Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-06-28
River .EM1NrsCENUEs.
Early Boats and ~Bostmen-An Inter.
ing Collection OF Historical Facts.

ing Collection OF HistOrical fectSs
Yesterdays Pittsburgh Post, contained
history of the early commerce OF the Ohio
river, now being prepared by the Superin-
tendent of the Chamber Of Commerce of
that city, Mr.. Gilbert ~Fallansbee, and from
il we extract the following as being OF in
terest to river men in this vicinity;
"a French gentleman. Louis Anastasius
Tarascon, established in Philadelphia in
1874 as a INGREDIENT and large importer of
s,Iks and all kinds Of French and German
GOODS, being very wealthy and enterprising,
sent out in 1893 two Of his clerks, Charles
the course of the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers from Pittsburgh to New Orleans.
These two gentlemen returned to Philadei-
pbia. reported favoxably, and Mr.. Tarascon
associated them and his brother, John
Anthony, with himself, under the
firm name of John A. Tarascon,
Brothers, James Berthold 4 Co and
Immediately established in Pittsburgh a
large wholesale and retail store and ware
house. a ship yard, rigging and sail loft, an
anchor smith shop, block mandatory,
and, IN short, everything necessary to COM
plete vessels for sea. The first year, 1901,
thew built the schooner 'Amity,' of l2O
tons. and the ship Pittsburgh, OF 25otons,
and sent the former loaded with flour to 81.
Thomas, and the other, also loaded with
flour, to Philadelphia, from whence they
sent them TO Bordeaux, and brought back a
cargo OF wine, brandy; and other French
goods. part of which they sent to Pitts.
burgh in wagons at a carriage OF from six
to eight cents per pound. In 1902 they built
the 'Nanino,' of $50 tons; in 1903, the ship
Louisiana of 300 tons; in 1904, the ship
Western Trader Of 400 tons.
I'm about the year 1895 three of the
ROYAL princes of Orleans came to
Pittsburgh and remained some time in the
city. At length they procured a large skitf,
part of which was covered with tow linen,
laid in a supply of provisions and (having
secured two men to row the skif) proceeded
on to New Orleans. One OF these princes
was Louis Philippe, afterwards King. OF
France, who in his exile visited our city.
Anthony Beelan, ESQ, an early merchant,
saws in the preface to Harris Pittsburgh
Directory for 1S4l-42: Having lived in
Pittsburgh for forty years, most of the time
actively engaged in business, we remember
we'll during the embargo times and
the last wal when the in
burgh by the Ohio, Western and Southern
rivers brought us comparatively nigh
Wheeling, Cincinnati, Louisville, st. Louis,
Nashville, Natchez and New Orleans. But
the slow process of keel boats, barges, ETC.,
was such that it consumed almost a whole
summer for a trip down and up. When all
was lon by the hardy boatman with the
pole or warping, and VIXEN a barge arrived
here with furs from 81. Louis, cotton from
Natchez, hemp, tobacco and .saltpetre from
Maysyille or sugar and cotton from New
Orleans and NatChez, it was a wonder to the
many and drew vast crowds to see and re-
joice over it,"
Mr.. Follansbee is still engaged on his
work, which will include all information
about the Ohio River up to the time that
the railroads commenced to interfere with
the commerce of the river, 1t will be some
weeks before it is ready for publication, the
labor OF hunting statistics and facts con;
Stunning much time, but when issued will
undoubtedly be received with much inter
est by river men.