AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 227 pretty certain that the trade would not profitably support two boats a lively competition at once began. The "Convoy" being the slower and heavier boat of the two the "Means" became the favorite with the traveling public, with whom speed was a factor, and her lightness enabled her to carry freight to better advantage during low water. It became apparent to the owners of the "Convoy" that they must make a change or go out of business. Accordingly that steamer was sold, and the S. U. Baker," one of the fastest boats on the river, which had been plying between Pittsburgh and Parkersburg, was purchased and fitted up for this trade. John Shouse was pilot, B. W. Doyle, clerk, and Nathan Wintringer, engineer. Now the conditions were reversed, the ":Baker" was able to show the "Means" her heels when the occasion demanded. A wharf-boat had been established at Steubenville by Capt. Whitaker O'Neal about 1842, but at this time it was owned by Col. Alexander Doyle, which was considered to be an advantage to the "Baker" or the "Doyle" boat as it was poularly called, as the "Means" was called the "O'Neal" boat from their principal, although, as we have seen, not the exclusive owners. To offset this real or supposed advantage the Means Company built a rival wharf-boat and tied it up just behind the other, so that the two concerns competed not only for the local but through traffic. The Civil War had begun, and notwithstanding railroad competition, river business was booming, and the excitement was almost as great as during the times of the Guelphs and Ghibellines, although not so sanguinary. Each morning as the boats pulled out from the wharf there was a crowd to see them off, the boats themselves were thronged with passengers for fares were cut in half and even lower. Sometimes when the "Baker" would try to forge ahead of the "Means" the pilot of the latter would "lock," that is run one boat over against the other until the guards would overlap and hold the steamers together in close embrace while the crews and even the passengers would exchange left handed compliments with each other. There was of course more or less friction, but on the whole the contest was carried on good humoredly, and after their six day rivalry the principals worshipped at the ,time altar in old St. Paul's. After a couple of seasons of this kind of business the owners began to realize that while they were paying running expenses they were accumulating no sinking fund to cover the depreciation of their pros erty. which is always rapid in the case of steamboats. Accordingly arrangements were made to consolidate the companies, which was accomplished. The " Means" was sold and the Baker" retained in the trade with O'Neal as captain and pilot, Doyle, clerk, and Whit ringer, engineer. After running for some months under this arrangement an offer was made by lower river parties for the " Raker" at considerable advance over her cost, for the necessities of the government had made steamboat prices abnormally high. Accordingly she was sold amid a cheaper boat purchased for the local trade named the "Henry Logan." About this time a company made up largely or Steubenville people had two steamers running in the Pittsburgh and Parkersburg trade, the "Grey Eagle," a large side-wheeler, and the "Forest City," a small sternwheeler. The business was not a paying one, and the boats were finally sold, the " Forest City" being bought to succeed I he "Logan." This boat continued in service until about 1875, when being worn out, a new hull was built at Brownsville and brought down to Steubenville to which the cabin and machinery of the "Forest City" were transferred, the new boat being named "Abner O'Neal." When the Pittsburgh, Wheeling & Kentucky Railroad, extending from the east end of the Pan Handle Railroad bridge to Wheeling was opened in 1876, it was expected to destroy or at least greatly diminish the Steubenville and Wheeling business. Accordingly the "O'Neal" was transferred to the Pittsburgh and Wheeling run in charge of Capt. 228 - HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY George E. O'Neal, who had been piloting on the lower river, John Edie, clerk, and Nathan Wintringer, engineer, while the "Oella," a smaller boat was procured for the local run. The trade increased instead of diminishing, and in 1883 the " C. W. Batchelor," a much larger boat, was built for the Pitsburgh trade and the "O'Neal" brought back to her old place. Capt. Abner O'Neal dying, his place was taken by his son, George E., and a new "Abner O'Neal" built, which was one of the finest and fastest boats ever on this run, being especially adapted to excursion business. The old "O'Neal" was sold to lower river parties, and her name changed to "Cumberland," her whistle being retained for the new boat on which William Wilkin was clerk. After three years' service she was sold to western parties, and the Wheeling trade seemed to be abandoned, although the "Phaeton" (built here), "Return," and some other boats ran spasmodically here and up the river to East Liverpool where there seemed prospects of better returns. When the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad was opened to this point the Olivette was put regularly in the East Liverpool trade and ran about a year when the experiment was abandoned. Later the Enos Taylor, F. H. Goebel and T. M. Bayne took up the Wheeling trade again, the latter in charge of Captain O'Neal, W. A. Tisher and Abner McCoy, and prospects seemed good for a permanent revival in this direction. But after running about eight years, the Bayne was cut down by the ice at the foot of Washington street on the night of January 21, 1904. This ended the Steubenville and Wheeling trade, although some feeble efforts were made to revive it. In 1836, Captain Devenny with Messrs. Roberts, Orr and Henning placed a fine side-wheel boat, the Eutaw in the Steubenville and Pittsburgh trade. She did a good business but about two years after her initial trip, while lying at the Steubenville wharf an explosion killed one of the crew, and injured several others. The boat was repaired and continued in this trade three years longer when she was sold and placed on the Wabash River. She was accompanied by the Steubenville, brought here by Captain Boggs and about 1840 was sold for service on the lower rivers. One or two trials were made after that, but the run was