Topic starter
08/03/2013 8:51 pm
Steamboating colleagues:
The 'Reminiscences' of John C. Howard were begun in the year 1903/1904 in his advancing years. His own style and idom typical of the era and his youth. Herein I will type excerpts from this fascinating manuscript being as crisp, clear as when he either wrote or dictated. [* Indicates possible side comments.]
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"My first trip down the Mississippi was in the summer of 1854. I went to Memphis on the FANNY BULLITT, on a collecting tour, reaching there about ten o' clock at night. [*Collecting tour probably to settle financial accounts with the yard at home.] Just as I entered the hotel, two men were fighting in the lobby; one man was cut across the abdomen with a bowie knife, letting out his bowels and killing him. This happened right before my eyes as I was walking up to the office.
"The next morning, on my way to the dining room, I bought a paper, and the first thing I saw was large headlines, announcing Cholera was declared epidemic in the city. I had to stay there a week, then took passage on the NATIONAL for St. Louis, with a very light trip of freight and passengers.
"On the way to St. Louis there were eight deaths from Cholera, and having no suitable lumber aboard for coffins, we tore up the dunnage in the hold to make them. We buried them on the shore, always being particular to get above high water mark, but not at all particular about the depth under ground. It was a trip never to be forgotten, and a very great relief to reach St. Louis, where there was but little Cholera at that time. These Cholera epidemics were dreadful, and those living at the present time, 1903, cannot begin to realize the horrors of the situation.
"I have seen a great deal of Cholera--was an apprentice in Cincinnati during the epidemic of 1849-'49 and worked all the time. In the summer of 1855, I had a very severe spell of sickness, and afterwards brain fever [*Possibly Menningitis]. On two occassions during this illness, they sent for Jim and Uncle Billy Lackey to see me die, but such was not the case and here I am yet.
"This [*Possibbly meaning 'that'] summer we built a boat, THE CARRIER, at 200 feet long, 33 foot beam, 6 feet hold, for Captain Draffin, a particular friend of mine, and to recuperate from this illness, I went to St. Louis on his boat, and from St. Louis for the Missouri River, and at that time the river was alive with steamboats and business at its very best. I made a hand and helped to receive the freight at St. Louis. We took 300 tons and got $2.50 per hundred for ererything that went ashore above St. Joe. About October 1st, we started for Council Bluffs, at that time considered about out of the world. We ran only in the day time, taking a gang of wood choppers who chopped wood all night to run the boat the next day. The river was low and sometimes in drift piles we got good dry wood. This was the most remarkable trip I ever made. Council Bluffs was then considered the head of navigation for steamboats, but afterwards they went 2,000 miles further up the river.
"The present Kansas City, under the hill, was then a good shipping point, and I well remember a remark made while there, that "They were going to build a city up on the hill." The boat was crowded with passengers, most of them Mormons on their way to Utah. They left the boat with their wagons and plunder [*Term for baggage/equipment] at St. Joe, and then took across the plains, at that time a hard and uncertain trip. I felt sorry for the women and children when they left the boat. On the return the first day after leaving Council Bluffs, we backed into the bank, injuring the stern post, but patched it up and went on. We were gone from St. Louis 32 days and had to dock the boat to repair the stern post, a cost of $1,650 and then came jout $5,200ahead on the trip. The whole cost of the boat was $34,000. We should have made the trip in 14 days. That is the way boats made money in those days." TO BE CONTINUED.
R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati
Topic starter
10/03/2013 6:32 pm
*No. 2 Memoirs of John C. Howard*
Steamboating colleagues:
The Memoirs/Reminiscences of John C. Howard continue. Monetary values in the 1850s hard to accurately convert to present dollar values. One prime exchange honored then was the Spanish gold coin, British, French gold currency. John's mention of the original cost for THE CARRIER could, in the later year of 1913--now 100 years ago, figure out, give or take, on/around $790,000. There were no checks for bank exchange then with business collections being made 'in person' paid with gold or silver in hand. A kind of formal printed promisory note did exist. Boat construction then done based in trust, familiarity between the contracting owner and builder such at the Howard Yard, Jeffersonville.
