Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-01-05
OLD rrmls ON rHr nrrEa
Before Railroads stepped in and Drove
steamboats, Entirely Ont.

g. =
Before Railroads Stepped in aud Drove
steamboats, Entirely ont.
Amongthe great changes wrought in In
dustrial life of late years, one Of the most
interesting is that in the modes of trans
portation, the railway having largely sup
planted the river-carrYing trade. Some OF
the most pleasing recollections are those OF
the pilots and captains of the old days. As
a matter Of local interest, the following is
worth printing. 1t shows that the 6rst
boat which reached st. Louis was built in
Pittsburg. The boat was the Gen. Pike, a
yery small sternwheeler, and she landed at
St. Louis for the first time in the after
noon of August End, 1917. She
was three weeks making the
IMP from Pittsburg TO that city. The
Pike was commanded by Captain Jacob
Reed, who is credited with having had
charge of the first steamboat on the Mlssis-
sippi. 1.-TWO years later" or in 1919, says
a st. Louis paper, from which these facts
are derived, 1.-The Independence, a small
s,ernwheel boat from Pittsburg, arrived
here, and after day. stop to let her officers
and crew visw the village, she proceeded on
her way to the Missouri river, and after
seven DAYS struggle with the waters OF that
stream she reached Old Franklin. The
settlers along the river were pleased beyond
measure when it was demonstrated that the
wild river could not resist the progress OF
steam. This was the first steamboat to 60
north of st. Louis. The booming days o.
the river transportation interest at st. LOUIS
were along from 1915 to 1861. Then
an interruption occurred, the result
of the civil war After the war had
ended, two years or more, q revival set IN
and the interest fairly prospered until
1851. After this an almost vital blow
was given to steamboating by the progress
of the railroads. The fall of river business
was even more rapid than its rise, and to-
day it stands as a mere skeleton of its
former greatness. In the prosperous days
of the business every available foot Of the
levee from Cherry street, on the north, to
far below Chouteau avenue, on the south,
was taken as landings for steamboats,. The
old records OF the Harbor and Wharf De.
partment show that during those times
there were seldom less than thirty boats in
port at one time, and there were frequently
as high as fifty steamers lining the levee,
Nearly 1900 men were given daily en-
ployment at discharging the cargoss OF the
various packets in port.
RIVER MEMS WAGES IN THE OLD DAYS.
The rate of wages paid during old times
was something remarkable. As an instance,
first pilots on Missouri river boats received
as high as 81, 200 per month; commanders
received $500 per month additional, and on
some boats they are credited with having
received per centage of the receipts. 10
many this may appear rather extravaganza.
1t is fact, however, testified to by alt
time rivermen. The steamers Of forty
wears ago were far different from what
are seen to-day. There were no float
ing palaces then; no 100000 beau
ties as now. The finest packet running
to that port could have been put into the
water furnished and ready to move for $780,
600. One, however, could not buy such q
boat unless he was ready to put down from
$4,000 to 100000. The trade the boat oc-
cupied was always one of the first consider
atoms in transfer, hence the high figures
Nearly all boats during the time from 1915
to 1866 were lightly constructed and rarely
carried more than $50 tons. The arrivals
and departures from St. Louis always reach
ed as high as twenty-five during the best
days of the business. There were always
two boats every afternoon leaving for all
points on the Missouri the same number for
the Illinois river, the upper Mississippi, the
lower Mississippi and daily line to Ke-
okuk.
PITTSBURGH TRADE WITH ST. LOUIS.
The Cincinnati and Pittsburgh trade was
very heavy and contributed much towards
the progress of St. Louis. In this route
alone there were no less than sixty boats
constantly kept busy. The following are
the names OF forty-eight boats which run in
the trade: Key West, DR.. Kane, Ida
May, Shenango, Bay City, Silver Cloud,
Cambridge, Martha, Putnam, Gen
Pike, Mariner, Adriatic, Cambridge, Chal
lenge, Silver Wavs, Msrengo, New York,
Stephen Decatur, N. ]. NJ. Clay, James
Wood, Emma, DR.. VIM. Wallace, Empire
State, Dacotah, Fred Mayne, r. f. Sass,
Sam Young, Moderator, Monongahela,
Prima Donna, Metropolis, j. B. Cheesman,
Alma, Ben Bolt, Vixen, South America,
Clifton, Altamont, Empire City, Philadel
phia, Pamela, Or c., Rocket Silver Wave,
Argonaut, Sunnyside, Grand Turk and L.
Cam.
HOW THE TRADE HAS DwINDLED AWAY.
The levee Of St. Louis to-day and thirty
years ago presents indeed a strange con-
trast There are not now over forty ar
rivals each week. Then there were as many
in day. The entire river business from
this port is now under the control of FIVE
companies. Instead of fifty packets in the
Cincinnati, Pittsburg and St. Louis trade
there is not q single one. In fact a steamer
has not arrived there from Pitts ourg in the
past ten months, and none
from Cincinnati for two years. Ths
only packets now leaving St, Louis for the
Ohio river are the Dakotah and Hudson,
and neither goes higher than Uniontovn
Between the Diamond 10 and the st. Louis
and st. Paul Packet Comdany there is
daily line of boats to St. Paul. The ex
pense is very great, the charges in proper
lion and the profit so exceedingly small
that microscope is required to detect the
revenue derived by capitalists with money
invested in the Northern trade The Cal
houn now does the Illinois river work,
where the services Of six boats used to be
required. The Anchor Line and Missis.
sippi Barge Line have absolute control Of
the river transportation from there out to
New Orleans
DECLINE or MISSOURI RIVER TRAFFIC.
After Cairo is reached the Ohio river
boats are confronted. The Missouri river
business has dwindled down to almost
nothing. Now two boats are even more
than enough to attend to all offerings, and
he trade does not extend north OF Kansas
City. The first arrival of boat from New
Orleans was the Harriet, Captain Ar
mitage. She made the run in twenty-seven
days. and reached st. Louis June 2, 1919,