The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1905-03-15
A FLAT BOAT TRIP.
Down the Ohio and Mississippi in
the Year 1859.

4
1 with number of other men anC
boys from GalIipolis started from
Point Pleasant, w. Va, on board 6
pair of fiat boats with oannel coal
For New Orleans the crew wat
made up of the following persone
as I recollect them:
Captain and Pilot John Mey ers.
second Pilot Holly Levesey, the
crew William Switzer, James Gill,
Peter Campbell, Bob Gaudy, Bob
Brothers, Jack Jeffers, Frank
W alker, Dave Worth, Charles Hill,
Gilbert Rayburn and James M.
Brown.
Near Ironton, Ohio, we took
aboard Henry Cpbbege. At Gin
cinnati we took up another pair of
boats, dividing the crew between
the two. Lsvesey taking ehafgs Of
one pair, Captain Meyers the
other. Here we took on board
our eatables for the trip. hard tack.
bacon. beans. coffee and other
rough food such as We could pre-
serve for the trip.
Arriving at Louisville we run
one pair of the boats over the Falls,
the other pair through the Canal.
At this place we added several new
men to our crew, Dan Trotter,
Isaiah Hamilton and others whose
names 1 have forgotten. Leaving
Louisville, nothing of Importance
occurred, except hard work and
often landing on account of wind,
until we struck the Mississippi.
Next day 1 went ashore at the little
town of Hickman, to get some rice
and other eatables for Charles Hill,
who had taken sick, and at this
little town I mailed the first letter
1 ever wrote to my best girl, Min
ME Boggess. whom 1 afterward
in '65, and we are still
making goo.goo eyes at each
other.
On the way to New Orleans we
had to tie up often on account of
the high winds prevailing, as the
boats were loaded very heavy, and
We could not float them in rough
but after a long hard trip
We landed them safely at New
Orleans, having been on the way
down just one month and one
lay.
We were paid off in New Orleans
On the 18th of April, the amount
being $35 90, we to pay our own
passage back Immediately after
our money several of us
went in to French market to
get good square meal, From
there, we went to the steamb boat |
landing to secure passage back |
home We secured passage on the
Steamer Switzerland for Cinoin-
natl, for which we paid $1,000 in
the cabin, but had to sleep on cots
instead of having state rooms. Wei
after securing passage in |
New Orleans several days, but
eating and sleeping on the boat in
the meantime giving US boys a
ohanoe to look at the oity Most
the men of the crew came home on
this boat, some of them in the
cabin, sonic taking deck passage.
The next day after leaving New
Orleans we lay at a large sugar
plantation, taking on sugar and
molasses all day. After dinner
most of the passengers made a visit
to the sugar house taking in the
sights and visiting the old Planters
fine and very beautiful grounds.
each one receiving a handsome
bouquet of rich flowers from the
servants who accompanied us
through the grounds.
When we arrived at Memphis,
Martin vanden of Gallipolis, took
passage on our boat for Cincinnati,
he having been south with a pro-
duoe boat which he had sold out.
he brought several barrels of
oranges with him and on the way
up We boys sorted them for him
several times our pay for the work
being all the speoked ones We
found.
In those days all the fiat boats
we're foated instead of being
towed by steamer. For propelling
and steering them they had large
paddle oars on the sides and front
and back.