Novel Research Request #2

Loren: As mentioned before, see Alan Bates' fine books: The Western RIvers Steamboat Cyclopaedium and his Western Rivers Engine Room Cyclopaedium...facts, figures, drawings...the works! I think both out of print but you can find them here and there. Cap'n Walnut

You might also try the Steamboat Arabia web site. I don't think they show a deck plan online anymore, but here is the web site: Steamboat Arabia Museum

Missouri River Steamboats

The Missouri River steamers were a breed to themselves. These vessels were not the nodding deep water boats of the lower Mississippi River. The average Missouri River packet was a sternwheeler 165 feet long not including the wheel. It was 30 feet wide and its draft was about 4 feet when loaded and 20 inches empty. The weight of the boat was close to 300 tons and its capacity was between 200-300 tons. Most “mountain boats” had two decks with the pilot house on top although some had a texas deck with luxurious cabin space. [1]

The cost of operation exclusive of wood was approximately $150 per day. Burned at a rate of one cord per mile on the Missouri, the average expense for wood was $100 per day. The total operational cost per day was $250. To cover the expenses and realize a profit, the freight charges were about ten cents per pound. The initial construction cost of an average sized mountain boat was $10,000 to $12,000. [2]

Steamboats burned 20 to 25 cords of wood per day. That equates to 40 trees per day. Crews often had to cut their own wood — a dangerous endeavor on the Missouri where Indians took great delight in ambushing wooding parties.

References.
[1] John G Lepley, Packets to Paradise Steamboating to Fort Benton, (River & Plains Society, 2001), p 81.
[2] John G Lepley, Packets to Paradise Steamboating to Fort Benton, (River & Plains Society, 2001), p 80.

The Cyclopoedium books are both available from The Howard Steamboat Museum, 1101 East Market St., Jeffersonville, IN 47130. They are now publishing these books.

With wide variations of cost. Bertrand, for example, cost $29,000.00 when new. Pilots made $500.00 per month, more or less, engineers about 2/3 of that, plus master, mate, deckhands, cook and carpenter. I don't know where Lepley got his cost statistics, but be careful of blanket statements such as these.

I have plans for the 1850 sidewheeler Buckeye State. They show the layouts for all the decks and cabins. Adrawing of the engine is included. She was an Ohio RIver packet but the layout is typical for a steamboat of the preiod. Check out my internet plans catalog at Paddlewheels and Props - Riverboat and Tugboat Plans for Model Builders You can get to it from this site by clicking of the models category.

*RE: 'Cost variations/Pilot wages then*
Hi, Alan & steamboating colleagues:
Intersting figures above on cost of the BERTRAND. Looking through the Howard Shipyard building costs you wonder how they did it. A dollar worth a lot more with wages low.

I found a reference in some Mark Twain materials in which the researcher 'guestimated' his salary then being in the area of $70,000 today. Bank/currency conversion rates from then to today vary. That gave me a moment of pause. Any ideas? Well, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.

Dale, if that "guesstimate" is true, he would have been on the low end of the scale. I'd say AT LEAST half again, maybe more.