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"Capt. Draffin made two trips to New Orleans with her [*THE CARRIER], then sold her for $5,000 more than she cost, intending to build a boat next year, on which I was to go, and have a quarter interest, but fate willed otherwise. The steamboating of those days would be a revelation at this present time. We had mighty good men and good rigging. On one occassion we pulled a boat over a bar where there were six inches of water less than she was drawing. We got a spar on each side, fastened a hawser to the snag directly ahead, heaved a strain on each spar, and also on the hawser, then started the engine strong and she would go perhaps two feet. We kept this up all day and laid up that night only four miles from where we stopped the night before.
"We had no steam capstan in those days and it was all done by hand, the Mate being the most important man on the boat. [*Capstan also termed 'steam captain' then in slang. John also considered the boat's carpenter 'the most important' in later comments]. In the fall of 1855, business affairs required attention in New Orleans, and it fell to my lot to make the trip. In an old memorandum I find the following: 'Started from Louisville on the Steamer JULIA December 19, 1855, river high, cold and ice beginning to form. The JULIA stopped at Memphis, and there I took the FANNY BULLITT, loaded deep, but with few passengers, owning to the intense cold weather.
"Our arrival at Vicksburg was greeted with a snow storm, and the weather continued cold, until we reached New Orleans, on the night of December 26. The morning of the 27th found us lying at Algiers, not being able to effect a landing at New Orleans. At Algiers, a beautiful sight met our view. The city of New Orleans, with her tall spires, loomed in the distance, and more directly to our view, her thousands of sailing ships and steamboats, stretching up and down the river as far as the eye could reach. The ships in the distance presented the appearance of a vast forest. Twelve large steamboats outside loaded to the guards, were not able to effect a landing, while opposite us the boats were wedged in as close as possible, with their heads to the shore for at least a mile. [*No wonder fires on steamboats were such a terror then with boats tied so close together.] The FANNY BULLITT lay outside for six days before she got her head to the bank to discharge.
"After enjoying the scene for a short time, we made our way to the Canal Street Ferry, and proceeded to the city, where we found the levee completely gorged with freight of every description, and so dense was the throng of people, it was almost impassable. We found plenty of friends and acquaintances, some that I had not seen for ten or twelve years. It was all river and steamboats those days, and being a steamboat builder, everyone knew me. Abut ten o'clock I found myself on board the CARRIER, and then there was great rejoicing. This was one of the most severe winters on record, navigation above Memphis being suspended for two months.
"Business complications arose, while in New orleans which caused me a great deal of trouble and worry. I was alone, no one to advise me, young and inexperienced and continually afraid of making blunders. However, luck favored me, the trip turning out entirely successful." [*We can only wonder what the trouble and worry in his business matters were to add information to what steamboat business practices were then.] TO BE CONTINUED.
R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati
11/03/2013 1:50 pm
Dale...that was wonderful, please keep going. At the museum they now have, not only, the facilities to become a first class research center but also the materials. All they need now is the money to hire an archivist to catalogue and index all of the documents. With the acquisiton last year of several wonder collections, including Alan Bates'and Bert Fenn's, the material available for research is amazing. We now have over 3,000 photo's on the musuems computer. Perhaps someday in the not too distant future as funds become available not only will there be a Howard musuem but also a research library.
13/03/2013 2:01 pm
A little bacjground might be good....John Howard was a bother of James Howard, the founder of the Howard Shipyard. In the 1850's, 60's the shipyard was popularly known as the "Howard Brothers Shipyard". Sometime not long after the tragic death of his brother, James, John left the shipyard and bought a controlling interest in French Lick Springs (which is still going strong today thanks to a modern casino). French Lick was a popular springs where people would go to take the waters. When I was young drug stores used to sell bottle of "Pluto Water" from French Lick....it tasted terrible but it would clean out the bowels. John's son, Dr. James Howard, was medical director of the sanitarium at French Lick.
Even with other interests besides the shipyard, John never lost his love for the river or steamboats because in retirement he would walk everyday from his home on 3rd Ave in Louisville to the wharf to watch the boats and talk to the river people. He died of a heart attack in 1905, age 76.