too short for through business and too long for local. It was April 1, 1842, that Charles Dickens .boarded the steamboat Messenger at Pittsburgh for Cincinnati. She had been recommended as less liable to blow up than most of her contemporaries, and had been advertised to start positively every day for a fortnight, and had not gone yet, nor did her captain seem to have any very fixed intention on the subject. It of course seemed strange to a visitor from the old world that a vessel should have "no mast, cordage, tackle, rigging or other boat-like gear, and except that they are in the water, and display a couple of paddle boxes they might be intended, for anything that appears to the contrary, to perform some unknown service, high and dry upon a mountain top." For the rest of this interesting description we must refer our reader to "American Notes." Nevertheless the high tide of river navigation was near at hand. There was the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati line composed at first of the Cincinnati, Buckeye State, Philadelphia, Allegheny, Brilliant, Pittsburgh and Clipper, giving a daily boat out from Pittsburgh with a rival line from Wheeling. The survivors of these boats were later transferred to the lower trade. Once while the Philadelphia was coming up the river she struck a rock just below Steubenville which knocked a hole in her hull, which was filled with hogsheads of sugar. She kept afloat until reaching the Steubenville wharf, when she went down, the water fortunately barely covering her lower deck. All hands were set to work pumping, baling and rolling the sugar out on the wharf. The sweet contents had been reduced to the consistency of cream which poured through the augur holes in the heads of the hogsheads. Never were the town youth in such AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 229 clover, if the metaphor may be pardoned. They filled themselves one and all with the delicious liquid, and that there was not a community of sick boys it was due to the fact that sugar is not as unhealthy as children are generally informed. A few hours straightened matters up, and the boat proceeded on its journey. A favorite river captain of the fifties was Charles W. Batchelor, afterwards surveyor of customs and a leading citizen of Pittsburgh, but then a resident of Steubenville. A genial pleasant gentleman but with vigorous will power. His boat, the "Hibernia," left Cincinnati on one trip in 1852 with 500 passengers for Pittsburgh. The crew of the "Hibernia" numbered 60. It was on this trip Captain Batchelor with a revolver in each side pocket and a number of his crew at his back went to the lower deck where there was a large number of the rough class of passengers determined not to pay their fare. The captain said to the men : "I am going to have every fare or a fight." There were a hundred not willing to pay, but they were when they observed game in the master and behaved themselves the rest of the journey. That same year a party of congressmen were on the Hibernia with their families home bound from Washington, and were two days out from Pittsburgh, heading toward their southern home. One of the congressmen from Texas knocked a young colored girl off of the piano stool, and the captain was hurriedly brought to the scene. He was told by the magnate "that was a nigger wench playing the piano." The master informed the big-feeling fellow that there was no rule on the boat barring a young woman from playing the instrument on account of color. The congressman was indignant and called it "a damned abolition boat." Captain Batchelor preserved order and the colored girl was not further molested, esPecially so because she had been requested to play the piano by one of the white ladies. There was no distinction on that boat when behavior justified good treatment, as it was in this particular case, notwithstanding the indignity to a lawmaker and a southerner. The position of the captain was indorsed by a majority on board ; whether or not it was his determination of the right thing to do, and it was done. The Texas representative found out that he could do some things at home that would not be tolerated elsewhere. In early times nearly all men employed as deck hands on steamboats were Americans, after which the Germans took to the river, followed at the outbreak of the war with an aggregation of the colored class, and they are still at it at 66 cents a day and board. One instance in the river life of Capt. C. W. Batchelor is that an Indian chief offered him "plenty of land" if he would make his habitation with the tribe, which was a semi-civilized class, located where Kansas City is now, although there was not a house there then. He refused the tender, although it would have made him worth millions. There was almost a military discipline on board of the packets, and every degree of duty would be carried out to perfection without undue ceremony in the way of orders. Each officer and worker about the boats seemed to thoroughly understand what was expected and exacted from him, moving along in their path with that regularity which gave confidence to the passengers that nothing would go wrong. "Beating" the boat was not an uncommon practice. A case is related of a man who had been carried from Wheeling to Cincinnati with the promise that he would pay his fare when the boat reached the wharf, as he would there be met by his family, who would have the money. Instead, the man sneaked off the boat, hid until the craft was leaving shore and then shook a big wad of money at the captain. Instantly the boat was ordered to make the shore. Off jumped the captain and in full speed overtook the rascal, beat him and caused the fare to be handed over. That man never tried to beat his way again. 