EARLY STEAMBOAT
TRAVEL ON THE OHIO RIVER.
BY LESLIE S. HENSHAW, CINCINNATI, OHIO.
October, 1911, marks a centennial of
considerable impor-
tance to the Western country, for it was
in that month in 1811,
that the first steamboat on Western
waters, passed down the
Ohio River. The boat, a
"side-wheeler",1 was built at Pitts-
burgh, under the direction of Nicholas
J. Roosevelt of New
York, an agent of Fulton, the inventor,
and Livingston, the
financial aid, and was called the
"New Orleans."2 It
passed
Cincinnati on the twenty-seventh of
October3 and arrived at
Louisville on the twenty-eighth.4 The
Cincinnati newspaper,
"Liberty Hall", in its issue
of Wednesday, October thirtieth,
1811, adds a small note to commercial
and ship news to the fol-
lowing effect: "On Sunday last, the
steamboat lately built at
Pittsburgh passed this town at 5 o'clock
in the afternoon in fine
stile, going at the rate of about 10 or 12 miles an
hour." The
water was too low to allow passage over
the falls, so to prove
that it could navigate against the
current, the boat made sev-
eral trips between Louisville and
Cincinnati and, on November
twenty-seventh, arrived at Cincinnati in
forty-five hours from
the falls.5 When the water
rose, the "New Orleans" proceeded
on its way towards its destination and
arrived at Natchez, late
in December6 and plied as a
regular packet between Natchez and
New Orleans for several years.
Following the "New Orleans", a
group of boats was built
at Pittsburgh; the "Comet"
under the French patent; the "Ve-
suvius" and the "Aetna"
on the Fulton plan. In the meantime,
Brownsville had entered the field as a
steamboat building town,
for the "Enterprise" was
constructed there and later, the en-
gine for the "Washington,"
under the supervision of Captain
Henry M. Shreve, while the boat itself
was built at Wheeling.
This boat by its voyage in 1817, from
Shippingport to New
Orleans and back in forty-five days,
convinced the skeptical
public that steamboat navigation would
succeed on Western
378
Early Steamboat Travel on the Ohio
River. 379
Waters.7 In 1816, Cincinnati built its first boat, the "Vesta,"
which was followed by the
"Comet," the "Eagle," the "Hecla,"
the "Henderson," the
"Cincinnati," the "Perseverance," the
"Paragon," the "General
Pike," the first boat on Western Waters
for the exclusive use of passengers.8
The industry made in-
evitable advances and Drake and
Mansfield in their book, "Cin-
cinnati at the Close of 1826,"
estimate the number of steam-
boats that have navigated on Western
Waters as 233; 143 then
existing; 48 being built at Cincinnati,
35 at Pittsburgh, 10 at New
Albany, 7 at Marietta, 5 at Louisville
and 4 in New York.
The beginning of the steamboat trade for
passengers as
well as freight, was a record of many
disheartening circum-
stances. Contrary to what one might
expect, after the advent
of the steamboat, the old and slow
method of carrying freight
on flatboats and keels increased as it
was cheaper and considered
surer. The lack of confidence shown by
the people, themselves,
which seems to be inevitable at the
commencement of any new
industry and enterprise, was only one of
the serious obstacles
in the way. Not only was the river bed
uneven and dotted with
dangerous snags, gravel and sandbars but
the falls at Louis-
ville practically cut river navigation
in two, for, save at short
periods during the year when the water
was high enough to
permit boats to pass over them, all
traffic stopped above and
below them, necessitating slow and
expensive transportation
around the falls. Gradually, however,
the river bed was cleared,
and, after a long, hard fight for a
canal, one was eventually put
through and the river trade, still
existing, traveled rapidly to
its zenith before the advent of
railroads turned channels of
trade into other directions.
The chronicles of travelers' experiences
begin with the first
boat and offer interesting insight into
the general appearance
and various attributes of the boats
themselves and the industry
in general. The travelers, usually
Scotchmen or Englishmen
and sometimes Germans or Americans from
the East, wrote of
incidents and happenings that show
various features of steam-
boat life and steamboat travel, not
found in other sources.
General Plan and Arrangements. Faux in his book, "Me-
morable Days in America," wrote,
October twenty-sixth, 1819:
380 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
-"I boarded 'The Port Boy' (at
Shippingport) which cost
$50,000 and is intended only for
passengers up and down the
Ohio and Mississippi, containing fifty
berths or beds, a separate
dining room, a ladies' room and
state-rooms with fine promenade
at top, having three decks with all
necessary and elegant appur-
tenances."
Bullock in a "Sketch of a Journey
Through the Western
States of North America, 1827,"
wrote, April 3, 1827:-"Left
New Orleans in the beautiful steamboat
'Washington' of 375
tons, built at Cincinnati and certainly
the finest fresh water
vessel I have seen. There are three
decks or stories above water,
and accommodations are excellent. The
cabins are furnished in
a most superb manner. None of the
sleeping rooms have more
than two beds; the principal ones are on
the upper story, and
a gallery or verandah extends entirely
round the vessel, afford-
ing ample space for exercise, sheltered
from the sun and rain
and commanding a fine view of the
surrounding scenery; the
ladies have a separate cabin, with
female attendants and laun-
dresses; there is a circulating library,
smoking and drinking
rooms for gentlemen and numerous offices
for servants."
Mrs. Trollope in "Domestic Manners
of Americans" wrote:
-"On the first of January, 1828, we
embarked on board the
'Belvedere' at New Orleans, a large and
handsome boat, though
not the largest and handsomest of the
many which displayed
themselves along the wharves. We found
the room, destined
for the use of ladies, dismal enough, as
its only windows were
below the stern gallery but both this
and the gentlemen's cabin
were handsomely fitted up--the former
well carpeted." And
later, she said, "We quitted
Cincinnati, March, 1830, and got
on board the steamboat which was to
carry us to Wheeling at
three o'clock. She was a noble boat, by
far the finest we had
seen. The cabins were above and deck
passengers, as they are
called, were accommodated below. In
front of the ladies' cabin,
was an ample balcony sheltered by an
awning; chairs and sofas
were placed there and nearly all the
female passengers passed
the whole day there."
James Stuart in "Three Years in
North America" wrote,
April, 1830, at New Orleans:
-"'The Constitution' is of four
Early Steamboat Travel on the Ohio
River. 381
hundred tons burden, one hundred and
thirty horse power. On
her lower deck are engines, engineers
and firemen. The second
deck, which only extended from the stern
of the boat, three-
quarters of the way, that is, 90 feet of
the 120
feet to her bows,
was the cabin for passengers, surrounded
by a gallery or ve-
randah. Above the passenger's cabin, was
a cabin for deck
passengers. A part of the passengers'
cabin next the stern of
the vessel, is partitioned off for the
ladies. On the sides of the
gentlemen's cabin are their state-rooms,
twenty in number in
this vessel."
