Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-08-12
Early Navigation of the Connecticut.

Early Navigation of the Connecticut.
This weeks Walpole correspondence in
the Claremont Advocate contained the fol-
lowing:
| The writer has been asked by an anti
|quarian friend in Massachusetts to look up
the subject of the early navigation of the
Connecticut river. One OF bis own early
but rather faint memories is of seeing large
fst-boats loaded with goods pushed up the
river by poles. Tbi, must have been be-
fore the opening Of the Cheshire railroad
in January, 1850. He also remembers the
trs dition that small steamboat once ran
up the river as far as Bellows Falls. Inquiry
among older residents confirms these MEM
cries and shows that for many years hea, y
goods, such as salt, molasses and rum were
brought up the river on fat-boats. These
boats were propelled by poles. except when
the wind was from the south, then large
sail was set, and more rapid progress was
made. They passed around Bellows Falls
by means of the locks in the canal and went
a considerable distance above the Falls. The
southern end of the route was at Hartford.
Mr.. Allen Dun,hee, who has lived near
the river all his long life OF IS years, say s
the boats were in use as long ago as he can
remember, but were discontinued after
1850. He remembers distinctly the little
steamer which ran one season IS or 66
years ago from Hartford to Bellows Falls.
1t was commanded by Capt. Griswold OF
Bellows Falls, who had been lumberman
Ill &bo .rI oorr,oI
and freight. At that time John Turner.
who lived where Mr.. Dunshee formerly
lived and afterwards moved to Alstead,
kept boatmen's tavern and entertained
the boatmen over night. They were hard
drinkers, and often kept him busy until
midnight mixing toddy. Later the boat
men cooked their meals on the boat. Mr..
Dunshee remembers that Capt. Griswo'd
stopped his steamboat opposite Turner's
and took aboard Turner's daughters and a
young lady, who later became Mrs. Dun
shee, and brought them up as far as the
village. .yz Iu
Perhaps some old resident of Bellows
Falls, through the TIMES or Gazette, can
add something to these memories, which
seemed to the writer of sufficient impor-
lance to be preserved.
LETTER FROM CLAREMoNT. $50
Tue following letter was received at the
ZINES office yesterday. rennl
To the Editor of the Bellows Falls TIMES :
Dear Sir: In looking over today's issue
OF the Claremont Advocate, notice among
the Walpole items, an article upon the for
mer use of flat boats on the Connecticut
river, as means of transporting freight,
etc., as a regular business. The sugges-
ton was also made that some one might be
able to give some data concerning the
same, through your paper. My father,
the late Oscar j. Brown, who was the
well-known stage proprietor, and who died
here in ClaremoDt, in March, 1892, has,
from my earliest recollection, spoken to me
q great deal about his father, the lste
Amos Brown Of Hartford, VT, as having
for many years been engaged in running
irregular line of these fiat boats, propelling
them by means of poles, or occasionally
sails, when feasible. The boats carried
down the river, to Hartford, Conn, farm
produce, and brought back such groceries
and other freight, including some kinds of
cloth, as were needed by the people at the
nOTJucTu cHU VI tuc lIut, WuiCu WAS III
Hartford, Vt. These voyages were con-
sidered to have their perils, especially at
the locks at Bellows Falls and Holyoke,
and the families OF the boatmen we're
always in state Of anxiety. l am sorry
that / am unable to give you more dates,
but my grandfather, Amos Brown, died at
Hartford, VT, in October, 1884, SO this
method of transportation must have been
in use for many years before that time.
| cannot think that these boats were
used for such transportation as late as
1850, for my fathers business was such as
to bring him into connection with public
freightage of every sort, and he always
spoke Of them as something belonging to
the past. Very respectfully,
SUSAN AMANDA JUDKINs.