230 - HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY The Arctic, Capt. Henry K. Reynolds, Steubenville, was a New Orleans packet, and one of the crack boats of the day. Then there was the Eunice, named for Mrs. Eunice Collier ; the Rosalie, a trim sternwheeler ; the Diurnal, Winchester, and original Forest City in the Wheeling and Pittsburgh trade, in all of which Steubenville men were interested; the boats of Capt. Henry Dohrman in the Mississippi River trade, and others, which, if they were all collected, would fill a volume. Although railroad competition was doing its work, yet the needs of the government during the war made steamboat business profitable and between 1857 and 1875 there were bet on the upper Ohio and Monongahela Rivers 649 steamboats, with an aggregate value of $22,000,000. The steamer Great Republic, built in 1867 at a cost of $375,000, was the finest conducted and equipped boat that ever left Pittsburgh wharf. Her hull was 344y. feet long ; freight capacity 4,000 tons ; cabin 300 feet long, 30 feet wide and 18 feet high. She was built in 1867 and made her maiden trip to New Orleans, where she remained in that trade. When she reached Steubenville bridge it was necessary to .take the ornamental work off the top of the pilot house to allow her to pass under the channel span. The new Winchester, built for the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati trade, was burned near. Babb's Island in 1.867, and twenty lives were lost. The Paragon was the largest freight boat built in Pittsburgh and could carry over 2,000 tons. On a passage from Cincinnati to Wheeling she carried 1,400 long tons on a six-foot stage of water and made the distance in forty-eight hours. That was in the year 1874 and she was destroyed by fire in 1875. Among the middle century boats on this end of the river the Sewickley was built in 1864, Bengal Tiger in 1853, Amelia Poe in 1865, John C. Calhoun in 1859, Minerva in 1863, John Hanna in 1865, Mollie Ebert in 1868, Juniata, older, Mary Davage in 1865, John T. McCombs in 1860, the City of Pekin in 1863, the A. Jacobs No. 1 in 1864, the Andy Fulton came out as a new boat in 1859, the J. I. Stockdale in 1863, Flora Temple in 1858, Clara Poe in 1859, Telegraph in 1859, Lone Star in 1859, Porter Rhodes in 1860, General Anderson in 1860, Emma Duncan in 1860, Daniel Bashnell in 1860, Sea Gull in 1863, General Grant in 1863, Yorktown in 1863, Big Foot about 18,60. The Chief Justice Marshall was also built in 1863, as well as others. Steamboat as well as other business suffered from the panic of 1873, but there had been a rapid decline before that period to such an extent that outside the coal traffic the Ohio was considered a back number for business purposes. About that time, however, there was a revival. We have noticed the changes and improvements in local boats, and the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati line was re-established, first with a tri-weekly service and then, with the two Wheeling boats, a daily service, including a fine class of sternwheel boats, such as the Katie Stockdale, Buckeye State, Hudson. Granite State, Scotia, Andes, and the side-wheeler St. Lawrence. There was the Emma Graham in the Zanesville trade, and boats running to Charleston and Parkersburg, W. Va., among which were the Greenwood, afterwards the Greenland, Ben Hur and others. A long boat, the Alice, W. P. Thompson and E. H. Durfee made weekly trips to St. Louis, and occasionally a through boat to New Orleans, although there was always opportunity for through connection below. Among the boats of that period were the big twins Dakota and Montana, 1,200 tons each, which made their 3,000-mile trips to Fort Benton, the head of navigation on the Missouri River. Other boats were the Cherokee, Telephone, Telegraph, J. Rhoades, F. W. Batchelor, Darling, etc. It looked as though old times had come again, but a series of bad seasons and better railroad facilities caused a falling off in trade, and as the steamers sunk, burned or were worn out they were replaced only in a few instances. The Pittsburgh and Cincinnati line is now reduced to two steamers, the Virginia and Queen AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 231 City, the Kanawha holds a single boat of that name, and the Muskingum route has been given up. The Katie Stockdale was used by the National Government to send supplies to the sufferers during the great flood of 1884. Serious river disasters during these latter years have been infrequent, but there was one just below Mingo Island on the night of July 4, 1882, that will long be remembered. On that day the side-wheel steamer Scioto had been chartered to take an excursion from East Liverpool and Wellsville to Moundsville, W. Va. She left that place early in the morning with more than 400 people aboard, in fact was so overcrowded that several became alarmed and disembarked at Steubenville on the downward trip. Nevertheless, there was no mishap until about 8 :30 p. m., when the boat on her return trip was opposite Devenny's warehouse, just above Cross Creek, when the small stern-wheeler John Lomas was coming down the river. There had been a change of Government signals only a few days before, and it is claimed the pilots did not understand each other. Be that as it may, the boats, instead of taking opposite sides of the river, came together, the bow of the Lomas striking the side of the Scioto, making a hole that caused her to sink in a few minutes in fifteen to twenty feet of water. The scene that ensued can be more easily imagined than described, as the mass of humanity found itself struggling in the water. .The Lomas, which was found not to be seriously injured, rendered efficient aid in rescuing the unfortunates, and in a few minutes there was a small fleet of skiffs engaged in the same work. Fortunately the hurricane deck was not covered and those in the cabin found refuge there until taken off. Upwards of seventy-five were drowned, all but five being men and boys, which was due to the fact that they were mostly on the lower deck when engulfed by the rushing waters, while the women were on the boiler or upper deck. A special train on the C. & P. road carried the survivors home, but for several days the grewsome search for the dead went on until all the bodies were recovered. Among the sad events of that dreadful night was the drowning of Captain Thomas's son and E. P. Smith, of Wellsville with his 'three children, aged 14, 8 and 6. E. J. Keller, of Steubenville, was pilot. No account of the Ohio River would be complete without reference to Samuel Burnell, the "hermit," who came to this vicinity about 1870 and took charge of the Government lights in the vicinity of Brown's Island. He built a little cabin among the thick hillside forest, just visible from passing boats, and there lie lived alone, doing his own cooking and household chores. When the boats passed they would sound their whistles, he would come out and salute, and then retire to his cabin again. His manner of life and reticence concerning his previous career led to a great deal