Patrick Shirreff in "A Tour Through
North America, 1835"
wrote: -"Next morning, I embarked
on board 'The Champ-
lain' (at Louisville) for Cincinnati, an
excellent vessel, with the
cabin in the bow; the lower part is
allotted for stowing away
heavy freight, the boilers are placed in
the bow, with a cabin
behind and one immediately above for the
ladies."
Edmund Flagg in "The Far
West", in 1836, described the
appearance of a steamer at Louisville
from the standpoint of
one on land and said:--"A gay
hurrah of music arrested our
attention and looking up, I perceived
the packet boat 'Lady
Marshall', dropped from the moorings at
the quay, her decks
swarming with passengers and under high
pressure of steam,
holding her bold course against the
current, while the merry
dashing of wheels, mingling with the
mild clang of martial music,
imparted an air almost of romance to the
scene. There are few
objects more truly grand, I had almost
said sublime, than a
powerful steamer struggling triumphantly
with the rapids of
Western Waters."
Eliza R. Steele gave an interesting
comparison between
steamers of the East and those of the
West. In "A Summer
Journey in the West", she wrote
from St. Louis, July 14, 1840:
-"These boats are very different
from those used upon our
Eastern waters. Our cabins and saloons,
you know, are upon
the same deck, with the machinery and
dining rooms below,
while above is a fine long promenade
deck. When you enter one
of these boats, you step upon the lowest
deck, having machinery
in the center, while the ends are
covered with freight or deck
passengers who can not pay the cabin
fare. Ascending the
382
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
stairway, you find yourself upon the
guards-a walk extend-
ing all around the boat like a narrow
piazza from which several
doors open into the rooms. The whole
deck here is thrown into
three apartments; the ladies' cabin at
the stern, having state-
rooms around it, opening upon the deck
and into the cabin;
from this, folding doors lead into the
dining room, surrounded
with gentlemen's berths; beyond this is
the bar-room, from
which you pass into an open space, where
around two smoke
pipes, the male passengers assemble to
smoke and chat. The
ladies' cabin is handsomely furnished
with every convenience,
and, in some instances, with a piano.
Above this, is yet another
deck called the hurricane deck. This is
the best situation for
viewing the scenery, were it not for the
steam pipes which, as
these are high pressure boats, sends out
the steam with a loud
burst like a person short of
breath."
These quotations would not be complete
without that of
Charles Dickens who, in his
"American Notes, Made During
a Visit to America in 1842" in his well-known style, stated,
that, in going from Pittsburgh to
Cincinnati, in a Western steam-
boat, " 'The Messenger' is a high
pressure boat, carrying forty
passengers, exclusive of poorer persons
on the lower deck.
There was no mast, cordage, tackle or
rigging, only a long, ugly
roof, two towering, iron chimneys, and
below on the sides, the
doors and windows of the state-rooms;
the whole supported on
beams and pillars, resting on a dirty
barge, but a few inches
above the water's edge, and in this
narrow space between the
upper structure and this barge's deck
are the furnace fires and
machinery, open at the sides.
"Within, there is one long, narrow
cabin, the whole length
of the boat, from which state-rooms open
on both sides, a small
portion of it in the stern, partitioned
off for the ladies; and the
bar at the opposite extreme. There is a
long table down the
center, and at either end a stove."
From these quotations, it may be seen
that, even when the
steamboat building industry was young
and when expenses for
material and construction were very
high, there was no great
essential variety in plan; the machinery
was usually on the first
deck, with freight and deck passengers;
the main cabin on the
Early Steamboat Travel on the Ohio
River. 383
second deck, with deck space at the bow
and down the sides
around the cabin; the cabin with men's
state-rooms on either
side, and dining table in the middle;
the stern portion of the
cabin partitioned off for women; the
upper deck for promenade,
sometimes for deck passengers - somewhat
similar to general
arrangements on river boats at the
present time, although to-day,
deck passengers are only occasionally
carried. The one notable
exception is Shirreff's description,
written in 1835, where the
boilers were in the bow, with the main
cabin behind and cabin
for women passengers above evidently a
"two-decker" and not
a "three-decker" as most of
the boats were.
Fuel. All the early boats, beginning with the "New Or-
leans" on her first journey, used
wood for fuel.9 Stuart, in
1830, wrote:-"The stopping place
for wood was occupied by
a tenant who pays $400 an acre of yearly
rent for a few acres
of ground. The most of his money is made
by cutting and pre-
paring wood for steamboats. 'The
Constitution' (400 tons) uses
about 26 cords of wood per day, a cord
consisting of about 128
cubic feet, selling for $1.50 to $3.00
per cord. The average
price in Western rivers is rather above
than below $2.00 per
cord. On the Ohio, the wood is
proportionately cheaper, about
$1.50
and in some places $1.25 a cord."
Later in that same year,
he wrote: -"The wood for these
vessels going up this part of
the Ohio (from Cincinnati) is placed in
boats, lashed to the
side of the steamboat, so wood is got
into the boats while pro-
ceeding on the voyage; as soon as the
wood is taken out of the
wood boat, it is set at liberty and the
current carries it home."10
Shirreff in 1835, said:- "The
vessels on the waters of
the valley of the Mississippi, burn wood
and supplies are found
everywhere on the banks of the rivers,
which are speedily con-
veyed on board, with the assistance of
deck passengers, who are
bound to aid in the operation. I was
surprised at the vessels
not using coal, which is very abundant
in many places on the
banks and could be transported to a
place where it is not. None
of the furnaces are, at present,
constructed for burning coal."11
Evans Lloyd in "Travels in the
Interior of North America
by Maximilian, Prince of Wied"
(1843) stated that "in many
places stacks of wood were piled up for
steamboats and some
384 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
were already in boats. Cords of wood for
steamboats were
lying ready piled upon the bank, stating
the price and quantity."
According to the Latrobe account in the
"Rambles in North
America," the crew of the "New
Orleans" on her first voyage.
had to go ashore and cut the wood that
they needed but, after
the steamboat trade was well on its way
towards organization
and success, the use of wood for fuel
was systematized and
there were regular stopping places, with
wood ready for use,
as told in the diaries, just quoted
from.
