New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1902-04-23
MINI ESl Ia RIVER.
HISTORY OF THE STEAMBOAT TRAFFIC IN
SCI EARLY DAYS. s SD
THos. HUGHES OF. MANKATo WRITES.


THos. HUGHES OF MANKATo WRITES.
EXCERPT FROM, PAPER READ BEFORE.
S! STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The following is taken from 9 lengthy
paper contributed by Thos. Hughes At
the last meeting Of the State Historical
Society and will be of interest to older
residents of this city. After giving q
history Of the earlier traffic Mr.. Hughes
makes the following mention of New
Ulm: u. B.
/ The fist boat to reach Mankato in
1869 was the Ellen Hardy, on the 18th
Iof April. Tho Otter, st. Anthony Falls,
Pioneer, Tiger and our old friend the
Jennette Roberts were engaged in the
Minnesota trade this season besides the
Ellen Hardy. The business men of New
Ulm this spring, seeing no immediate
prospect of a railroad for their town,
bought the little steamer Otter for $4,000
land put her into the trade between New
Ulm and Mankato, where she made
Irregular trips twice to three times aweek;
her average load of freight used to be
5000 bushels of wheat. A number Of
trips were made to Redwood. The
navigation continued until rather late.
On November there were three boats
unloading at once at the Mankato levee,
the Pioneer, Otter and Tiger. 1.# s= IN
The first boat to reach Mankato in
1870 was the Otter from New Ulm on
April 9Th, and the Mankato on April
18th was the first boat to arrive from st.
Paul. During the early spring there was
quite a brisk trade, and the smaller boats,
like the Tiger and Otter, continued to
run even through July and Augsst. The
arrivals at Mankato in April and May
alone numbered forty three; and the
total arrivals for the season were about
eighty. The Mankato brought down
from New Ulnl on the second OF May
$1,000 bushels of wheat on one load,
and two days later the Dexter brought,
down in two barges $4,000 bushels. The
Otter AID Tiger piled mostly between
Mankato and New Ulm, while the
Mankato, Dexter and St. Anthony Falls
made frequent trips to st. Paul.
As, an Instance of the speed of the
Tiger it is stated that on May 18th she
made the run from Redwootfto Mankato,
in thirteen and "a half hours. In the
spring Of this year the Jennette Roberts,
one Of the best known and longest in
service of any boat ever on the Mime
sofa, was sold to go to the Wisconsin
river trade. ~ A
| q In 1871 the Otter, Captain ISABELLA,
was the first boat again at MaDkato,
arriving on April 4 from New Ulm. On
April 18th came the ssPioneer" the first
boat from ST. Paul. On April 18th as
the Mankato was approaching st. Peter
on her first trip of the season, she struck
snag few rods below the present
wagon bridge in that city and sank. Her
passengers and crew received no harm,
and after lying in the river channel for
over a year she was finally raised and
taken below, never to enter the Mime
sofa again. The Otter, Pioneer and
Hudson were busily employed during
April and May (which was as long as
navigation this year lasted) in carving
wheat and other freight from New Ulm
and Redwood to South Bend, where it
was transferred to the railroad. II is said
of the Otter that on MAJ 18th of this
year she made the run from West New
ton to South Bend a distance Of ito
miles IN less than seven hours running
time being the quickest time the
Journey was ever made b any boat. She
brought with her two barges loaded with
1000 bushels Of wheat.
With this season ends practically the
navigation Of the Minnesota river, for
the Northwestern railway reached New
! Ulm this year.
The Osceola, Captain Haycock,
Ismall boat, ascended the river az far a
i Redwood once in the spring 81 1879
i twice IN the spring Of 1873, and once il
/ the spring Of 1874. The water, how.
ever, was quite low each season and
navigation difficult. For many years Nc
| boat was seen again on the Minnesota
until taking advantage of freshet ii
/ April 1897 Captain r. w. Durant 81
forS 20 ~ l,;o hnn+ an,