of imaginary creations, the old familiar one of a love affair of course coming first, and when that was worn out mysterious hints of a "past" took their place, none of which probably had any foundation. lie had at least one grown-up son, who lived in the neighborhood, took the daily papers, was up on current events, and was familiar with prominent public men. He came to Steubenville whenever necessary to procure provisions or transact other business, and was always cordial and hospitable to visitors. The writer was well acquainted with him and secured what was probably the only photograph of him taken at his forest home, he complying with the request to pose without hesitation. He remained there until the infirmities of age compelled him to relinquish the place and was taken away by his son, with whom he remained until his death, so there is no mystery about that part of his life at least. The journey of the towboat Porter up the river thirty-five years ago is another memory of those days. The yellow fever broke out among the crew, a number of whom died and 'were buried at Gallipolis, O., where there was quite a local epidemic. 232 - HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY There was quite a panic along the river and the boat was not allowed to land, but continued on a floating hospital until the disease Spent its force. There was another great industry along the river thirty to sixty years ago which has become practically extinct, not through lack of demand for the product but exhaustion of the sources of supply. When the country was first settled the Allegheny Mountains were covered not only with the usual varieties of hardwood trees found in this latitude, but with immense forests of hemlock and pine. The settlement of the lower valleys created a demand for this timber for building purposes, and it was felled and bound together into immense rafts, some of them half an acre in area, containing more than 1,000,000 cubic feet of lumber. At first the rough logs predominated, which were floated to various saw-mills along the river, but finally the mills themselves moved up into the mountains, the logs were converted into boards and shingles, and the more finished product was ready to sell direct to the dealer. Acres of such rafts could be found after the spring floods tied along the Steubenville water front, principally north of Washington street, above and below the old McKinney saw-mill. They frequently remained there until " swimming time," and were fully utilized by the youngsters for diving purposes. From the upper waters of the Allegheny to the lower Mississippi was a journey of weeks, and it was a reposeful sight as the raft floated lazily along, the smoke curling from the impromptu cabin where the occupants slept. There was no danger of sinking or being blown up, although it frequently required work with the sweeps or steering oars to round the sharp turns and keep off the rocks and bars. While the ordinary river trade was relatively if not absolutely receding, another was growing to immense proportions, which increased the tonnage of Pittsburgh to a point above that of any other port in the country. As early as 1803 coal was shipped from the upper Ohio to Philadelphia via New Orleans, which was cheaper than trying to haul it across the mountains, but it was many years before there was sufficient demand to make it an important article of commerce. Wood and local coal banks furnished supplies along the valley, and down below there was still plenty of the former material. Gradually, however, as wood became scarcer and dearer, a permanent demand was created for the more reliable fuel. Banks were opened at various points along the river and the old-style barges, once the express boats of the stream, were devoted to the humble service of transporting black diamonds. The original plan was to lash two or more boats together, carrying 5,000 or 6,000 bushels apiece, and with a crew of several men float down as did the rafts on the spring and fall freshets, keeping their boats in the channel by the big sweep oars fore and aft. Their responsibility was greater than that of the raftsmen, for striking an object usually meant disaster, and the barges, loaded almost to the water's edge, required very different handling from the unsinkable raft. It was not until the forties that steam power was applied to "towing" these barges, and the Black Diamond, the pioneer side-wheel towboat, is still remembered. The situation, however, gradually developed a class of powerful stern-wheel boats, capable of handling twelve to fourteen boats and barges carrying 8,000 to 10,000 bushels apiece. The J. B. Williams was a great boat in her day, but in 1903 the acme was reached when the Sprague was launched and took south over 1,000,000 bushels on a single trip. A little figuring shows this to be 40,000 tons, an amount far beyond the capacity of any ocean steamer and which, if transported by rail in 100-ton cars, would require 400 cars, making a train about two and one-half miles long. A number of years ago 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 bushels were considered a good run, but with the growth of business and harbor facilities this has been increased to 18,- AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 233 000,000 and 20,000,000, with a year's aggregate reaching 50,000,000. Tows of small barges can be sent out when the marks show eight feet on the bars or ripples, but for a good run twelve to fifteen feet are necessary. The boats usually start when the river begins to fall after a freshet, so as not to get ahead of the crest of the flood. The sight when the coal fleet is going down the river is one not seen anywhere else in the world. The water is covered with acres of coal, each bunch having behind it a steamer of enormous power, the belching smoke and steam, paddling of great wheels, and this repeated for miles along the river is a sight "worth going miles to see." While the word "tow" is used from the old meaning of the word to draw or pull, yet in this case the barges are lashed together, making a solid mass, which is pushed by the boat from behind otherwise it would be impossible to handle them. Not only is this the most unique but cheapest transportation in the world, the cost of transporting a bushel of coal from Pittsburgh to the lower rivers not averaging over three-fourths of a cent. The engineer as well as the pilot has a busy