The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-15
River Steamboats, Of Old
and Their Jolly Captains

boat of the season such a welcome as
would not now be accorded to the Unit
ed States cruiser Oregon If she were to
steam up to the levee. The first boat
was given free wharfage, and through
out the season would carry a broom
conspicuously displayed on her wheel
house or some equally prominent point
as a sign Of victory.
Capt. Van SAINT a Pioneer.
Among the older captains and build
ers of boats on the Mississippi was J.
w. Van SAINT, father Of the present gov
ernor Of this state, who settled on the
river in 1887, and for many years was
engaged in boat building. Capt. Van
SAINT died only recently at the age Of
ntnety-three years. 1t was he who
built the Jeanette Robert for Louis
Robert, who was for many years res
fdent Of this city and a we'll known
steamboat captain and owner of boats.
Mr.. Robert was the owner of the IA
nous Time and Tide, which, in It's day.
was one of the best known boats on the
entire river.
One Of the best known OF all the
Mississippi river captains was William
Blake, who commanded the James
Lyon. In later years Capt. Blake add
ed to his fame and his financial success
as one Of the owners of the Anchor
line of boats. His pilot was Dan
Wright, whose name is still house
hold word among river men and who
was the most prominent of his class
when the river pilot was an autocrat
of the most pronounced type, and re-
ceived a salary as high as 5000 a
month.
Gov. Van SAINT first engaged in
steamboating in 1857. and has ever
since been more or less actively en-
gagged in that line.
BY those who are familiar with the
history Of the river and its steamboat
traffic, 1t Is estimated that from the
time the Virginia made her first trip
to st. Paul there have been more than
1000 boats plying between this city
and st. Louis.
Boats Would Race.
In the early days there were only
what are now known as wild" boats,
each owned separately and operated
Independently, but later the packet
companies were organized and then
the rivalry began in deadly earnest and
developed to an almost incredible de-
gree. Every time that the boats of
rival companies would come together
there would be race, and no effort or
expense would be spared to finish first
in the race.
Every company prided itself on the
accommodations furnished on Its
boats, and on most of them the table
was better than that of any hotel in
any Of the river towns. Among the
fast boats Of the river in the early
days are remembered to this present
day the War Eagle, West Newton and
Tishamingo, and later, when the pack
eft companies were organized, the
Hawkeye State carried for a number
of years the proud record Of the fast
est time from st. Louis to ST. Paul
Z days, Is hours and % minutes. 1t is
conceded among river men that al
though no record was ever kept, the
fastest boat that ever piled the upper
Mississippi was the Gem City, owned
by Commodore William F. Davidson.
She was also one Of the handsomest
boats ever built for this service.
Commodore Davidson, for whom the
Gem City was built, was one of the
best known owners of boats in the en-
tire history of the river, and was one
of the owners of the Northwestern
line, famous as the white Collar"
line. There were also at that time the
Northern and Galena lines, and later
there were others too numerous almost
to mention.
Among the captains Of the early days