Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-12
STEAMBOAT PLOWS
THE UPPER MISSOURI
MAKES TRIP FROM SIOUX CITY TO
osAeE CRY. MO.
NavigabiIity Is Proved-Long Trip
Made In Good Time, with Exeep-
ton of Delays Caused
by coaIing

by Investigations soon after his appoint-
ment that the Missouri river with a gov
ernment outlay could be made one of the
great commercial arteries of the country,
Capt. Edward H. Schultz. United States
engineer in charge Of the stream. has
just received an official report of a test
voyage made at his direction between
Sioux City and Usage City. Mo-, which
he regards as proof of his contentior
Tie test trip was made by the United
States government steamer H. NJ Robert.
which previously had been held at the
ftderal station on the Blk Sioux river.
Tie boat has always been used for tow
boat purposes, and as 1t was needed in
the work of building the new dam on the
Usage river near Usage City Mo-, Capt.
Schultz ordered it to that point Pilot
George p Keith of the government snag-
boat and James B. Mcpherson being de-
tailed to the command for the special
voyage to Missouri He was given an
engineer, fireman and helper, and his
instructions were to make the trip in
as fast time as possible to demonstrate
whether it was feasible to navigate the
river for commercial purposes
Trip Day by Day
In his report to the engineering de-
partpent Pilot Keith, who is one of ,Ae
oldest river men now in service, states
that the river is in fair condition and that
he did not find 1t necessary to even sound
the water once.
The Robert started from Sioux City on
August II and arrived at it's destination
on August Is, the distance being 6S1.4
miles. One of the handicaps under which
the test was made was the poor coaling
facilities along the river. The boat is
small. and could carry only a small
1,,.rI i. .sl1.
made 1t necessary to stop frequently. The
steam capacity OF the vessel also is linn
tied, and, everything considered. Capt.
Schultz thinks the Roberts record ex-
ceptionally good.
Although on the way for sever days.
the boat was under way only seventy
six hours, indicating that the average
spee.- was about nine miles an hour.
On August II the steamer left the
government dock in Sioux City at 1880
o'clock in the afternoon and after six
and a half hours under steam tied up
five miles below Decatur, Neb.. having
covered ST. miles. On August IL there
were thirteen hours of running time
during which los miles were covered.
the stop that night being at Platts-
mouth Neb. With the boat in motion
for eight hours on August 13 the log
showed that the distance travelled was
sixty-four miles. The stop at the end
of that day was at Nemeha City, Neb.
The night of August IA found the
steamer at st. Joseph, Mo-, the distance
covered that day being 91.5 miles. 1t
was under steam for thirteen hours.
Stopped by High Waves
Pilot Keith reported that on August
Is they lost eight hours waiting for
coal and because of high winds which
caused waves to wash over the deck OF
the steamer They were finally COM
PEELED to tie UP. and were under way
but two and a half hours, during which
they Travelled 31.2 miles. The stop that
night was at Atkinson, Kan. The dis
tance covered on August 16 was 1858
miles, the time required being four
teen hours. The stop at the end OF the
day was at Lexington, Mo. There was
delay of an hour owing to the slow
ness of opening the Leavenworth
bridge. In eight and a half hours on
August IT the steamer travelled S4.5
miles The boat was stopped at Wa
verify for coal, and ended the day at
Glasgow, Mo. The voyage was ended
on August 1S, when, after ten hours, the
boat arrived at lock and dam No. l on
the Usage river.
Observations by Pilot
Pilot Keith in his report says In
compliance with instructions in your
letter, dated July 21, herewith hand
you a report of the running time OF the
steamer H. M. Robert, when stops were
made. and the condition of the river as
I found it on the trip between Sioux
City and Usage City, Mo-, noted. The
river was In fair condition. did not
find it necessary to even sound the
water, though larger boat than the
Robert might find few troublesome
places, as the Robert draws but twenty
four inches of water.
'I encountered numerous cable ter-
ries, which, while they in no way nam
pered the Robert, would in all prob
ability cause larger vessel no little
nnoyance and would be sure to cause
serious damage should pilot be run
ming at night and not know tnelr
location. Nsi
with one exception. the Leaven-
worth bridge, 1 found all the bridges In
good shape, looking at the matter from
navigator's point of view. WINS
tied for the draw as soon as | came IN
sight of the Leavenworth bridge. and
think I may say it was fully two hours
after + whistled before the tender