time going down, constantly starting, stopping and backing while rounding the numerous curves but coming back the engines pursue their steady chug with scarcely an interruption as the steamer slowly pushes the empty barges against the stream. In winter, when the river is clogged with ice, the barges are strung out -behind tandem-fashion on the return trip and then there is actual towing, but this is not as satisfactory as the other method and only resorted to when necessary. A four-foot stage of water is necessary for the return trip. The business is not without its hazards to property at least. Ice is a great hindrance to winter runs, and there is a temptation to go out on an insufficient stage of water, particularly if the rest has been a long one, with the result of boats stranded on the bars or sunk by obstructions. The railroad bridges have also been a fruitful source of disaster, the boatmen having lost hundreds of thousands of dollars by sinking of boats at the Steubenville and Bellaire bridges. Numerous efforts have been made to have the channel span of the Steubenville bridge lengthened, but so far unsuccessfully. In the later seventies considerable coal was shipped from Steubenville to Cincinnati by water, the Swift Coal Company operating what was known as the Borland shaft at the southern end of the city, operating the towboat Michigan for that purpose. Another Steubenville towboat was the Annie L., owned by Dougherty Bros. A writer who is well informed has said that it required great nerve and hardihood to pilot the steamers of many years ago, when there were so many obstructions, and especially as the boats were packed frequently with humanity. Ile was right, for the narrow and tortuous channel was obstructed by rocks and sunken trees, which were a menace, and the river frequently spread over a large surface, making a shallow on top of a bar where a little concentration would have given a navigable channel. Then there was more or less shifting of the channel, although the Ohio was not to be compared with the Mississippi or Missouri in this respect. The Government first began to make improvements by removing obstructions and dredging, but it was evident that the latter could only be used to a limited extent, as the effect of cutting a channel through a bar was to lower the water in the pool above. In 1825 this plan was abandoned in favor of building wing dams and dikes for the purpose of narrowing the channel and giving increased depth, of which we have some notable examples at Brown's Island. This is the plan in use today and it has afforded considerable relief, although it is apparent that it is limited in its effect. About 1870 the Government adopted a system of lighting the river, in other words, giving pilots a light to steer by at night instead of depending on the tops of the hills, a very uncertain method on a dark night. The lights consist of a large oil lamp hung to a 234 - HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY post or some other permanent object with a white board behind it, a very effective arrangement. The keeper, who is usually somebody residing in the neighborhood, receives $15 a month for the care of each light, and the Government tender visits him periodically to pay his salary and furnish supplies. The first boat in this business was the side-wheeler Lily, commanded by Capt. George Vandergrift and later by Capt. Sheldon McCook. It has since been replaced by a light stern-wheeler named the Golden Rod, while the obstructions are cared for by the powerful snagboat E. A. Woodruff. In 1828 a private company built a lock canal around the falls at Louisville, since taken over and enlarged by the Government so that freight could be shipped to lower points even in low water without breaking bulk (in high water boats can descend the falls), but each year made it more evident that if the Ohio was to hold its place as a general commercial factor there must be some arrangement that should insure a depth of water that would permit the use of large and fast steamers at all seasons. Irregular freshets might do for coal runs but not for general passenger and freight traffic. Reservoirs were suggested to be placed in the mountains whereby water could be stored during the flood periods and released during droughts, but this was dismissed as impracticable, although it has lately been revived in connection with the other improvements. The coal men were solidly opposed to any permanent dams which would obstruct the river during floods, thereby compelling them to use locks where they now had a free passage; in fact they were opposed to dams of any kind. In order to reconcile these conflicting interests about 1872 the plan of building a system of movable dams began to be considered, and a commission of engineers was appointed to look into the subject, with a visit to France and Belgium to examine similar works there. As a result of this investigation Col. W. E. Merrill, corps of engineers, U. S. A., proposed in 1874 the introduction of the system of movable dams which is now being built. The first step in the scheme was to build Davis Island dam, immediately below Pittsburgh. At the time this was regarded somewhat as an experiment, as no other similar dam had ever been built on a large scale. It vas commenced in 1878 and opened to commerce October 7, 1885, having cost about $1,000,000. It has since been in successful operation continuously to the present day. Its chief office has been to give below Pittsburgh a deep pool, in which to accumulate the enormous tows of coal which are seen passing Steubenville on every rise in the river. Perhaps its most beneficial effect has been to convert the coal men to approval of the system, and they are now among its warmest advocates. This dam is planned upon the ideas of two French engineers, Chanoine and Pasqueau. It is built in sections, or wickets, of about four feet in width, each hinged to the bottom of the river and supported by 'a prop. By tripping the props sections of the dam can be lowered in succession so as to lie flat upon the bottom, thus allowing the passage of boats and tows of coal, steel, etc., freely over the dam as soon as the water reaches a stage high enough to permit them to go on down the river. The success and usefulness of the Davis Island dam having been proved by experience, about eighteen years ago the first step in the continuation of the system of locks and dams