Passengers. Passengers on board these boats were of two
distinct kinds; first, "deck"
passengers, immigrants, flat boat
men, returning from New Orleans and
others who could not pay
the regular fare, and usually paid part of the passage by assist-
ing in replenishing the boat with fuel;
second, "cabin" passengers,
merchants and business men or
"fashionables" traveling for
pleasure. From the standpoint of the
cabin passenger, Mrs.
Trollope wrote, (going up the
Mississippi from New Orleans):
- "We have a full complement of
passengers aboard, the decks,
as is usual, were occupied by Kentucky
flatboat men, returning
from New Orleans, after having disposed
of the boat and cargo
which they had conveyed thither. We have
about two hundred
of these men on board but the part of
the vessel occupied by
them is so distinct from our cabins,
that we never saw them ex-
cept when we stopped to take in wood;
and then they ran, or
rather sprung and vaulted over each
other's heads to the shore
whence they all assisted in carrying
wood to supply the steam
engine; the performance of this duty
being a stipulated part of
the payment of their passage." 12
Stuart said: "Deck passengers are
persons who play com-
paratively a trifling sum of passage
money, who bring provisions
with them and cook them, themselves, in
their cabin and, in
general, are bound to give assistance in
carrying wood for the
firemen and furnaces, into the vessel at
various stopping places."13
From the standpoint of a deck passenger,
John B. Wyeth
in "Oregon or a Short History of a
Long Journey" (1833)
wrote: "Our captain to lessen the
expenses of the expedition,
bargained with the captain of the
steamboat, so that we of the
band should assist in taking on board
wood from shore."
Early Steamboat
Travel on the Ohio River. 385
Meals. Stuart, on board the "Constitution," up from
New
Orleans, stated: "The dinners on
board this steamboat are very
abundant; poultry and animal food being
procure at a very
cheap rate at various stopping places.
Passengers have the first
dinner table; the mate, the pilots,
etc., the second; the stewards,
engineers, etc., the third." On
board the "Reindeer," up from
Cincinnati, he said: "The hours for
meals on this boat were
6:00 for breakfast, 11:30 for dinner,
5:30 for supper." 14
Shirreff, going from St. Louis to
Cincinnati, said: "Three
times a day, the table was stored with
supplies of animal, food
and vegetables so very ample, that on
one occasion, I remem-
bered thirty-one dishes placed on a
supper table, for twenty-two
passengers and perhaps, in no instance
was there ever less than
one dish for each individual. The food
was coarsely prepared
and all placed on the table at once and
nearly cold before the
company sat down. There was always a
second company con-
sisting of part of the boat's
establishment and such deck passen-
gers as chose to pay for their food; and
sometimes a third com-
pany collected. The succession of
companies received no addi-
tion to the fare originally placed on
the table and such an in-
judicious arrangement was the means of
making it less palatable
to all. The vessel called three or four
times a day at different
places, yet on one occasion, bread could
not be had for break-
fast and milk or cream were more than
once awanting, without
any notice being being taken of it at
table." 15
Mrs. Steele, July 21, 1840, going up from Cincinnati, wrote:
"I have said very little about the
cooking and victuals upon these
western boats. The latter are very good
and finer beef, fish
bread, etc., cannot be found
anywhere."16 Dickens, traveling
from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, wrote,
"We were on board 'The
Messenger' three days. There were three
meals a day, breakfast
at seven, dinner at half past twelve,
supper about six." These
accounts show that the food was abundant
and served with regu-
larity." 47
Social Life on Board. Mrs. Trollope, traveling from Cin-
cinnati to Wheeling, wrote, March, 1830:
"In front of the ladies'
cabin was an ample balcony sheltered by
an awning; chairs and
Vol. XX-25
386 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
sofas were placed there and nearly all
the female passengers
passed the whole day there. Of the male
passengers we saw
nothing, excepting at the short, silent
periods, allotted for break-
fast, dinner and supper at which we were
permitted to enter
their cabin and place ourselves at the
table. The separation of
the sexes is nowhere more remarkable
than one board the steam-
boat. It is true that the men become
sufficiently acquainted to
game together, and we were told that the
opportunity was con-
sidered so favorable that no boat left
New Orleans without
having as cabin passengers one or two
gentlemen from that city,
whose profession it was to drill the
fifty-two elements of a pack
of cards to profitable duty. This,
doubtless, is an additional
reason for the strict exclusion of the
ladies from their society.
The constant drinking of spirits is
another, for though they do
not scruple to chew tobacco in the
presence of women, they gen-
erally prefer drinking and gaming in
their absence." 18
Stuart wrote: "Three hours passed
away before the passen-
gers were collected and the
'Constitution' actually started. In
the meantime, spirits of all kinds were
on the sideboard and
every one that came into the boat was
invited to drink as much
as he liked. This course was followed
during the whole of the
voyage. Every person employed on the
boat and all who came
on board during the voyage to sell wood
or anything else, had
it in their power to take as much
spirits as they liked. Even
the firemen, all of them slaves, had
whiskey at their command.
Yet I never saw an intoxicated person on
the vessel. There
are about twenty passengers on the boat,
of whom five or six
are females, the male passengers
generally read and write, play
at draughts, a favorite game in the
United States, or at back
gammon, or at curb. A greater number
seem to be engaged at
brag than at any other occupation; but
they neither play for
much money nor late at night, nor on
Sunday. The pilots and
the mate often join this party for an
hour or two. One person
left the boat when we got to the Ohio,
who makes a trade of
voyaging in the steamboats to make money
by play. He was
said to have carried off about one
hundred dollars, and to be
well contented with his gains. This
shows the nature of the
play. I did not hear of anyone losing
more than twenty or thirty
Early Steamboat Travel on the Ohio
River. 387
dollars. People of all different
stations together on perfectly
equal terms during the voyage." 19
Shirreff wrote (going from St. Louis to
Louisville): "The
ladies were never seen but at meals,
keeping their own cabin
at other times; the gentlemen were well
dressed and invariably
civil to each other. The captain was an
unassuming person,
whose voice was seldom heard and never
in connection with
an oath, either in the cabin or amongst
the crew. Some officers
of the army and one or two others passed
part of the evening in
playing cards, at a game at which they
did not seem to hazard
high stakes. On such occasions, I was
sometimes amused at
the group assembled around the table.
Military men of highest
rank, when eagerly intent on the game,
were joined by the
steward boys, without their coats,
familiarly seating themselves
at table and looking on the hands of
cards.
