The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-10-19
WAR VESSELS ON THE OHIO.
When Formidable Craft to Clear The
Gulf of Pilates Were Built Inland.

Strange as II may seem, gunboats,
ironclads, war schooners and light.
draught monitors were actually con.
structed and put together on the banks
q these rivers, the boat yard forming
yeritable hives of activity at such times
as the War of 1912, the Mexican War
and the greater connict OF ls6l-64. Even
prior to the War of 1912 war vessels
were built in Pittsburg.
Boat building is beyond doubt the
oldest industry of Pittsburg At time
when the country swarmed with Indians
hundreds of canoes were turned out
mere and later, when the Indian trader
and trapper came 10 the Forks of the
Ohio" he built rude natboats TO trans
port his fnrs and peltries down the river
Boatyards were established as early a.
the Revolutionary War, a large number
OF barges being constructed in i777 for
army use at point just above the
mouth of Turtle Creek Boat building
for the United States navy began in
this city more than a century ago.
When war with France was imminent
as the result Of Napoleon's high handed
actions in closing the mouth Of the Miss
issippi to American commerce and trav-
81 the galley President Adams was
built here on May 10, 1888. IL carried
General Wilkinson, commander-inehi
of the United States army, down the
Ohio ON June 8 OF that year, being built
in record time Shortly after this the
keel Of a second galley, the Senator Ross
was laid out, br the galley boat was
not launched until the spring of 1883
As war with France did not occur these
vessels did not see any service.
1t appears from the accounts OF these
early days that the chief boatbuilders
for the navy at this place we're Taras
com Brothers and James Bethoud q Co.
both firms having yards at this point.
IN the year 1904 many briggs, schooners
and other vessels were on the stocks
of these firms, and in the same year the
Conquest, schooner. was launched from
the yard of Captain Eiphalet Beebe. It
was of 126 tons. and was pierced for
sixteen guns, so it was quite a fornid
able craft II sailed for the West In
dies under the command Of Captain
kenney, and was heavily armed and
well supplied with o crew, so il would !
clean out the pirates that then infested |
those waters and which played havoc |
with PittsbiTg cargoes and ships Gen !
eTal James 0'Hara, grandfather of the |
late Mrs. Schenley, owned several mer
chant vessels, one Of which fell into |
the hands Of Spanish pirates operating /
IN the Caribbean sea.
The next great period Of war activity |
was when the Mexican war broke out,
when six vessels, two yar steamers
and four revenue cutters. were built I
here. The war steamer Michigan was
tgrque riged, and the war steamer Ale
.heny ship rugged; four others. the Bib,
Hunter, Walker and Jefferson. were
Iced at this late day to hear OF sailing
vessels built and launched in this city,
for there ia now no craft with spars
md rigging turned out in this section.
During the Civil War number of
ronclads or gunboats were built here,
he Manhattan, Marietta, Sandusky and
he Manayunk The igonclad monitor
Aianayunk measured 225 feet in length,
~ feet beam and rev IL feet of water.
Its burden was 100 tons and had
speed of twelve miles an hour in still
rater. The Manaynnk was towed down
he Ohio on March 6, 1865, having brok.
n loose from its moorings the night
lcfore, but without any mishap, al
.hough it loated three miles or more.
Among the unique war craft fitted
,ut in this port the names or ordinary
steamboats, made ironclad by plates Of
,oler iron and the pilothouse and other
,arts protected by walls of heavy tim
,trs. These were attached to the flo
illas of gunboats on the Mississippi
rat performed such good service at
'iclsburg and other places during the
var.