The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-02
SPEED or RIVER BOATS.
An Old steamboat Man Compares the Old
Records and the New.

The recent announcement that two new
steamboats, were to he built which would
have a speed Of twenty-five miles an hour
between New York and Albany and that
five-hour service requiring speed Of thirty
miles an hour was in contemplation. inter-
estcd a retired steamboat man who made
fortune on Western rivers and quit about
the time that railroads encroachcd upon
the business
Il suppose" he said. that twenty-five
miles an hour by steamboat is considered
crack time. Considering the progress that
has been made in speed generally. ii does
not strike me as anything remarkable
Il should think that in this age OF adj
vanccment a steamboat ought to do better
on a river like the Hudson. That river
is free from the obstacles We had TO en-
counter in Western rivers when was steam
boating, and yet, all things considered
we made as good time as that before the
Civil War on the Nj ssissippi and the
Missouri.
That was before the Government had
done much for those streams. The Missouri
particularly, was the most uncertain navi-
gab.e stream in the United States.
It's current, even al a low stage Of water,
was swift. Charting was absolutely USE
less because no man ever knew IN the morn
ing what shift the current would ma Ike
before night. Hence il was that the forma-
tion Of great sandbars frequently changed
the history of many of the towns
"A town would frequently have a half
dozen landing places or levees for boats
in one season. II was the result Of the
trcachcrOus shifting Of the current have
often had the engines of my boat stopped
in mdstrealn and sent my pilot out in
yawl 10 find "A way with sufficient fathom
to warrant further progress.
In addition to this uncertainty the river,
except in high stages of water, would be
filled with dangerous snags Navigat ion
by night was fun Of peril and at certain
seasons was not 10 be thought of.
And yet. in spite of these conditions,
there was spirited rivalry among the best
steamboats, to make a record which would
enttle the winner To carry the horns. The
horns were deer Gntlers, vanished and
tipped with gold leaf They We're usually
carried on the for'ard hurricane deck,
sometimes in front Of the jack-staff at the
bow.
These horns were given to the boat
that made the best time between st. Louis
and st. Joseph. have not the data at
hand, but II IL my recollection that the
fastest time ever made between the two
points was a little less than six days.
In a run for the horns the competing
steamer discarded all heavy freight and
made a given number of landings, probably
not more than dozen, If so many. Be-
sides, the competing steamers had TO make
a few stops to wood W, or We're met by
barges loaded with quick fuel, which were
lashed To the steamer and unloaded whNe
the steamer was under way.
In spite of the uncertainty OF the cur
rent and other conditions. and in spite of
the fact that navigat ion was then in its
iufa | hnVp known the Syftast hnats
To make as high as fifteen miles an hour.
They didn't average that, of course, but
when ell things were favorable it would be
done.
Now, if under the conditions | have
mentioned a steamboat could make that
time forty or forty-five years ago. it seems
10 me that IA boat ought to be built now
that could make more than twenty-five
miles an hour on IA river like the Hudson,
which Is free from changes such as made
navigation on Western rivers perlous.
Il should like TO hear the opinion Of old
river men on this subject"