"The passengers drank in the
greatest moderation in my
sight, only taking a tumbler of spirits
and water, occasionally,
when playing at cards and never taking
wine or any kind of
spirits at table. I did not observe a
person of any description
on board, during the voyage, that
appeared in the least degree.
intoxicated. The cabin being in the
stern of the vessel I spent
much of my time in the forecastle, for
the purpose of seeing
the scenery, which brought me in contact
with the crew and
many of the deck passengers. In this
class of people, I found
a considerable change of manner from any
I had formerly come
in contact with. Many of them swore
disgustingly and pos-
sessed a certain levity and coarseness
of manner, but in no in-
stance did I experience incivility."
Passing from Louisville to Cincinnati,
Shirreff said: " 'The
Champlain' was well filled with
passengers, * * *
some of
whom after dinner filled the berths of
others without ceremony,
stretching themselves at full length,
with their boots on, and
sleeping for hours." 20
Mrs. Steele wrote: "Our passengers
consist of a party of
fashionables, on a jaunt of pleasure to
Sulphur Springs, Vir-
ginia, some traveling merchants and
several persons visiting the
towns upon the river. Our mornings on
board are generally
very sociable, the ladies sitting with
the gentlemen of their party,
388
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
upon the guards, or gathering in groups
with their work, while
the male passengers are smoking, talking
politics or gambling.
The negro banjo and merry laugh or joke
of some son of Erin
echoes up from the lower deck; but in
the afternoon the siesta
is the fashion and everyone turns into
his berth to take a nap." 21
"Democracy is the one striking
feature of the social life
aboard the river steamers-as almost
every writer mentions the
fact that men of varying degree in
social status, smoked and
talked, gambled and drank together.
However, drinking is rep-
resented as moderate, and gambling,
although professional gam-
blers rode on the Mississippi River
steamboat did not seem to
be for high stakes. Women evidently
passed quiet and unevent-
ful, but withal pleasant hours on their
journey."
Delays at Starting. Stuart stated:
"'The Constitution'
was to sail at ten o'clock in the
morning of the fifth of April
but three hours passed away before the
passengers were collected
and she actually started." 22
Flagg said: "Steamers on the great
waters of the West
are well known to indulge in no violent
conscientious scruples
upon the subject of punctuality, and a
solitary exception at our
behest or in our humble behalf, was, to
be sure, not an event
to be counted on. There's dignity in
being waited for; hour
after hour, therefore, still found us
amid untold scenes and
sounds of a public landing. It is true,
and, to the tremendous
honor of all concerned be it recorded,
very true it is, our doughty
steamer ever and anon would puff and
blow like a porpoise or
a narwhal, and then she would swelter
from every pore and
quiver in every limb, with ponderous
laboring of her huge en-
ginery, and the steam would shrilly
whistle and shriek like a
spirit in its confinement, till at
length, she united her whirlwind
voice to the general roar around; and
all this indicated indubit-
ably, an intention to be off and away;
but a knowing one was
he who could determine the when." 23
Mrs. Steele wrote, July 14, 1840:
"At two o'clock we went
on board the steamboat 'Monsoon' (at St.
Louis) in which we
were to go to Cincinnati. Every minute we
expected to go, but
hour after hour passed away and still we
did not move." July
15th, she wrote: "It was ten
o'clock this morning before we
Early Steamboat Travel on the Ohio
River. 389
started and then discovered that it was
the arrival of a large
party of St. Louis fashionables which
had kept us stationary,
and who, instead of coming as expected,
chose to remain to at-
tend a party that night.
"We, who have been used to the
punctuality of our Eastern
cities, where the captain stands, watch
in hand, to give the signal
for moving at the appointed moment, were
extremely annoyed
at such proceedings; but before we
grumble too much, it may
be as well to look upon the other side
of the question. The
steamers upon these rivers make long
voyages and require more
freight and passengers to pay their
expenses." 24
Buckingham wrote: "At ten o'clock,
we left the hotel of
Brownsville for the steamboat which was
to convey us to
Pittsburgh. The name of the steamer was
'The Exact' but in
this instance, it did not justify its
claim to such a name; for,
though the advertised hour of departure
was ten o'clock, it was
nearly an hour past noon before we left
the landing." Later,
he said, "On Friday, the
twenty-second of May, we embarked
in the Maysville Packet, 'Surftoure,'
from Cincinnati; to descend
the river Ohio. The hour set for
departure was ten o'clock and
the assurance given by the captain was
that we should reach
Maysville at seven. Instead of this, we
did not leave till twelve,
nor arrive till nearly ten-such are the
uncertainties and irregu-
larities of packet boats."25
The rivermen, then, as now were not
overcareful of sched-
uled hours for starting; these modern
days with trains pulling
out at the very instant, still have the
steamboat which is fre-
quently held at the wharf for several
hours after the advertised
hour for departure.
Time of Passage. Stuart said: "Our progress was six
miles an hour against the stream."
(up the Ohio from Cincin-
nati.)26 Buckingham stated in
going from Portsmouth to Cin-
cinnati in April: "The river being
very full at this time, from
the long continued heavy rain, within a
few feet of the surface
of the soil in many parts, we glided
along at a rapid rate, the
boat going at ten, the current about
four miles an hour so that
our actual progress was at the rate of
fourteen." 27
Flint wrote July 26, 1820, "I have
come from the Falls of
390 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
the Ohio to Cincinnati by steamboat in
twenty-six hours, six and
one-fourth miles an hour, average; and
on the down passage
in fifteen hours about twelve miles an
hour." On October 13,
1820, he wrote: "I made the journey
up from Cincinnati in
what was considered to be a very small
boat; on computing the
velocity of the water wheel, I found
that the boat could move
at the rate of eight and one-half miles
per hour." 28
James said: "We proceeded on our
voyage (below the
Falls) with a pressure of steam
equalling one hundred pounds
to the square inch, upon all parts of
the engine exposed to its
immediate operation. This enabled us to
descend at the rate of
ten miles an hour." 29 These time records,
varying from six to
eight and one-half miles, up stream, and
ten to fourteen miles
an hour, down steam, sound very slow,
but at the time of the
early steamboat, weeks were consumed in
journeys on land, that
steam transportation on the water,
reduced to days.
