though there was nc
wind, and now and then some giant OF
the forest would be tossed into the roar
ing water.
| When night approached the voyagers
sailed hour after hour, seeking for safe
place to tie up the boat. AT last they
came to a little island, and there they
| mOOred.
All night they kept watch on deck
MANY times they heard the noise as
earth and trees slid from the shore and
were swallowed up in the river. Some
times the island was so shaken as to lal
the vessel from stem to stern.
The next morning they could not rec
ognize any poipt-the shores and chan
neil had been wholly changed. Sailing
on. thew found themselves near the
mouth of the Ohio. and about noon
reached a small town called New Mad
rid, on the right bank of the Mississippi
Many of the inhabitants had fled in ter
ror to the higher ground, and those wht
remained pleaded to be taken on board
/ From New Madrid they passed beyond
the effect of the earthquake, but th'
river was found to be unusually swollei
|, for the season of the year, and full o
trees. They reached Natchez the las
week in January, 1912.
!. Since then many vessels have passe'
over those rivers; but for strange adven
, lures and fearful perils, we hardly be
lieve any voyage will exceed that hrs
, trip down the Ohio and Mississippi. nv
ers.-[Youth's Companion.