down to Cincinnati was taken, and the river is now slackwatered to a nine-foot stage from Pittsburgh to Rochester, twenty-eight miles below. Dam No. 6 below Beaver, No. 7 near Industry, No. 8 below East Liverpool, No. 11 below Brilliant, No. 13 below Wheeling, No. 18 below Marietta, No. 19 below Parkersburg, and No. 37 below Cincinnati, are in process of completion, and if the rapidity of Government work could be depended on should be ready this year. Surveys have been made for No. 10 at Wills Creek, above Steu- AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 235 benville, and No. 9, between that at Wellsville, which will give nine feet from here to Pittsburgh. The distance from Pittsburgh to the Cincinnati dam is about 481 miles, requiring thirty-seven dams at an average cost of a million dollars each, and a simple calculation shows that the cost per mile will be about $75,000. If this is compared with the cost of a railroad between the two points, and the enormous greater capacity of the river as a freight carrier is considered, the river improvement is presented in a very favorable light as an economical investment of the large sums which must be expended. Each dam is to be provided with a lock GOO feet long and 110 feet wide ; with but few exceptions the largest locks in the world. In all essential features except their size the locks are like those ordinarily seen on canals. When the river is below the stage of nine feet the dams must, be raised into position so that the pools will fill and give a depth of not less than nine feet at any point. In order to pass boats from pool to pool, either up or down the river, the locks will then be used, and for the passage through one about ten or fifteen minutes will be required. On account of the great size of the locks tows will be able to go through carrying as much freight as a large ocean steamer. It is probably not too much to say that the locks will be able to pass 15,000 tons each hour. When the river is high enough to permit it the dams will be put down, the locks will go out of commission temporarily and the packets and tows will use the open river freely, as they do now at times of high water. The result will be that except when ice is in the river, navigation will be continuous from year's end to year's end ; there will be a steady procession of tows of coal and iron going down and of empty fleets coming up, and the packets will be able to make regular trips at all times. When the dams now in course of construction are completed the citizens of the towns named can, if they choose, accumulate fleets of coal and iron in their pools, as is now done at Pittsburgh, ready for shipment on the first suitable rise of the river ; manufacturers owning water fronts will be able to use the river as a means of getting their fuel and for other purposes, and other benefits due to having deep water permanently in front of the towns will be felt. At each dam is a residence for the keeper and other necessary buildings. The importance and national character of this work may be better understood when it is known that coal was shipped down the Ohio destined for Japan, to be used by the Mikado's fleet in its fight against Russia. Manufactured goods from the headwaters of the Ohio River find their way down stream in vast quantities, for foreign shipment, and the tonnage even with the present handicaps runs far up into the millions. To complete this improvement to Cairo, its ultimate destination, will require sixty-eight locks and dams. It is a more important work than the Panama Canal and should be completed in time for this valley to reap the benefits of the great international waterway. D. J. Sinclair, the Steubenville member of the Ohio River Improvement Commission, has, with others, been working energetically towards this end. It has been suggested that 3,000 to 4,000 horsepower could be developed at each of these dams at an average of from seven to nine months in the year, and that the power would mean much for the manufacturing establishments, but this is a dream of the future. CHAPTER XV STEAM AND TROLLEY Railroads and Telegraph—Trolley and Telephone—An Electrical Centre in an Electric Age. The earliest railroad systems in Ohio were endeavors to connect the great lakes with the Ohio River, no one then seriously considering east and west trunk lines in this section, and their advantages over water transportation were not apparent, and the country too thinly settled to give, hope of much local traffic. The state canals, also mainly north and south, had been completed about 1830 at a cost of some sixteen million dollars, of which eastern Ohio contributed its full share but never received any benefit, and when it came to building railroads that had to be done without state aid. In pursuance of the policy above noted the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad was projected in 1844-45 to extend from the former city to Wellsville, and in 1850 the line was opened for traffic as far south as Alliance, where on January 3, 1852, it made connection with the Ohio & Pennsylvania road, now part of the Fort Wayne System, for Pittsburgh, giving railroad connection between that point and Cleveland. On March 4, 1852, the first train entered Wellsville, making direct connection between lake and river, and constituting what is now the main line of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad. By following the Yellow Creek valley this road passed through the north-east corner of Jefferson County, taking in what are now the towns of Hammondsville and Irondale, but it was too far from the center of population to be of much effect or utility so far as this county was concerned. So in 1847 a movement was started towards building a railroad to the west, which besides opening up the back country would connect with north and south lines projected from the lake to Cincinnati. There had been an embryo project for an eastern line in 1836, but it died bornin'. In February, 1847, the following citizens of Steubenville procured a charter for the Steubenville & Indiana Railroad from Steubenville to the Indiana state line : James Wilson, James Means, Nathaniel Dike, William McDonald, Daniel L. Collier, John Orr, John Andrews, David McGowan, James Gallagher, James McKinney, Roswell Marsh, James Turnbull and Alexander Doyle. There was plenty of enthusiasm but an equal lack of money, and for two years the enterprise