Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-01-20

tain as to what to expect. The boat
tied up about half way between the
Buckingham warehouse and the low
er bridge, on the Putnam side
visit was friendly one, and | again
quote our unknown reporter: The
Converses, the Putnams, the Whip
pies, the Goddards, the Dares, the
billions, the Buckinghams and many
others, opened their homes and the
pleasures of that visit to GAINESVILLE
are still talked about by the people
of Marietta who were so fortunate
as to partake thereof"
Sunday, being fine day, the
visitors attended the various church
es of the town with their entertain
ers, and the boat was viewed by
many interested people. Monday
scene equal to that at Marietta, q
few days before, was witnessed
again, as the citizens of GAINESVILLE
and Putnam, invited to take trip
to Duncan Falls, crowded the little
vessel. Two trips were made during
the day. The cannon was fired SO
frequently and so loudly, during
these two trips, that scarcely
whole pane of glass was left in any
building on the river street,"
g.. Monday evening an entertain"
ment was rendered Captain Green
tlemen at Hughes hotel in Zanes-
Vile; and Judge Buckingham, un.
willing that Putnam should not hold
her own, gave large reception at
his residence in that town to the
visitors and prominent citizens of
the two towns
THE following are some OF the
toasts given: By the PRESIDENT
Gentlemen, we have met together
to show our gratitude at the unex-
pected arrival at this place of the
Steamboat Rufus Putnam, Captain
John Green, of Marietta. This is
the first steamboat that ever was
built upon the Muskingum, named
after the first permanent settler on
the Muskingum, and the first that
ever stemmed the current at this
Captain John Green and the Steam
boat, Rufus Putnam. May we new
er want for men of like enterprise,
or a steamboat to perform like the
Rufus Putnam" (Note: By some
accident, not explained in the re-
port, Captain Green was not pres.
ent at the banqueD. The next
toast was proposed by the vice
president. and was: 'The memory or
General Israel Putnam General
Putnam responded with fitting re.
marks and proposed the toast: ''The
citizens of GAINESVILLE and Putnam;
| enterprising patterns of enterprise.
The next toast was "The Mississippi
and it's branches, an extensive field
for steam,' but it is not recorded
who proposed this toast, nor does 1T
anywhere state who acted as presi-
dent and vice president of the BAN
Quet. | have been informed that no
paper can be found in GAINESVILLE
wherein is related an account OF this
banquet, so we seem unable to find
out more concerning it than what
our unknown reporter has written
for us, and though he does not so
went on the trip, as otherwise he
would not have been able to give
such a fine and detailed account of
all that happened.
After an evening of 'hilarity and
good feeling" as letter publish
ed in the American Friend and Ma
rietta Gazette tells us, the company
separated to meet the next morn
| ing (Tuesday) at the boat. The
day was fair and after bidding adieu
! to their friends of the two towns,
! the visitors went aboard the boat
! and at about 1890 a. m. she start.
ed on the return trip. The shores Of
the river were crowded with specta~
tors, who, as the boat started on her
way with her cannon again 1flnB,
I and her flag waving, sent up cheer
after cheer until the boat was lost
| to view. Owing to the rapid cur
rent the boat made wonderful time,
few stops being made, and Marietta
was reached that evening about dusk,
it having taken only eight hours TO
make the trip from GAINESVILLE. Re-
member there were no locks to go
through then.
iC ha hictnripa1
the Rufus Putnam, the first steam
boat ever to ply the waters of the
Muskingun.
(No part of these articles may be
reproduced without the written per"
mission of the publisher).