The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-07-26


our Leading man and the low comedian
would sometimes get Il couple of old
fashioned brc'2,dswcrds and fight melo-
dramatic combat on the deck. There Is
no doubt that at times our barge WIS
taken for floating lunatic asylum"
THE FIRST STEAMBOATS,.
The flat boats and barges found
rival when the steamboat appeared.
The first steamer voyage on the
boat called the New Orleans" The
idea of introducing steam on the Ohio
and the Mississippi originated with
Nicholas j. Roosevelt, who built his
boat himself in Pittsburg. on the banks
OF the MononGahela, at Il cost of some
$4,000. The voyage was begun in Sep
tember. When Il was known In Pitts
burg that Roosevelt intended taking his
wife with him on this trip, which every
body regarded as n defiance OF the laws
OF the universe, there was q great hue
and cry in the town. y man might be
justified in killing himself. for sciences
sake, but he had no right TO risk his
wife'S life. Mrs. Roosevelt, however.
had great faith in her husband and in
sisted on going on the New Orleans
trial trip. Besides Mr.. and Mrs. Roose-
Welt. who were the only passengers the
boat had a crew of thirteen persons and
| cine Newfoundland dog.
All Pittsburg turned out to witness
the departure and at Cincinnati there
| was another ovation. The boat reached
Louisville in the might and anchored.
The roar of escaping steam aroused the
whole town and the people came troop
Ing to the river to discover what had
happened One explanation given be-
| fore the steamboat was discovered was
| that the comet of 1911, which was then
| causing general alarm, had fallen into
| the Ohio.
All the way from Pittsburg Mr.. Roose-
| welt had met the objection that while
he might get down the river easily he
never could get up. The very crew of
the New Orleans. all of whom were old
| riVermen, declared this. AT Louisville
| the citizens We're very confident of it,
| To convince them that they were wrong
I! Mr.. Roosevelt gave n dinner on board
the boat. After the guests were seated
n sudden rumble and motion was heard
ana frightened, every one ran on deck
The boat was headed up stream and up
boat. When they fitted out the pirogue
with out-riggers and sails they had a
craft safe, strong, commodous ard cas-
lily replaced. After these primitive era SIS
came the RATS and natboats made of
green oak plank, fastened by wooden pin.
TO a frame of timber and caulked with
tow. The variations of these were le
gion, and the keeboat. broad horn. -
ark" Kentucky boat" held tn, river
lunmolested until the arrival of the
steamboat.
IN THE DAYS OF THE KEEL, AMI
FLATBOATS.
With raft or fiat boat as a. FONDA
ton The river men built up some of the
most grotesque craft conceivable. One
of the strangest sights were their fleet :
of lumber formed by flashing together
solid!y with rope thirty or more long
lumber RATS. The fleets came USUALLY
from the upper Allegheny end fioated
down to the Gulf. that is they did Il
they escaped dashing into the bank and
breaking apart, in which case the Ium-
Der generally reached the gulf a plank
AT q Elme These accidents were not
rare. for the lumber fleets were unrain-
iy things to manage and their crew