Races. The race, the result of pride, is a custom which
still prevails, as one boat always tries
to prevent another from
passing it. Mrs. Steele described one of
these races, as follows:
"While the crew and passengers were
amusing themselves, we
were aroused by the cry, 'The lone is
coming! Away, boys,
Away!' and bounding over the shore, they
were soon in the
boat. The lone was in view, which we had
left behind us, and
it was feared it would arrive in Cincinnati
before us. The hands
were working with all their might; the
paddle threw up a whirl
of foam; steam whizzed, pipes snorted;
engineer's bells tinkled,
and away we went, hurry, skurry after
our rivals had passed
us with a triumphant cheer. Straining every
rope and piece
of machinery we soon shot ahead of the
presumptuous 'Ione,'
ringing our bell and shouting in our
turn. She was determined
not to be outdone and a regular race
came on. Hour after hour
of the night passed away, as we rushed
through the waters, with
our foe just in our rear. 'Hurra! fling
on more wood!' was the
cry from below. High blazed the furnace
fire, illuminating the
water around, the steam increased, the
engine worked madly, the
boat strained, and groaned at every
stroke, and seemed actually
to spring out of the water. Behind us
came our rival, puffing,
ranting, snorting, throwing out volumes
of flames and sparks,
Early Steamboat Travel on the Ohio
River. 391
and, as she came near, we could see her
lower deck, where, around
the fierce fire, shadowy forms were
rushing, working, carrying
wood and heaping it on, shouting and
cursing. One strain too
much, one upright snag in our path, and
we should all be strewed,
some one hundred souls, upon the water,
writhing, agonizing,
dying, and all for what? That we might
arrive one hour sooner
in the night at Cincinnati, where we
should be obliged to lie
still till morning; or perhaps it was
the honor of beating another
boat. Our rival, unable to compete with
us, abandoned the race
and was soon left behind."30
Flagg described an accident, directly
attributable to a race
as follows: "As we were passing St.
Genevieve an accident oc-
curred which had nearly proved fatal to
our boat, if not to the
lives of all on board her. In a race
which took place between
another steamer and our own, in some
unaccountable manner,
this boat, which then passed us, fell
again in the rear, and now
for the last hour had been coming up in
our wake under high
steam. On overtaking us, she, contrary
to all rules and regula-
tions for the navigation of rivers, to
pass between our boat and
the bank, beneath which we were moving;
an outrage which,
had it been persisted in a moment longer
than was fortunately
the case, would have sent us to the
bottom. For a single in-
stant, she came rushing on, contact
seemed inevitable. The pilot
contrary to the express injunctions of
the master reversed the
motion of the wheels, just at the
instant to avoid a fatal encoun-
ter. The sole cause for this outrage was
private pique, exist-
ing between pilots of the respective
steamers." 31
Help to Other Boats. The intense rivalry between boats
which caused them to risk all sorts of
dangers in races and built
up so spiteful a feeling that
intentional collisions were numerous,
did not prevent, the development of the
"Good Samaritan" spirit
and boats in distress were often aided
by enemies who under
different circumstances, would have had
no pity. The Atwater
Sons in 1829, going from Cincinnati to
Louisville, stated that
"they descended rapidly until they
overtook a boat that had met
with some mishap, which prevented the
use of steam; the captain
hove to, went on board the other vessel
and delayed the passage
by towing it along down the river with
them." 32
392 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Mrs. Trollope wrote: "Several
steamboats passed, while we
were thus enthralled, (aground) but some
were not strong
enough to attempt drawing us off, and
some attempted it but
were not strong enough to succeed at
length, a vast and mighty
thing of life approached, threw out
grappling irons and in three
minutes, the work was done." 33
Experiences at the Falls. Edwin James in his "Account of
an Expedition to the Rocky
Mountains" (1819-1820) said:
"At Louisville, we stopped to
procure a pilot to conduct our
boat over the rapids. Two or three
pilots appointed pursuant to
an act of the Legislature of Kentucky,
reside at Louisville, al-
ways holding themselves in readiness to
go on board such boats
as are about to descend the rapids and
leaving them again at
shipping post and receive two dollars
for each act or raft.
Large boats ascend the rapids at the
time of the spring floods
by the aid of a cable, made fast to a
tree or some other object
above and taken in by the capstan. Large
steamboats ascend
as far as shipping post, several of them
remain at this place
during the months of the summer, when
the water is too low
to admit their passing up and down the
river."
Mrs. Trollope wrote: "The
passengers are obliged to get
out below the Falls and travel by land
to Louisville, where they
find the vessels ready to receive them
for the remainder of the
voyage. We were spared this inconvenience
by the water being
too high for the rapids to be much felt
but it will soon be alto-
gether removed by the Louisville canal
coming into operation,
which will permit steamboats to continue
their progress from
below the Falls to the river." 34
William Cullen Bryant in "Illinois,
Fifty Years Ago" stated
that, "The Falls at Louisville are
avoided by means of a canal
through which steamboats of ordinary
size which navigate the
Ohio, pass, but large steamboats plying
between Louisville and
New Orleans stop below the Falls. We
left Louisville at three
o'clock P. M.; the river being very
high, the captain announced
his intention of going over the Falls.
The Falls are divided
by a little, low, narrow island, on the
north side of which is
what is called the 'Illinois Shoot,' on
the south side the 'Ken-
tuckian Shoot.' We took the 'Illinois
Shoot' and when we ar-
Early Steamboat Travel on the Ohio
River. 393
rived at the northern waters, it was
evident from the circum-
spection of the captain, the frequent
turns we were obliged to
make, the slackening of the speed of the
boat, that the channel
was very narrow. In one place, the
narrowness of the channel
among craggy rocks, produced a great
inequality on the surface
of the stream so that the waves were
like that of the sea. In
passing over it, the boat reeled and
swung to and fro, turning
upon first one side of its keel, then
the other, obliging the pas-
sengers to seize hold of something to
keep them upright, and
frightening the inmates of the ladies'
cabin. It was over in a
moment, however." 35
Shirreff said: "We, at last,
reached what was termed the
Falls of the Ohio, a name given to a
succession of rapids caused
by a stratem of rocks crossing the
channel of the river, which
form the only obstruction to navigation
in the whole course of
the Ohio. When the river is high,
vessels pass up and down
the falls and when low, through the
canal lately opened on the
south side of Louisville and extending
nearly two miles." 36
Quoting from Maximilian, the statement was:
"In the
afternoon, we left Louisville to embark
at Portland below the
town, on account of the Falls of the
Ohio, that now cannot be
navigated past the town and therefore a
canal has been made,
where, by the aid of five sluices, the
boats are raised twenty-two
feet. Those who land at Louisville,
embark at Portland, where
there is generally a great number of
steamboats." 37
Mrs. Steele wrote: "July 18th, now
approaching the Falls
of the Ohio, which are rapids caused by
a ledge of blue limestone
rocks which reach across the river and
impede navigation ex-
cept in very high water. To avoid this,
a canal is cut across
the bed of the river, two and one-half
miles in length to Louis-
ville. This canal is excavated out of
compact limestone and the
cut is in some places ten feet deep.