Topic starter
13/03/2013 8:00 pm
*No. 3 Memoirs of John C. Howard*
Steamboating colleagues:
The memoirs, or 'Reminiscenses' of John C. Howard [*see above and Jim's last posting] continue with his story of 'Another Missouri River Trip.'
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"In the spring of 1857, we finished a sidewheel boat, the SOUTH WESTER, 220 feet long, 36 feet beam, 6-1/2 feet hold for the 'Boonville Steamboat Co.' The company consisted of farmers and business men, who thought they could carry their freight, and make money, but they were disappointed. In the fall of 1857 and during the 'panic' of that year [*Bank failures], I went up to Boonville to meet them about payment of the boat. A meeting was held at Boonville, some of the stockholders coming in wagons 200 miles. About this time the branch bank of Missouri at Lexington suspended payment, and the whole country was wild with excitement. Our meeting was held but, of course, at that time payment for the boat could not be considered. The stockholders adjourned and started for their homes.
"I was sadly disappointed after the meeting, and it was made known that there was some Kentucky money in town, and I said I would glad to take it in payment, they called the stockholders back, got the Kentucky money and paid me in full. I was fearfully uneasy about the Kentucky banks. The steamboat CATARACT was running in connection with the railroad from Jefferson City to a point above Boonville. She came down one evening about sundown on her way down, and I took passage on her. Just as she was about to leave, a merchant of Boonville, and also connected with a house [*Bank] in St. Louis asked to take a package to the St. Louis house which I told him I would do, never dreaming what it was. They held the boat until we went back to the store for the package, and when it was handed to me, I was more than surprised to find it was $5,000 in gold [*A huge fortune in those days]. There were no express companies in those days.
"I was loaded with money, had about $9,000 in my pockets, but could not back out. The boat was full of passengers, the toughest looking set I ever saw. I engaged a berth, took the measure of the Clerk and also of the Captain, and concluded that I could not put the money in their charge, so thought I would sit up until the boat reached Jefferson City. There was a party of toughs playing poker for large stakes, just in front of my stateroom. About ten o'clock, I opened both the inside and outside doors of my room, and thought I would get a little rest, lay down with my overcoat and boots on, and being very tired, must have fallen asleep. I was awakened by the boat's whistle. It was just daylight, the party still playing cards, and on looking out found the whistle for Jefferson City. I had slept soundly and never stirred all night. This was the only night's run I ever made on a Missouri river boat, as the stream was so hazardous that the boat could only run in the day time.
"I took the cars [*Railroad] at Jefferson City for St. Louis and upon arrival there, was a relief it was to hear the Kentucky banks were all right and none of them had suspended payment. At the Boonville meeting there was an old farmer who had driven 200 miles in a two-horse wagon with a canvas cover bringing for sale a real good-looking Negro woman, he having become mad at her for some reason. She was trim and neat, about 28 years old, and she sat outside on the sidewalk curb stone, while he was bargaining inside a store with a man who wanted to buy her. He agreed to take $1,500 for her, but when it came time for payment, the buyer offered bank notes, the old farmer refused to take anything but gold and silver. So the trade was off and he took her back with him. Then the old man very abruptly said, "Young man, you are a d----- fool, and need a guardian." [*Meaning John carrying the entrusted gold]. Then he talked to me like a father, and strongly advised me not to take the money, saying the company was perfectly good, and was sure to pay me in good old democratic money--gold and silver. But I had given my word and could not back out.
"In 1857 the banking laws and currency conditions were fearful. The country was flooded with the notes of Wild Cat banks, particularly Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Every litle town and village started a bank and issued notes, and it was about impossible to keep up with the values, for they depreciated very rapidly and soon were worthless. I remember one day, starting out with a lot of this money to pay bills we were owing, but that night got home with more money than we started with. Those owing us were of the same mind, and meeting them, insisted upon paying their bills. The banking laws and currency conditions were feaful and no one living these days of National Currency, can form an idea of the trouble we had. There were no bank drafts and exchange notes."
