Daily globe., 1883-05-25
EARLY STEAMBOATING.
The First Steamer to PIow the Mississip
Waters,

Waters,
In 1902 Oliver Evans agreed with
James McKeever, of Kentucky, and
Louis Nalcourt, to build steamboat,
to ply between New Orleans and
Natchez. The boat was constructed in
kentucky and the the engine-high-
pressure-at Philadelphia, and both
were sent to New Orleans, but ere the
craft could be fitted it was destroyed
by hurricane, and the engine set to do
useful though inglorious service
saving timber. This was five years be-
fore Fulton's successful Clermont as
cended the Hudson.
The first Western steamboat was
launched at Pittsburgh, March II, lS1l.
Her builders were Fulton and Living
ston's agent, Mr.. n. J. Roosevelt. OF
her first trip Mr. J. II. B. Latrobe has
published an interesting account. The
New Orleans was built on the site of
the Pittsburgh and Connellsville rail-
road depot, at cost of $3S, 5000. She
was 116 feet long and 20 feet beam,
with a 34inch cylinder; she was
stern-wheeler, and was painted of
blueish color. Mr.. Roosevelt was Sc
verely censured for permitting his wife
to accompany him on the perilous trip.
it being very Justly observed that,
however reckless he might be of his
own life, he had no right to peril hers.
They were the only passengers, and the
crew consisted of the Captain, engin-
eer, Andrew Jack, the pilot, six hands,
two female servants, q cook, waiter
and q Newfoundland dog All Pitts
burgh turned out en-masse to cheer the
daring travellers, and Mr., and Mrs.
Roosevelt We're so much excited that
they could not sleep, but spent the first
night on deck, watching the banks fly
past at the rate of eight and even ten
miles an hour. On the second night
out they cast anchor at Cincinnati,
levees and wha Floats being things of
the future, and received an enthusi-
astic welcome, though nobody believed
stream again. At midnight on the 1st
of October, 1911, the New Orleans
reached Louisville, where the glare of
her furnace and the escaping steam in
spirod the townsmen with the belief
that the comet had fallen into the
river-the comet of 1911 being, it will
be remembered, q particularly formid-
able celestial visitant. All were de-
lighted at seeing steamboat, but there
was deep regret felt at the reflection
that the New Orleans would never be
able 10 force her way up stream. This
dependency was dispelled when, while
luncheon party was on board, Mr..
Roosevelt ran the boat up the river, to
the consternatiOn of the guests, who at
first feared that she had broken from
her moorings and was drifting to de-
struction. Afterward he took the boat
up to Cincinnati, to wait for the river
to rise, so that the falls at Louisville
could be run safely.
The first shock of the great Garth
quakes of 1911 was felt as the New
Orleans was lying below Louisville,
having made the passage Of the fails,
and they accompanied her far down the
river. At one point canoe, manned
10y Indians, came out and chased the
New Orleans; at New Madrid, Mo,
which had been nearly swallowed up in
the "cOnvulsiOns Of nature" OF that
eventful year, half the people begged
to be taken off, and the other half ran
away and hid, the spectacle Of the
steamboat proving 100 much for nerves
already unsettled by the comet and the
earthquake. The earthquake mad so
changed the channel of the river that
it was by luck rather than by knowl-
edge that the pilot could take the boat
down. In due course the New Orleans
arrived at Natchez, to meet with an en-
thusistic reception, and, byway OF end
ing the romance Of the tIip, the Cap
tain was married to Mrs. RooseyelI's
maid, as soon as the boat Lad been ted
up. The New Orleans ran for q long
time between New Orleans and Natchez
In 1914 she carried Gen. Coffee down
with reinforcements for jackson, an
other steamer, the Enterprise, taking
parg n the defense of tie city. The
Enterprise was vessel of seventy five
tons burden, and was the fourth steamer
launched on the Ohio, and the first that
ever ascended the two streams.