Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-29
MissIssIppI-KIvEh STEAMBOATS,.
At Close Range There Isn't h"ch
poetry About Them-Cheap Fares.

The Mississippi steamboat Is glorious
craft I'm history and fiction, but the reality
is rather disappointing To the eastern
eye she looks decidedly topheavy, eN-
tremely cheap. and unspeakably dirty
The average western-river craft looks llhS
a dwelling in shanty-town at the thu OF
A hard winter. There Is neither grace
nor mower in her lines. Sne Is botn
broken backed and hump-backed. II those
expressions are allowable without mixing
metaphors. j.,
The wharf Is an unknown quantity IN
the life OF a Mississippi skipper. Nheh
he wants 10 make a lanalns ne sHIlpi!
swings his boat around, win the DO"
pointing partly up stream ana partly 10
the shore. and camly pushes her nose
against the muddy bank. An llniheh
gaugplank, about fifty feet In length, IS
swung out from the forward deck ana "A
"rOustabout' runs along on IL ~nile IL -
still suspended In the air 10 be ready 70
drop on the ground the moment the outer
end touches the bank. lie carries
dilapidated hawsar. which he makes last
to the nearest convenient tree, ana the
continued working OF the steamboat eh-
gines holds her nose against me bdhh
and oVercOmes the action OF the river
current which otherwise would sweep
the boat down stream, hawser or no
hawser. For short landings the formality
OF hawser is dispensed with.
The hull OF the Mississippi boat Oh OF
binary size Is built very Lightly. she J.
nat-bOttOmed and draws little over a lopt
OF water Her guards ar only lew
feet over the waters edge. Her upper
works consist of two or more stOfltn,
huilt on the general plan OF the picnic
barge architecture. The main CABINS o.
the big New Orleans liners are long anu
taWdrily decorated with cheap paint. Ine
whole construction Is one whicn MgdiG
be knocked into cooked hat in thirty
minutes IL IL Ventured out 10 thr sdhly
Hook nghtshlp. or # 1t even tried 20 20
up Long Island sound on a rough night.
The machinery OF the western river
craft is equally unsainly 10 the eastern
eve The great majority OF boats nave
one big paddle-wheel At ths stern, after
the manner OF the humble wheeibarro~
Others. PRINCIPALLY me Terry ., ana nat
i'm the centre Of the beat. and housed IN.
These two constructions are moth design
ed TO avoid the enormous logs OF noatlhs
driftwood which dot the surface OF Inc
river after each rise OF IN water level
some of the cheaper eAcurslon-boats nav,
paddle wheels at the sides. out they iFt
auently have 10 slow down when ap-
preaching the more than usually cens
section OF this inland SaraEussa sea or
lose half the buckets on their paddle
wheels.
When the boats have side paddle-wheeli
i they are mounted on short shafts anI
ouerated by individual engines. SO tina
the skinner In manoeuvering his
boat. can back one wheel and 20 aheaf
with the other. swinging tine crait on ~
axis The engines are high pressure, VIII
long wooden connecting rods. and curl
ously constructed valve scar. Each en-
CINE has its engineer and separate system
~ signal bells. The boilers are on IN,
main deck. elevated on legs like Dutci
oven. Soft coal is burned exclusively, an,
there ara lone narrow sheet-iron smoke
stacks, with more or less S., gaudy deco ora,
tons. from the top OF whicn dense v3.
rolling The boats are slow. one tina
makes eleven miles an hour is considered
The cost OF operation is small, as car
he seen from the fact that he trip from
ST. Louis to New Orleans ana return
| occupying nearly two weeks. costs thu
traveller only about s2o for fare. meals
| and berth. The run from 81 Louis I,
| ~ Paul and return, occupying a weel
ar more can be made for >l2 Frelght-caTs
loaded with coal are frequently run o.
/ 10 floats and towed iEcm Flttsburg dow
| ,he ohio aud mp the Mississippi 10 81
louis for less cost Than they could b
sent over the rails.