There are four locks. There
is a small place called shipping post at
the mouth of the canal,
where we observed several handsome
carriages in waiting for
them who thus preferred it, to the
slower operation of ascending
twenty-two feet of lockage. Here were several steamboats
moored. As we entered the second lock,
the 'North Star,' a
fine boat of 148 tons, came dashing into
the lock we had left,
394 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
and when we had both ascended, the
'Maine,' which we had
passed upon the river yesterday, entered
the first lock so that
we had the novel spectacle of three
large steamboats filled with
merchandise and passengers, all, at one
time, rising and falling
in several locks." 38
Accidents. One of the most striking charactertistics of the
early steamboat trade is the attitude of
practical indifference to
the frequeut accidents, of varying
degrees of seriousness. In-
deed, an accident was accepted as a mere
matter of course.
Liberty Hall, September 20, 1814, contained a testimonial, dated
New Orleans, July 26, signed by the
passengers, which stated
the cause of the accident that destroyed
the first boat, the "New
Orleans." The boat stopped to take
on wood, the evening of
July 13: "The night was so dark and
rainy that the captain con-
sidered it most prudent to secure the
boat for the night. He
then commenced taking in wood and
repaired the machinery
which had been disordered. After the
wood was on board, he
sounded all around and found plenty of
water. She appeared
to lay along side of a steep bank and
from the apparent safety
and security of the situation, all the
passengers retired to rest,
free from apprehension or fear of
danger. Early in the morn-
ing, preparations were made for
departing, and, at daylight, the
engine was put in motion but the vessel
would only swing round
and could not be forced forward by the
steam. The water had
fallen during the night from sixteen to
eighteen inches; the cap-
tain then concluded she had lodged on a
stump and endeavored
to push her off with a spar against the
bank, but without effect.
He immediately satisfied himself it was
a stump and found it
by feeling with an oar, about fifteen or
twenty feet aloft the
wheel on the starboard side,39 he
then ordered the wood thrown
overboard, got an anchor out of
starboard quarter and with the
steam capstan, hove her off, when she
immediately sprung a leak
which increased so rapidly that time was
only allowed to make
fast again to shore, the passengers to
escape with their baggage
and crew with assistance from shore,
saved a great part of the
cargo, when she sunk alongside the
bank."
Mrs. Trollope described an accident
which occurred on her
journey: "Proceeding northward,
asudden and violent shock
Early Steamboat Travel on the Ohio
River. 395
startled us frightfully. 'It is a
sawyer!' said one. 'It's a snag!'
cried another. 'We are aground,'
exclaimed the captain. Two
breakfasts, two dinners and a supper,
did the poor English ladies
eat, with the Ohio and Kentucky
gentlemen before they moved
on north." 40
Stuart wrote, April, 1830: "The
steamboats that navigate
the Mississippi are very various in
kind, accommodations and
management. Accidents are so frequent
upon western rivers
that great care should be taken to
select a vessel in which cap-
tain and mate, engineers and pilots, are
well-known to be skill-
ful and trustworthy persons." Going
up the Mississippi from
New Orleans, he stated: "Not long
after we had gone to bed
on the first evening, I was awoke by the
cry of 'Stop her!'
'Stop her!' We had touched a snag but
without injuring the
vessel. The cry became so frequent
during the night that it
soon ceased to alarm us or interest
anyone but those engaged
in the navigation of the vessel. We
were, however, very fre-
quently obliged to lay to during the
night, if it was at all dark
that we might not run too great a
risk."
"On the forenoon of the twelfth of
April, were so unlucky
as to break one of the upright shafts on
board 'The Constitution'
which forced a pause of nearly
twenty-four hours, in order to
get it replaced by one that was ready to
supply it in the boat." 41
Going up the Ohio from Cincinnati, he
stated that "there
was one trifling accident, one of the
wheel was damaged by a
snag on a dark night and everything was
put right in two hours."
Maximilian, going down from Louisville,
wrote: "Later the
engine was out of order and we were
forced to lie to on the
Indiana side, to repair it. At nightfall
our engine was re-
paired." 42
Mrs. Steele, on a trip from St. Louis to
Cincinnati, told
that "I left the cabin and walked
about on the shady side of the
guards. All was still except the booming
steam pipe; every one
was asleep or reading. I leaned over the
railing and found the
banjo player and his audience all in
slumbering attitudes or
swinging in their hammocks and
everything denoted silence and
repose. Suddenly, there was a terrific
and resounding bang, clang
and clatter, as if our boat had been
crushed to atoms; the wheel
396
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
house was broken in places, the boards
flew over me, and a
torrent of water, flowing from it,
nearly washed me from the
deck. In a moment, every one tumbled out
and rushed upon the
deck, exclaiming, 'What's the matter!'
'Are we snagged?'
'Has the boiler burst?' 'Is it a
sawyer?' The old Kentucky
lady, who had stepped out first, said
quietly: 'It's only a log,'
'Ah, only a log.' 'Nothing but a log!'
echoed from every mouth
and returning to their cabins, they all
stepped into their berths
again. I looked around me in amazement.
'Only a log,' said
I to myself, 'and what is a log!' The
steamboat is broken and
stops, all is confusion and crash.and I
am told it is nothing but
a log." 42
Buckingham stated, going from
Brownsville to Pittsburgh,
"We had scarcely been under way,
before we learnt that there
was but one wheel in action; the spindle
of the other having
been this morning under repair at the
smith's forge and the
paddle not yet fixed on it." 44 Flint, on a
voyage up the river
from Cincinnati during low water, said
that "the vessel unex-
pectedly ran aground, so that an anchor
was put out and it
became necessary that every man on board
work at the cap-
stan."45 Stuart
stated: "Many accidents happen to
steam-
boats from bursting of boilers. Great
loss of life takes place
but accidents occur so frequently on
western rivers that they
make far less impression than would be
expected." 46
Shirreff, on a journey from St. Louis to
Cincinnati, said:
"In the course of the night, one of
the shafts broke and the
vessel continued her voyage with one
paddle." He observed
that "the perishable nature of the
western steamboats is no doubt,
in part, owing to the material of which
it is composed, and the
navigation, which from currents,
sand-bars, sunken trees and
snags are most trying and
dangerous." 47
Buckingham described an accident which
happened to the
boat upon which he was riding, as follows:
"At ten o'clock, we
were reported to be still twenty miles
from Pittsburgh; so that
many of the passengers retired to their
berths, intending to defer
their landing until morning and even
those who remained up
were dozing by the stove. While this universal
drowsiness hung
over all, the profound stillness of the
hour, was suddenly broken
Early Steamboat Travel on the Ohio
River. 397
by a violent concussion and loud crash,
as if the vessel had been
blown into the air. The force of the
shock was sufficient to
throw from their beds those who had
retired and all who were
in the foremost part of the boat, as
soon as they could regain
their footing, ran aft, as if the vessel
were in imminent peril
in the part from which they came. At the
same instant that
this crash was felt and heard, a large
blaze of fire was seen
at the bow; so that some thought the
boiler had burst, some that
gunpowder had exploded and some that the
hull was on fire.
