The Ohio River Trade, 1788-1830

by Hazel Yearsley Shaw

From 1812-1817, the following steam boats were built and launched upon the Ohio River. The Comet, a boat of 25 tons was built at Pittsburg. She descended to Louisville in the summer of 1813; reached New Orleans in the spring of the year 1814; made two voyages from thence to Natchez, and was there sold.[245]

The steamboat Vesuvius of 400 tons was launched at Pittsburg in December 1813, designed as a regular trader between the falls of Ohio and New Orleans.[246] In April, 1814, she sailed from Pittsburg, having been successfully tested in several trial trips of four and five miles up and down the Ohio and Monongahela.[247] Her voyage from Pittsburg to Shippingsport was made in 67½ hours, from Shippingsport to Natchez in 125½ hours, from Natchez to New Orleans in 33 hours, total 227 hours.[248] She was employed for some months between New Orleans and Natchez, and was finally destroyed by fire.[249]

The steamboat Enterprise, built on the Monongahela, arrived at Pittsburg in July, 1814, designed as a packet between that place and the Falls of the Ohio. She was tried against the current of the Monongahela, unusually high and rapid for the season, and made 3½ miles an hour, and then returned with the stream in ten minutes.[250] Having reached New Orleans, the Enterprise made five trips to the Balize, and one to the Rapids of Red River. One of the trips to Natchez was made in four days, a distance of 313 miles, against the strong current of the Mississippi River, without the aid of sails. Another trip from New Orleans, to Beardstown, 1500 miles against the current was made in 25 days.[251] In August, 1815, this steamboat reached Brownsville, in ballast, having discharged her cargo at Pittsburg. The Enterprise was the first steamboat that ever made the voyage to the mouth of the Mississippi and back. The voyage up the rivers, about 2200 miles, was made in 54 days, 20 days being employed in loading and unloading freight at the river towns.[252]

The Buffalo, of 285 tons, was launched at Pittsburg in July 1814, designed to ply between that place and Louisville, once a month.[253] The Despatch, owned as well the Enterprise, by the 'Monongahela and Ohio steam-boat Company ' was built at Bridgeport in 1815, and was expected to pass through the water at the rate of nine miles an hour.[254] The Etna, in 1816, performed a voyage from the Falls of Ohio to New Orleans in 15 days.[255] The Oliver Evans, built at Pittsburg in 1816, was intended for the conveyance of passengers and goods on the Ohio and Mississippi.[256] The Washington, built at Wheeling in 1816,[257] was the boat which made the voyage from Louisville to New Orleans and returned in 45 days, convincing the public that steamboat navigation on the western waters would succeed.[258] Her boilers were on the upper deck, and she was the first boat on that plan.[259] The James Monroe, the Franklin and the Harriett, were also built at Pittsburg.[260]

That the importance of the steamboat to the commerce of New Orleans was clearly recognized as early as 1815, is shown by the following newspaper article. "We have had undoubted proofs of the good effects of the steamboat navigation between this city (New Orleans) and Natchez, and why not extend its beneficial effects to the Ohio and to the different navigable streams emplying into that river. The want of public spirit, properly directed has retarded the salutary object so long. If enterprising men would propose and form associations and companies for building steamboats on the different navigable waters west of the Allegheny mountains it is reasonable to suppose that few men of capital would withhold their support ... surely interest most clearly points out something like the foregoing plan to immediately operate in favor of the trade of the rivers Ohio and Mississippi. The steamboats now in use cannot carry one twentieth part of the goods that might be in demand from this city.... Experience alone will establish what size of boats, or draught of water will be best for the navigation of both rivers ... it appears very reasonable, however, to suppose that the boats of small draught of water would be best calculated for the Ohio, taking into consideration the different stages of the water and how subject that river is to fall very low.... To the commercial interest of New Orleans the steam navigation is of immense consideration, the vast sums of money annually paid in Philadelphia and Baltimore for goods, and carried over the mountains in wagons, would concentrate here. View the course of trade. The merchants of Cincinnati, Lexington, Nashville, and the small towns in the western states, after the extreme labor, anxiety and expense of getting their goods carried from the seaboard by land, are obliged to receive produce in payment, which is floated down to this city, and converted into money for the coffers of the New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore importers—whereas, if the steamboats were in complete operation, the whole western states could be supplied with every kind of goods here, and on better terms than they now are from Philadelphia and Baltimore ... but certainly it is not chimerical to say that if exertions are not made by individuals, or companies through views of gain or otherwise to bring more steamboat tonnage into use for the western trade, it would have been better (as it relates to that trade) that the steam boats had never been in operation—then the old laborious, tedious barging would have continued in full vigor."[261]

The steamboats, making occasional trips up and down the river, created great excitement along the banks, and at the towns and villages their arrival and landings were great occasions.[262] These boats were a queer style of water craft, as they had not assumed the forms that were afterward found to be suited to the river navigation. Their builders copied the models of ships adapted to deep water, and the boats all drew too much water to be available in the dry season, so that they could not be used on the upper Ohio more than about three months in the year. They looked just like a small ship without masts. Some of them were of peculiar models, and all of them had very little power in comparison with boats built later. The first boats had no more decking than a common sailing vessel. Very few of them could make over 2 or 3 miles against the stream when it was strong.[263]

When Fulton commenced steamboat building, be patented the side paddle wheels, and held a monopoly of that form of boat. Niles notes the following incidents arising from this monopoly. "Mr. Livingston of New Orleans under a patent of the State of Louisiana, as the assignee of Fulton and Livingston's exclusive right to navigate the Mississippi and its waters, by steam, so far as respects the navigation from New Orleans to and up the Red River, has prevented the steamboat Despatch, of Pittsburg, from taking a return cargo at New Orleans, though it appears she is worked by machinery quite distinct from that under the aforesaid patent. He has, however, permitted her to go out of the limits of the State without incurring a penalty. The procedure appears likely to create much sensation in the "western world."[264] "The Louisville Correspondent" announces a second attempt of the Livingston steamboat company to interrupt the steam navigation of the Mississippi by boats not under their charter. The procedure excites much sensibility in the western world."[265] "The question of Fulton and Livingston's privilege is again agitated by a suit brought in the federal court of New Orleans, against the steamboat Constitution. We wait with anxiety the result of a question involving the most prominent interests of W. America."[266] The evasion in many of the western boats consisted of placing a wheel on each side of the keel at the stern of the vessel, so that the wheels were out of sight from behind.[267]

The General Pike, built at Cincinnati in 1818, and intended to ply as a packet between Maysville, Cincinnati, and Louisville, is said to have been the first steam boat constructed on the western waters for the exclusive convenience of pass engers. The length of her cabin was 40 feet, the breadth 25 feet, in addition to which there were fourteen state rooms.[268]

The Post-Boy, built at New Albany, in 1819, was intended for the conveyance of mail between Louisville and New Orleans, under an act of Congress, passed March, 1819. This was the first attempt on western waters to carry the mail in steam boats.[269]