Topic starter
29/11/2010 4:41 am
My characters ride on the Natchez III, Captain Thomas Leathers, in my book. I'm searching for data on the boat, which according to my research, ran on the lower Mississippi from 1848 to 1853. One source I found listed the boat's length as 193 feet, but I have been unable to find the following data for the Natchez III:
Tonnage?
Diameter of the paddle wheel?
How high above the river would the pilothouse be?
Thanks in advance if anyone can come up with the answers or point me in the right direction to find them.
29/11/2010 2:29 pm
NATCHEZ II
The way the NATCHEZ boats are numbered is according to Leathers' ownership. So if you really want the one that ran from 1849-53 under Capt. Leathers, that would be the II, #4105 in Ways Packet Directory. She was 191 x 31 x 6, Engines 24s - 8 ft.; 3 boilers 388 tons, a sidewheeler, so her wheel size wouldn't have been visible to passengers, if that's what you want.
The actual NATCHEZ III #4106, was built in 1853, 270 x 34 x 8, engines 34s - 9 ft. 6 boilers, 698 tons, also a sidewheeler. She could carry 4000 bales. Burned only 6 weeks into career.
Sorry but I can't estimate the pilothouse height, but she was the same length as today's BELLE OF LOUISVILLE, so you might look at pictures of her for an idea.
Topic starter
30/12/2010 10:29 pm
Judy,
Thanks for the reply.
I finally got a copy of Way's Packet directory, and it looks to me that for 1848 the first Leathers Natchez, #4104, would be correct.
Of course, in looking at photos and paintings of later Natchez boats it appears that Leathers didn't number the vessels, he just had 'NATCHEZ' painted on the side, so I will be correct in the book if I just leave it at that and don't worry overly much if it's the first or second.
31/12/2010 1:20 am
NATCHEZ numbers
Yes, Leathers didn't number the boats. We just do it for historical references. The name will be just fine, and unless one of us is reading the book, nobody will question you!