It appeared that the captain, or pilot
of a rival steamer, called
'The Royal' and much heavier than 'The
Exact' in which we
were, sought the opportunity to vent
their ill-will against the
competitor, by moving with all the force
of their steam up and
when going their greatest velocity,
right across our bows. The
stern of 'The Royal' struck the hull of
'The Exact,' about one
quarter of her length from the bow,
carried away all the bul-
warks and gang way planks, knocked the
boilers out of their
beds, damaged the only sidewheel we had
shipped and scattered
by the shock nearly all the fire out of
the stove; so that we were
in danger of being sunk, burnt, blown
up, all at the same time.
Our only remedy was to haul in for the
river's bank and lay the
damaged hull ashore, which was done;
then, after a delay of
about an hour, we put things in
sufficient order to enable us
to proceed towards Pittsburgh."48
The early stages of any new invention is
always a record
of accidents, trifling as well as
appalling and the indifference of
the general public towards them was the
same then, as now.
The general idea gained from the
information that these
travelers give, presents a picture which
does not differ so ma-
terially from the river steamboat of
to-day. The boats were
clumsier, of course, and progress has
caused some essential
changes, but in general, there is after
all not so radical a differ-
ence as one might suppose. The fuel used
is no longer wood
but coal, there are few deck passengers
and the river steamboats
as a general thing are not patronized by
"fashionables." The
meals then, were abundant and well
cooked and evidently con-
sidered good, at that time. The social
life on board with the
dominant key-note democracy, has become
restricted with time
398 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
and the professional gambler aboard has
disappeared. Time was
slower and there were more accidents
formerly-the beginnings of
any new invention are a long series of
mishaps and fatal conse-
quences-and to-day there is probably no
safer mode of travel,
but even from the first, there was a
general trend towards the
same general plan of arrangements;
boilers and machinery with
high pressure engines on the main deck,
with all available space
used for freight, staircase at the bow,
ascending to the second
deck, with a cabin used as a dining
room, and berths on either
side, the stern end partitioned off for
the ladies' cabin, space
down the sides called the guards and
deck across the front; the
upper deck, for promenade and
sight-seeing, sometimes with
cabin and berths, depending on the size
of the vessel, occasionally
used for deck passengers in the old
days, now utilized for the
crew. The manners and customs of the
trade are still the same;
pride never permits one steamer to pass
another, going in the
same direction, if the captain of the
steamer in the lead can help
it; in consequence, races are the rule
and in passing the crews
call to one another, with derisive
shouts and triumphant cheers.
The "Good Samaritan" spirit
still exists, one boat invariably
helping either friend or enemy in
distress. Any one who has
ever traveled on the modern steamboat on
the western rivers,
knows that delays at starting are none
too infrequent and various
evasive answers as to the cause, are the
only replies that the
inquirer may receive from the captain or
any of the crew.
REFERENCES.
1. Liberty Hall. Sept. 20, 1814.
2. Liberty Hall. Nov. 21, 1811.
3. Liberty Hall. Oct. 30, 1811.
4. Liberty Hall. Nov. 21, 1811.
5. Liberty Hall. Dec. 4, 1811.
6. Liberty Hall. Feb. 12, 1812.
7. Liberty Hall. May 5, 1817.
8. Liberty Hall. March 16, 1818.
9. Latrobe-"Rambles in North
America." Vol. I.
10. Stuart-"Three Years in North
America." Vol. II. (1833.)
11. Shirreff--"A Tour through North
America." (1835.)
12. Mrs. Trollope-"Domestic Manners
of Americans." Vol. I.
(1832.)
Early Steamboat
Travel on the Ohio River. 399
13. Stuart-"Three
Years in North America." Vol. II. (1833.)
14. Stuart-"Three
Years in North America." Vol. II. (1833.)
15. Shirreff-"A
Tour through North America."
(1835.)
16. Mrs.
Steele-"A Summer Journey through the West." (1841.)
17. Dickens -
"American Notes."
18. Mrs.
Trollope-"Domestic Manners of Americans." Vol. I.
(1832.)
19. Stuart-"Three
Years in North America." Vol. II. (1833.)
20. Shirreff-"A
Tour through North America."
(1835.)
21. Mrs.
Steele-"A Summer Journey through the West." (1841.)
22. Stuart-"Three
Years in North America." Vol. II. (1833.)
23. Flagg-"The
Far West." (1830.)
24. Mrs.
Steeele-"A Summer Journey through the West." (1841.)
25.
Buckingham-"Eastern and Western States of America." Vol.
II. (1842.)
26.
Flint--"Letters from America."
(1822.)
27.
Buckingham-"Eastern and Western States of America." Vol.
II. 1842.)
28.
Flint-"Letters from America."
(1822.)
29.
James-"Account of an Expedition." (1823.)
30. Mrs.
Steele-"A Summer Journey through the West." (1841.)
31. Flagg-"The
Far West." (1830.)
32.
Atwater-"Remarks made on a Tour to Prairie du Chien."
(1831.)
33. Mrs. Trollope
-"Domestic Manners of Americans." Vol. I.
(1832.)
34. Mrs.
Trollope-"Domestic Manners of Americans." Vol. I.
(1832.)
35.
Bryant-"Illinois Fifty Years Ago."
36. Shirreff-"A
Tour through North America."
(1835.)
37.
Maximilian-"Travels in Interior of North America." (1843.)
38. Mrs.
Steele-"A Summer Journey through the West." (1841.)
39. "A
Side-Wheeler."
40. Mrs.
Trollope-"Domestic Manners of Americans." Vol. I.
(1832.)
41. Stuart-
"Three Years in North America." Vol. II. (1833.)
42.
Maximilian-"Travels in Interior of North America." (1843.)
43. Mrs.
Steele-"A Summer Journey through the West." (1841.)
44. Buckingham
-"Eastern and Western States of America." Vol.
II. (1842.)
45. Flint-
"Letters from America." (1822.)
46. Stuart-"Three
Years in North America." Vol. II. (1833.)