languished. In 1850 the cause was taken up by Abner L. Frazier, James Parks and others, and Daniel Kilgore, a wealthy citizen of Cadiz, was induced to join in the enterprise. He removed to Steubenville, and with Mr. Parks canvassed the proposed route, soliciting stock, rights of way, etc. Some of their experiences were quite amusing, as most of the people had no idea whatever as to the nature of a railroad, some of them supposing it would be built in the air and - 236 - AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 237 thus run over their farms without interfering with their fields or stock, an impression which we are not sure the promoters always took pains to correct. In December, 1851, Mr. Kilgore died suddenly while in New York on railroad business, and was succeeded by James Means as president. Individuals and communities subscribed liberally, the city and township of Steubenville each taking $100,000 stock, citizens probably as much more, Cross 'Creek Township $30,000, with other subscriptions along the line and free rights of way. Mr. Parks, who had a dry goods store on the northeast corner of Fourth and Market streets, sold it out to give his entire time to railroad business. Ground was broken for the new line in the south end of the city in 1851, and work progressed with more or less interruption until October 8, 1853, when three locomotives, named Bezaleel Wells, James Ross and Steubenville, came puffing into the city across Mar-. ket street west of Sixth, drawing two cars. These engines and cars, as well as the rails with which the track was built, were brought down the river to Mingo from Pittsburgh in barges, where an incline was made from the water to the railway embankment for the purpose of bringing up supplies. Part of that incline was used for many, years after as a section of the county road, and some of it still remains as a connecting link between the Pan Handle and C. & P. systems. Roswell Marsh made an address at breaking the ground, and when the engines arrived on that pleasant Saturday afternoon a large crowd had gathered at. Washington street, which was the terminus of the line. Colonel Collier made a speech, flags fluttered and the band played, fire arms were discharged, the militia turned out, the train was inspected and a general good time prevailed. A free excursion followed, with William Hinckle, engineer ; Charles Butterworth, fireman ; Mr. Legare, of Baltimore, conductor, and George Kells, baggagemaster. We are not informed just how far out the road this train ran, but the line was not opened to Union port, twenty miles west, until two months later. The train on its return was greeted by another large and enthusiastic crowd. The following poster in possession of the writer officially announces the opening of the road for business. FIRST NOTICE ! Office of the S. & I. R. R. Co. Steubenville, December 17, 1853. The Company intend Running a Train of passenger and Freight Cars ! ! between Steubenville and Union Port [ Sec. 201 Commencing on Thursday, December 22d, 1853. Time of Starting Trains. Westward—Leaving Steubenville Station at 8 a. m. and 2 o'clock p. m. Eastward—Returning will leave Union Port (Sec. 20) at 10 o'clock a. m. and 4 p. m., stopping at intermediate stations, both going and returning. Fare thro' from Steubenville to Union Port, 60 cents ! For any distance within the limits of 3 miles, not less than 10 cts.; and over that distance at the rate of 3 cts. per mile, stopping at the following points going and returning: STATIONS. Mingo, - Section 3 Goulds, - “ 5 West End, - “ 8 Smithfield Crossing, - “ 11 Reed's Mills, '' 14 Bloomfield, “ 18 Union Port, “ 20 For further particulars call at the Company's office, Washington street between 6th and 7th streets, in Steubenville, or enquire of the Conductor on the train at Union Port. Passengers are particularly requested to purchase their tickets at the office before taking their seats in the cars. ISRAEL PEMBERTON, Chief Eng. and Supt., S. & I. R. R. Co. 238 - HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY The picture on the bill represents a locomotive and cars of that day, which are quaint enough, the smokestack especially approximating the size of the boiler, and making a huge inverted cone. Wood being the fuel used, it was necessary to cover the top of the stack proper with wire netting and in this inverted cone were collected the numerous sparks made by the furnace. With the introduction of coal the stack has gradually decreased in size until it is now but little more than a hole in top of the huge boiler. The Steubenville engines, however, were decidedly more modern than the pictures of that day, which were evidently taken from the first experiments in locomotive L. id car building. The engines above referred to were fully up to their times and were in use down to quite a recent period. The company purchased the residence of David Moody, on Washington street, for a depot, and the spacious grounds around were converted into yards, round house and machine shops, the car shops being located on the Means property between Washington and Market. The double parlors of the dwelling were used for ticket office and waiting room, the general offices being located upstairs. A car did duty for a freight depot until a covered shed was erected west of the dwelling. The first recorded freight shipped from Steubenville was from Hull, Wood & Co., December 24, 1853, to William and J. 1 lervey, of Union Port, one bag of coffee, one barrel of molasses, a barrel of mackerel and two boxes of candles. From the same firm to S. L. Hanna, Reed's Mills, one cheese box and one box of merchandise. Sharp & Craig also shipped to A. Holt, Cadiz, a consignment of stoves. The road was gradually extended to Newark, 117 miles west of Steubenville, which was reached on April 11, 1855, where it encountered the Central Ohio, which already had a track between Newark and Columbus. Here the Steubenville line stopped and an arrangement was made whereby its trains could run over the C. 0. track to Columbus, an undivided half interest being afterwards acquired in the same. Francis A. Wells was the first agent at Steubenville, having charge of both freight and passenger business, and was followed by John T. Neilson, and in 1856 by Ambrose S. Parks, who was succeeded by his son James. In 1865 the business was divided, William Hanlin becoming ticket agent, followed, by Mr. McCaskey, F. M. Bushong, James M. Reynolds, present county auditor, and W. S. Polen. present incumbent. C. & P. RIVER DIVISION. While this was going on a corporation was formed called the Steubenville & Wellsville Railroad Company, being part of a general plan to extend the Cleveland & Pittsburgh road up and down the river, forming the "River Division" between Rochester (from which there was already a line to Pittsburgh) and Bellaire, where connection would be made westward over the ('. 