[*The Howards were honest, dealing people. The likes of Gould and Fisk of the day manipulated stocks and curency to their profit and the misery of many. Remember the recent Wall Street mess? Sound familiar? So much from John casting doubt on the 'romance' of old time steamboating.]
TO BE CONTINUED
R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati
Topic starter
16/03/2013 6:54 pm
*No. 4 'Memories of John C. Howard*
Steamboating colleagues:
This much shorter posting of the 'Reminiscences of John C. Howard' reflect not only the economics of his day, methods in boat building and his own personal experiences. Frequently John mentions the railroads as far back as his trips in 1855. No doubt something 'clicked' in his mind as he later reflects on the impact of the expanding steel rails. Even by 1903, John reviewed his life--and of the Howard Co.--with a certain finality that the 'good old steamboat days' were passing if not already over. John also commented several times on his New Orleans trip of 1855 and his experiences returning home.
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"I came up the river on the CARRIER [*From New Orleans], to Cairo, making the trip in six days. We arrived at Cairo the 3rd of March, the day the ice broke up in the Ohio. At that time Cairo as crowded with the roughest element I ever saw and could hold her own as the wickedest city in the world. It was not safe to cross the levee at night, and we would go in gangs. It was rather amusing to see everybody cleaning up and putting their pistols and knives in order just before the boat reached that locality.
"As we could not get up the Ohio River, we started for home by rail. First, went on the Illinois Central until we struck the O. & M. to Sandoville, then on the O. & M. to Vincennes, then north in a round about way to Indianapolis, where we took the Jeff. road for home. The O. & M. was not then completed, and it took me 3 days from Cairo to Jeffersonville. [*Trains then dirty, sooty with primitive lavatory facilities. Rail hotels along the route often no better. Most men then sat up all night. The boat still was somewhat faster with comfort. Yet, diaries/letters mention the joy of being home or in a good hotel ashore for a guaranteed bath, clean linen and clothes. The steel rails would alter all quickly.]
"New Orleans that winter was at the height of her glory, - one of the principal seaports of the world and te distributing point for the whole South. My visit there was an era in my life not to be forgotten. Business was all done with sailing ships [*In from the Gulf, Atlantic etc.], and the towing business between New Orleans and the mouth of the river was immense. Powerful sidewheel towboats did the towing. Only about 14 feet of water at the 'Balize' designates the class of vessels used in those days. A steamship came in while I was there, and came to anchor in the middle of the river abreast of the steamboat landing, which was a great curosity."
R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati
Topic starter
17/03/2013 8:31 pm
*No. 5 'Memories of John C. Howard*
Steamboating colleagues:
John C. Howard continues his memoirs or 'Reminiscences' reflecting back on his 'old days' as remembered in 1903/1904.
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"I was down at Riverview the other day to help put a valuation on the wreck of the FRED WILSON, and while there called on an old man, Joseph Garr, who lived just above the mouth of Paddy's Run for 75 years. He is 90 years old the 30th of this month. I knew him first in 1846, having lived at Shippingport that year. He said he could hardly believe I was 'old John' Howard--and he is 15 years older than I. He was mighty glad to see me and we had a very interesting conversation about old times, he remembering so well a lof of times I knew in the long ago. Frank McHarry, the canal man, who was a character knows by everyone: Jim Porter, the Kentucky Giant of Shippingport; John Hulme, o canal fame, who made the first 'hydraulic cement; old man Dowerman and John Evans of New Albany; Jerry Phipps, a notorious character of Shippingport, and scores of others.
"It certainly brought back old times. Of the most interest, however, was the ship yard established by Morton & Johnson of Cincinnati, just below the mouth of Paddy's Run, in 1852. They built a saw mill there and moved the floating sectional docks from Cincinnati to that point, it being the only point below the falls where there was sufficient water. They built the first PRINCESS there for Holmes & Leathers, which was a magnificent steamboat on the lower Mississippi in 1852. In launching her they had great trouble, for she broke down and settled in the mud, being wrenched and twisted. The shore was treacherous and not at all adapted for hull building, and at this launch they realized it would not do.