47. Shirreff-"A
Tour Through North America." (1835.)
48. Buckingham-"Eastern
and Western States of America." Vol..
II. (1842.)
400 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
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GENERAL.
1. Columbia University Studies in
History, Economics and Public
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(New
York, 1908.)
2. Columbia University Studies in
History, Economics and Public
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-"Transportation and Industrial
Development in the Middle West."
(New York, 1909.)
3. Hulbert, A. B.-"The Ohio
River." (New York, 1906.)
4. Greve, C. T.-"Centennial of
Cincinnati." Vol. I. (Chicago,
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5. Goodwin, Frank P.-"Growth of
Ohio." (University of Cin-
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6. History of Cincinnati and Hamilton
County. Chap. V. Venable,
W. H.--"Cincinnati Past and
Present." (Cincinnati, 1894.)
7. Ford, Henry A. and Mrs.
Kate-"History of
Cincinnati."
(Cleveland, 1881.)
8. Williams' Cincinnati Directory with
Historical Sketch of Cin-
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Century of Cincinnati." (Cincin-
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9. Howe, Henry-"Historical
Collections of Ohio."
(Cincinnati,
1848.)
10. Perkins, James H.-"Annals of
the West." (Cincinnati, 1847.)
11. Thomas, E. F.-"Reminiscences
and Sketches of His Life and
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Geography of the Mississippi
Valley." (Cincinnati, 1832.)
13. Baird, Robert--"View of the
Valley of the Mississippi." (Phila-
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14. Chidlaw, Rev. B. W.--"Ye
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Ohio. Vol. VI. Nos. 1 and 2.
15. Lloyd, James P.-"Steam Boat
Directory." (Cincinnati, 1856.)
LOCAL.
1. Drake, Daniel -"Picture
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D.-"Cincinnati at the Close
of 1826." (Cincinnati, 1827.)
3. Mansfield, Edmund D.-"Memoirs of
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Daniel Drake." (Cincinnati, 1855.)
4. Channing, W. H.-"Memoirs and
Writings of J. H. Perkins."
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5. Cincinnati Directory. 1819.
6. Cincinnati Directory. 1825.
7. Cincinnati Directory. 1829.
Early Steamboat
Travel on the Ohio River. 401
8. Cincinnati
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9. Cincinnati
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10. Cincinnati
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11. Cincinnati
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12. Cist,
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Charles-"Cincinnati, 1851." (Cincinnati,
1851.)
14. Cist,
Charles-"Cincinnati, 1859." (Cincinnati,
1859.)
TRAVELS.
1. Thwaites
"Early Western Travels."
A. Bradbury, John-
"Travels in the Interior of America,
1809-10-11."
(London, 1819.) Vol. V.
B. Evans,
Estinck-"Pedestrians' Tour."
(Concord, 1819.)
Vol. VIII.
C. Flint,
James--"Letters from America, 1818-1820." (Edin-
burgh, 1822.) Vol. IX.
D. Hulme,
Thomas-"A Journal made during a Tour in the
Western Countries of
America in 1819." (London, 1828.) Vol. X.
E. Woods,
John-"Two Years' Residence in
the Illinois
Country."
(London, 1822.) Vol. X.
F. Faux,
W.--"Memorable Days in America." (London,
1823.) Vol. XI.
G. Nuttall,
Thomas-"Journal of Travels into Arkansas Ter-
ritory, 1819."
(Philadelphia, 1821.) Vol. XIII.
H. Ogden, George
W.-"Letters from the
West." (New
Bedford, 1823.) Vol.
XIX.
I. Bullock,
W.--"Sketch of a Journey through the Western
States of North
America, 1827." (London, 1827.) Vol. XIX.
J. Wyeth, John
B.-"Oregon, or a Short History of a Long
Journey."
(Cambridge, 1833.) Vol. XXI.
K. Lloyd, H.
Evans--"Travels in the Interior of North
America by Maximilian,
Prince of Wied." (London, 1843.) Vol.
XXII, XXIII, XXIV.
L. Flagg,
Edmund--"The Far West."
(New York, 1830.)
Vol. XXVI.
2. Bribeck,
Morris-"Notes on a Journey in America." (London,
1818.)
3. Atwater,
Caleb-"Remarks made on a Tour to Prairie du
Chien, 1829."
(Columbus, 1831.)
4. Mrs.
Trollope-"Domestic Manners of Americans." (London,
1832.) Vol. I.
5. James,
Edwin-"Account of an Expedition from Pittsburgh
to the Rocky
Mountains, performed in years 1819-1820;" compiled from
notes of Major Long,
Wm. T. Sayler. (London, 1823.)
Vol. XX-26
402 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
6. Stuart, James-"Three Years in
North America." (Edin-
burgh, 1833.) Vol. II.
7. Shirreff, Patrick-"A Tour
through North America." (Edin-
burgh, 1835.)
8. Steele, Mrs. Eliza R.- "A Summer
Journey in the West." (New
York, 1841.)
9. Buckingham, J. S.-"Eastern and
Western States of America."
(London, 1842.) Vol. II.
10. Godwin, Parke-"Prose Writings
of Wm. Cullen Bryant." Vol.
II; Bryant Wm. C.--"Illinois Fifty
Years Ago." (New York, 1901.)
11. Dickens, Charles-"American
Notes." (London, 1903.)
12. Fordham, Elias Oym-"Personal
Narratives of Travels in Vir-
ginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Indiana, Kentucky." (Cleveland,
1906.)
NEWSPAPERS.
1. Niles Weekly Register.
2. "Liberty Hall." 1811-1812;
1814-1815.
3. "Liberty Hall and Cincinnati
Gazette." 1816 on.
4. "The Western Spy."
1820-1822.
THAT OLD LOG HOUSE
WHERE USED TO BE OUR
FARM.
BY D. TOD GILLIAM, COLUMBUS, OHIO.
They ain't no houses anywhere what makes
a feelin' so warm,
As that old house, up 'mong the trees,
where used to be our
farm.
That house wer' built of logs, an'
chinked an' daubed all 'roun',
Inside them logs wer' one big room, what
kivered lots o' groun'.
The clapboard roof, held down by poles,
as ev'rybody knowed,
Wer' proof agin the rain an' snow, 'cept
when it rained or
snowed.
The doors was paw'ful hefty, an' hung on
hick'ry wood,
An' opened with a latch-string; special
them what front-ways
stood.
The winders wern't so many, nor wern't
so awful bright,
They stood 'longside them front-way
doors an' guv but little light.
The floors was made of puncheon, the
hearth wer' made of clay,