0. road already built to Columbus. and transfer over the river to the Baltimore & Ohio road to the east. This line was completed in the fall of 1856, and on September 16 of that year the first train ran through to Pittsburgh. "Rhode Island" was the name of the engine which was sold to the Government during the war, Sherman Brazette being engineer and Mr. Meaker conductor. A good many of the passengers took advantage of the train to attend a Fremont barbecue in Pittsburgh. Owing to the encroachments of the river a considerable part of the track was built on trestles, especially between Washington and Dock streets, in the city. The streets north of Washington at that time had undergrade crossings under the trestle work to the river. As the land was filled up between the streets Howe truss bridges were substituted for trestles across the highway, which were afterwards filled up to the track level. The first office of the company was in the large grain and feed mill on the corner of Market and Water Streets, where the Pittsburgh hotel now AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 239 stands. This mill burned on December 23, 1856, and the usual refuge, a car, served for freight and passenger stations until frame buildings were erected on land purchased from Gen. Samuel Stokley below South street, where the freight depot still remains. The line suffered much from floods in its early period and in 1862 was closed for ten days. The fact that in later floods traffic was resumed as soon as the rails were out of water indicates the more solid character of the roadbed. During the war this station, almost on the outskirts of the city, was the theatre of many interesting events, being on the only through line between the east and west it was the scene of arrivals and departure of troops, and from its platform were delivered speeches by Andrew Johnson, Parson Brownlow and other celebrities of that day. During this period an arrangement was made by the C. & P., S. & I., and Little Miami railroads for a through passenger line, known as the Pittsburgh, Columbus & Cincinnati, each road furnishing a certain quota of cars for a run without change from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati. The consequence was the abandonment of the S. & I. station except for local trains. The through trains would be made up there, run down to Mingo and backed up to the C. & P. station, where connection would be made with the train from Pittsburgh for the West. W. D. Howells in his "Modern Instance" gives an account of a journey westward through Pittsburgh and down the Ohio River to Steubenville, for which he has been criticised by some who only exposed their own ignorance. Howells was born in this valley and knew just what he was writing about, as his critics did not. In this connection was run one of the first sleeping car lines in the United States. The cars were owned by a Cleveland firm, Messrs. Myers, Furnace & Lyman, and J. C. Doyle was the local agent and manager, the run being between Steubenville and Cincinnati. The cars of that day were not as luxurious as the present Pullmans, but quite as com fortable. The upper berths, instead of being on hinges, slid down from the ceiling on upright iron rods. This arrangement continued until the opening of the Pan Handle line to Pittsburgh in 1865. The first C. & P. agent here was Joseph Johnson, with his son, Dr. J. J. Johnson in the ticket office, and J. C. Doyle in the freight department. In the course of a few months Mr. Johnson retired, Mr. Doyle succeeding him, and with the exception of about a year remained until his death, in 1885. The other agents were David Myers, Mr. Crawford, S. R. Magee, A. S. Doyle, William R. Zink and George Collins. A. M. Wynkoop succeeded Dr. Johnson as ticket seller, lie in succession by Messrs. Town, Ross, John Fox, Robert Wolf, John Campbell, George C. Dickinson, Edwin Permar and Philip Schreiber. In 1865 a new passenger station (now an old one) was erected at the foot of Market street, and the freight and passenger departments separated. The old freight depot was burned a few years ago and replaced by the existing one, occupying the site of the former passenger station on the west side of the track. While C. & P. passenger trains began running into Pittsburgh from the time the track was laid to Rochester, Pa., yet it was only by sufferance of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago road and over its tracks. But about 1863 a consolidation of these two lines was effected by which a double track was to be constructed east of Rochester at the expense of both roads and the net earnings were to be pooled, the Fort Wayne stockholders receiving 71 per cent thereof and the C. & P. 29 per cent. Neither road, however, was profitable to its stockholders and a few years later a new organization, known as the Pennsylvania Company, an adjunct of the Pennsylvania Railroad, leased both roads for ninety-nine years, agreeing to pay the stockholders an annual dividend of 7 per cent. This was a wonderful investment for some who had purchased their stock as low as 12 1/2 cents on the dollar, but during the period subsequent to the panic of 1873 240 - HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY there was so much doubt as to the ability of the lessees to carry out their agreement that C. & P. stock sold as low as 66. There was never a default in payment, however, and for years the stock in both roads has been above par and practically out of market. The C. & P. always had the reputation of being a well managed road and singularly free from fatalities. Both main line and river division are practically double tracked, and the only fault to find with this as well as the Pan Handle system are the miserable passenger accommodations at Steubenville. This road has about forty-nine miles of main tracks in Jefferson County, most of it doubled, and follow ing are the stations with their distance in miles from Steubenville :