The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-09-16

people 70 them, and our merchants
are the losers. Persistent and Judi.
cious advertising on the part Of
our merchants, will DO more to.
keep the trade Of the people at
home, than all the mass meetings
that can be hsld.-EOl
First Years Business Of the
First Steamboat ON the Ohio.
Editor Register
For a number Of years, as you
may know, l have taken great in.
terest in the collection Of historical
data relating, not only to the ear.
lier periods of the two yirginias,
but to that Of the entire Ohio Val.
ley as we'll.
Some time since ! concluded, if
possible, TO learn something Of the
first steamboat on the Ohio. The
The effort has not been in vain
AS many of the Intelligent steam.
boatmen who visit your town will
tell you, the very name Of that
steamer has been dispute but it
seems to me that the record now in
my possession must forever put the
matter at rest. l. was written in
the year 1912 by Captain Morris
who was her pilot, and mus! there
fore have known the truthfulness
Of the statements which be makes.
We quote from him as follows
The first steamboat to navigate
the Ohio was the @New Orleans"
built at Pittsburgh in the winter
Of 1901. Her keel was 1888 feet
and she was calculated for 300 or
400 tons burthen.
"she was launched in March Of
the last named year, and descended
the Ohio and Mississippi and land.
ed at Natchez in December, where
she took in loading aud passengers
for the frs! time; then passed on to
New Orleans in which trade she has
been employed ever since Chat is
to time Of writing, which was 1929
Her accommodations are good, aud
her passengers generally numerous,
seldom less from Natchez than from
10 to 20, at s18 per head, and when
she starts from New Orleans, gen.
orally from 80 to 80, and sometimes
as many as 80 passengers, at s25
each to Natchez. The boats re.
ceipt for freight upwards has aver.
aged the last year, 500, passage
money S90O;-downwards $500
freight, $500 for passengers. She
performs 10 trips in the year, which
at s2,40O per trip, amounts to $751;.
200. Her expenses are twelve
hands at $50 per month,-S4, 800,
Captain, $1,000; 10 cords Of wood
each trip at s1.75 per cord which
amounts to 81, $50, in all $685.
1t is presumed that the boats ex.
ira trips for pleasure or otherwise,
out Of her usual route, has paid for
all the expenses of repairs; and
with the profits Of the bar.room, for
the boats provisions. In which
case, there will remain o net gain
Of S24, 294 for the first year. The
owners estimate the boats value at
$4,000, which gives au interest Of
s2,4OO and by giving 1884 more
for furniture, &C., we have the clear
gain of $4,000 for tho first years
labor Of the steamboat "New Or.
leans"
Capt. Morris continues; This is
a revenue superior to any other es.
tablishment in the United States,
and what is equally gratifying, arts.
ing out Of capital whose appliCa.
tion is of singular benefit to the
whole community, and particular.
ly so, as il respects the navigation
Of the western waters, whose re.
sources in wealth is unknown, aud
whose entorprising inhabitants, we
doubt not, will soon see the advan.
tage Of steam power over that Of
the oars and poles, and ere long
have steamboats, Of all sizes and
fashions, running up and down our
numerous rivers, with as much ease
and facility as does the common
canoe under the direction of its
skllful original masters, the In.
dians."
Such is the account of the first
year of steam naYigation-a year
which marks an era in the history
of the commercial world; the writer
of which was one of the frst that
ever stood at the helm of a vessel
propelled by steam. v, L,
A Cruel and Wicked Man.
Richie Gazette.
Hon. George Washington Tippott