"She was the only boat built there, and in a year or two, the saw mill was abandoned, and the floating docks moved to Memphis. Dan Morton moved with his family to Louisville and lived on Chestnut Street for a year or two. I frequently visited them, knowing them well in Cincinnati. As the Southern business commenced early in the Fall, this is what gave New Albany such a prestige in boatbuilding in early days."
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John relates much in his manuscript, yet leaving us--as usual--begging for more details. Without stealing the thunder of Keith, Jim, Kenny, I'll not elaborate on the story of "Jim Porter, the Kentucky Giant of Shippingport." His history/story famous. Even Charles Dickens, in his several trips to Louisville, negleged most of the city focusing on Jim Porter. Dickens did comment on the fine streets, trees, people of Louisville along with words on the heavy "smoke and soot...buildings darkened...southern climate one has to adjust living there." Louisville is a Southern city.
R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati
18/03/2013 1:36 am
Inasmuch as New Albany is celebrating its bicentennial this year, I have been doing some old boat columns for The Waterways Journal featuring New Albany river topics. Several weeks ago I featured the Fred Wilson explosion! Many names in John Howard's memoirs figure prominently in New Albany and local river history.
Topic starter
21/03/2013 4:01 pm
*No. 6 'Reminiscenses of John C. Howard'
Steamboating colleagues:
The 'Reminiscenses' of John C. Howard continue with his description of building/launching several fine boats in the 1850s. Again we find ourselves wishing for more details from his memories in 1903/1904.
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"The ECLIPSE [*WAY'S PACKET DIRECTORY Pgs. 138/139, entry No. 1688 for the 'big blow' on this great boat], 365 feet long, the largest and finest boat of those days, was built below New Albany, across the river from Garr Place about that time, 1852. She was to launch sideways, but about that time she was ready a 'friendly rise' came and floated her. The sideways launch of the PRINCESS was the first experience Dan Horton had in launching that way, and owing to the unsuitable shore, made a great failure. It was customary for us to get the hulls over the falls early in the season, which we did by hand, with large sweeps, gougers and steering oars. We had no tugs or towboats in those days, and this was a difficult job. About that season, 1852, in taking the MESSENGER an Alabama River boat, over the falls, we lodged her on Wave rock--which has since been blasted out--just off Whirlpool Point. The river fell and left her high and dry.
"We put ways under her, and with lines and purchases on Whirpool Point, launched her sideways nearly on a level, about 150 feet. We got her in the water and finished her in the Whirlpool so that she was ready when the water came. Later we finished the ROBERT E. LEE [*No. 2. Some slight variance in dates in WAY'S DIRECTORY] at Cairo, also the J.M. WHITE in order to have them ready for the Southern business. The LEE on her first trip in 1875, left New Orleans on the 1st of September, and the 1st of January--just four months after, was $90,000 ahead. That is the way they made money in those days. If they [*Boats] were caught up the Ohio in a protracted low water, they would not get out sometimes until the first of January, thereby losing the best of the season. [*'Pop rises,' 'Thanksgiving rise,' 'January rise' often mentioned] In what an era I have lived, how wonderful! Saw the beginning, and, it seems, the ending of the fascinating steamboat days.
"The first vessel ever built on the waters of the West, was the 'brig' [*Sailing vessel] DEAN on the site of Allegheny City, in 1806, and made her first voyage from Pittsburgh to the Mediterranean. The first steamboat built at Louisville was the GOV. SHELBY, 90 tons capacity, completed in 1817. The first at Jeffersonville was the UNITED STATES, commenced in 1818, hull towed to New Orleans, where she was finished. Her cabin built in New Orleans, and machinery, costing $65,000 in Scotland. The boat complete cost $132,000. [*Engines from Scotland intriguing and a prelude to the DELTA KING/DELTA QUEEN, in part, in Dumbarton, Scotland in the 1920s. Reasons for this varied] She was not finished until 1821, the first boat with an independent engine for each wheel." [*This may answer previous questions on Steamboats.org RE: 'independent engines]
R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati