San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-02

ON bDatu the bcncfai ilhe.
The changes on the western rivers
have been mpny,' s&id an old timer one
evening The first steamboat ON the
mississippi was, th:DN, in 1871 Prior to
that time. and for many years after, for
that matter, the river commerce wHs car
ried on in keel and flatbOats. a keelboat
starting from PittShurg would reach New
Orleans in about sixty days with from
thirty to fifty tons of freight. Some Of
them carried passengers, families, travel
erS, hunters and Others going down the
river frequently taking passage on the
keel.
The Geelboats were light. long and
narrow, sharp 1T both ends and round bot
toned. They were rugged WITH one or two
sweeps on side for propelling purposes,
and sweep on one end for use as a
rudder. These sweeps or bars were usual
" made of small trees about thirty feet
long and hung TO the side of the boat on
iron pins. The big end of the tree was in
board or on deck. The small or outer end
mad an inch board, about foot wide and
eight feet long, nailed diagonally across it
to form the blade of the oar.
These sweeps were used in still water
and for working the boat out of bends in
the river, out of eddies and making cross
ings and landings. TO work the sweep the
boatman would take the pole against one
shoulder, and quartering across the breast
would push, not pull. with a walk up
about fifteen feet, carrying it back to get
another hold in the water. 1t was ex-
tremcly hard work, and very trying Oh
clothes and shoe leather
HARD WORK GETTING BACK
THE boats were also rugged with a mast
and square sail, and often carried a small
cannon for protection against Indians and
lower river pirates A keelboat would be
from three 10 six months on the return
trip from New Orleans to Pittsburg
Down the river with the current was slow
enough. but against the current was tough
;ailing. Who're bottom could be reached
p0ips were used. but in deep swift water
warping' or 'cordella' was the motive
power. To warp is to run line ahead
and fasten it to tree on the bank, and
then all hands haul on the line To cor
della WAS to take Il rope ashore, and all
nandS get hold and haul or tow the boat
\ very SLOW, hard process
AS steamboats, became more numerous
the keclboats dropped out of use, and the
~
would make the run down the river in
about the same time rs a keelboat, but
they never returned, their owners selling
them at their destination for little or moth
ing. The purchaser generally broke UP
the boat and used the lumber for building
purposes They were rugged and manned
about the same PS a keelbOat, but were diff
ferently constructed. They were what the
Rat oil he bot
tom.
The deck or roof was slightly crown
ing athwartship The boat was from 80 to
40 feet long, IS to 20 feet beam, square at
both ends above water, with "A short rake
or run at each end from the bottom to the
deep water line. They would carry from
lou to $50 tons of freight, and their kind was
known by the cargo they carried, as pork
boat, hay boat corn boat live hog
boat, pumpkin boat hoop pole boat
from Posey county, Ind; chicken boat
from the Wabash and White rivers: salt
boats from the Big Kanawa river, and
coal boats from Pittsburg. The points
of destination were Memphis, Vicksburg,
Natchez and New Orleans, mostly the lat.
ter have seen at the levee in New Or
leans as many as 200 fatboats at one time.
at was nothing uncommon to pass TWEEN.
ty or thirty of them Il day on a steamboat
trip down the river. Some of them would
be tied up to the banks, some at anchor,
others drifting along with oars at rest and
the crew having a Notification. As soon as
flatboat was landed at New Orleans the
entire crew, except one man, was paid off,
and aS they had no opportunity on the trip
to spend their money they got their wages
all in pile. Then they would start out
for Il high old time. and have it, too. They
would usually remain in Orleans until
their money was gone, or at least all but
enough to pay their passage up the river
and, as they generally took deck passage.
which was only 81 80 or 50. they didn't re-
quirr much of surplus. Sometimes $50
or POO fiHtbOat men would be on one steam
or, and woe would be to the boat when
the clerk attempted to collect the fare
They would not only refuse to pay, but
would often take possession of the lower
deck
Il was passenger on the General Pike
when there was just sucha gang on board
When the clerk called on them they gath
cred on the after part of the boat and re-
fused to pay a cent Not only did they re
fuse to pay, but they nearly killed the un
lucky clerk. The boat was landed at Il
wood yard, and the crew, armed with
clubs, attempted to make the fiatbOat men
pay or go ashore. The roughs were armed
with knives and the most terrible fight in
the history Of the river took place.
The crew was driven fOr'ard to the
fo'cGStle deck, the lines were cut and the
boat set adrift, and taking full possession
of the boat the engineers were compelled