Steamboating colleagues:
Returned from northern Michigan last week and settled here in Cincinnati. Yesterday I received an interesting inquiry from a research specialist with Steamship Historical Society of America RE: "Question on steamboat travel down the Mississippi to New Orleans in 1860...number of landings, how many days?" I dug in here finding some figures for steamboats to New Orleans from Cincinnati and Pittsburgh listing 'some' stops, days enroute down and back--roughly.
I replied that days and landings varied with the boat, type of cargo, weather, navigation conditions, Mississippi River currents upbound etc. noting other landings made for fuel, cord wood, some 'nut coal'--even mechanical/boiler repairs along the way.
Those of you with more familarity with the Mississippi may have have information not known to me. Could any Steamboat.orger step to the microphone with what you may know and have found? I'll keep digging here.
R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati
Returned from northern Michigan last week and settled here in Cincinnati. Yesterday I received an interesting inquiry from a research specialist with Steamship Historical Society of America RE: "Question on steamboat travel down the Mississippi to New Orleans in 1860...number of landings, how many days?" I dug in here finding some figures for steamboats to New Orleans from Cincinnati and Pittsburgh listing 'some' stops, days enroute down and back--roughly.
I replied that days and landings varied with the boat, type of cargo, weather, navigation conditions, Mississippi River currents upbound etc. noting other landings made for fuel, cord wood, some 'nut coal'--even mechanical/boiler repairs along the way.
Those of you with more familarity with the Mississippi may have have information not known to me. Could any Steamboat.orger step to the microphone with what you may know and have found? I'll keep digging here.
R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati
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