Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1896-02-27
FIRST WE srsRn srsAm soAr.
How She Was Buiit-Ber Exciting Trip
Downthe River.

HOW Sne WAS Duft-htE ExCttlHk arp
Downthe River.
The building of the first Steamboat
for Western waters was one of the
greatest events in the development of
the great empire lying west of the AL
legheny mountains. In 1910 Fulton
and Livingston of New York sent Mr..
Roosevelt, an experienced marine archi-
tect, to Pittsburg for the purpose of
making en- exploration from that place
to New Orleans. He commenced his
voyage on small hatboat, pilot and
two men to handle the oars, by means
of which the boat was propelled. After
long and tedious voyage he arrived at
New Orleans, where he took passage on
sailing vessel for New York, where
The explained to Fulton and Livingston
his explorations, and among them the
great danger of snags and logs. and
that steamboat must be Built to re-
sist being sunk by them.
Fulton and Livingston then sent him
back to Pittsburg to commence the
building of the steamboat Upon his
arrival at that place he built saw
mill He also had with him skilled
engineer. a Mr.. Baker, who was to
superintend the building OF the first
Western steam boat engine.
During the year 1911 work was COM
menced on the steamboat As the saw
mill was very small it was found i'm
possible to saw the long planlss for the
bottom and sides. Sawyers were there
fore hired to saw the planks and keel
son by hand. This was done by dig
ging pit some eight feet deep, one
sawyer standing on top of the log and
one in the pit By this means the long
planks were sawed. This boat was
built like a ship. The keelson was
feet in depth and 219 feet wide; the
tim bers were IS inches deep and foot
wide, placed close together. The bow
of the boat for 25 feet was solid mass
of timber, so as to make her snag- proof.
On her main deck was bulwark ex-
tending around her like ship. The
engine was built upon the Watt &
Bolton plan with an upright cylinder.
condenser and walking beam. This
was the only engine known at that
time, and had been used by Fulton and
Livingston on the steamboats, which
they had built for the Hudson from
1906 to 1911. They were all sidewheel
steamers using this engine.
This steamboat was launched in due
time, and, after most remarkable
voyage, reached this city Jan. IA, 1912,
just s4 years ago Jan. IA.
| The steamer was called the New Or
leans, and was built to ply between
New Orleans and Natchez. 1t left Pitts
burg in October, 1914, for an expert
mental voyage, with Mr.. Roosevelt as
captain, his wife and family also being
on board Mr.. Baker was the engineer,
Andrew Jack the pilot and six edecl;
hands were employed. Captain Roos-
yelt took tools to work the beds of coal
he had found upon his first voyage of
discovery, 100 miles below the falls of
Louisville, and used this as fuel. Late
upon the fourth night after quitting
Pittsburg, they arrived at Louisville,
having been ~ hours in descending
700 miles. On the arrival of the boat
ut Louisville, in the night time, the ex-
| traordinary sound which filed the air
by the pent-up steam permitted to
| escape from the valves produced gen
eral alarm and multitudes in the town
arose from their beds to ascertain the
cause, the general impression being
that comet had fallen into the Ohio
So great was their CONSERVATION many
fled to the woods Next morning they
found the steamboat at the landing.
The shallow water on the falls of the
Ohio prevented them from pursuing
the voyage. They were detained three
weeks and made two trips between
Louisville and Cincinnati. The water
then rose and they continued the voy-
age. When they arrived about five
miles above the Yellow banks and
moored the boat opposite the first vein
of coal on the Indiana shore, they
found large quantity already quar-
ried. With this they commenced load
ing the boat While thus engaged
they were asked by the squatters if
they had not heard strange noises on
the river and in the woods, insisting
that they had repeat tedly felt the earth
tremble. On the following day they
resumed the voyage. The weather
was oppressively hot, the air misty
still and dull. The sun, although visi-
BILE, looked like glowing ball of cop
per.
AS they sat on the deck at night
every now and again was heard rush
ing sound and violent splash and
they saw large portion of the shore
tear away from the land and fall into
the river. 1t was an awful night and
so still one could hear a pin drop on
the deck.
The second day after leaving the Vel
low banks the signs of the earthuuake
were apparent The pilot affirmed that
ha hA 4 I