IOWA HISTORY PROJECT |
Captain E. H. Thomas
Life On The Mississippi
Table of Contents
| Chapter I OLD BOATS AND OLD MASTERS AND PILOTS Chapter II THE STEAMBOAT COMPANIES Chapter III PILOT LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI When Railroads killed River Business Chapter IV THE IOWA AND CEDAR RIVERS How Railroad Bridges Stopped the Steamboats--Incidents of Early River Traffic to the Interior of the State Chapter V OLD TIMES ON THE DES MOINES NAVIGABLE THEN AND NAVIGABLE NOW Capt. Feris the Only Person Now Living Who Knows the Whole Story THE CRIMINAL CLASS ON BIG RIVER The Workers Were Honest and Industrious Floating Population that inhabited caves in bluffs, the Willow Islands and traveled in House Boats Chapter VI SUPERSTITIONS OF RIVERMEN Legend of the Three Horse Shoes-Sprinkling the Decks with Flour-- Consulting the Dream Book Chapter VII FER AFLOAT THAN ON SHORE LOSS OF LIFE ON RIVER STEAMERS Boiler Explosions and Storms and the Havoc Caused by Them Chapter VIII BRIDGES MENACE TO NAVIGATION Serious Work for the Pilots in Taking Boats Through the Bridges at Davenport, Burlington, Quincy and Hannibal Chapter IX SOME MISTAKES OF RIVER PILOTS When the Bluff Loomed up in Front Perils of High Water when River Slopes both Ways From the Center Chapter X ASIATIC CHOLERA ON BIG RIVER DEATHS AMONG ROUSTABOUTS AND DECK PASSENGERS Bodies were Lashed to Boards, Loaded with Old Iron and Shoved Overboard. Chapter XI GOLDEN DAYS ON THE RIVER SUPPLYING SAW MILLS FROM DAVENPORT DOWN. Manner of Joining Sections of the Raft Together--Pilot Life on the Big Stream. THE PILOTS. IOWA RIVERS ARE NAVIGABLE And congress should order the bridges opened Navigation of Des Moines Regarded as a Legend Chapter XII DARK DAYS FOR RIVER PILOTS When the life went out of steam boating, They Waited Around the Landing, Hoping against Hope-driftwood Chapter XIII WELL KNOWN CHARACTERS: WHEN LON BRYSON STRODE THE HURRICANE DECK Capt Woodward, Steve McBride and Andy Pitts-Transporting Lead and Whiskey in Early Days MYSTERY OF DUTCHMAN’S ISLAND DISSAPPEARANCE OF WEALTHY GERMAN IMMIGRANT. Large Fortune Buried Near Fort Madison -- The Pilots Association of Long Ago. Chapter XIV RIVER HISTORY IN COMPILATION STATE OF WISCONSIN LEADING IN THE WORK. Collecting Great Quantities of Records and Photos-The Des Moines River is Navigable. Chapter XV CRUISE OF A BANKRUPT STEAMER CAPTAIN AND CLERK DESERT WITH ALL THE MONEY. Pilots and Engineers Took Turns On the Roof--Old River Men Usually were Democrats Chapter XVI THE OLD WHITE COLLAR LINE So named as a result of rivalry in dress When Five Steamers Were aground at the Head of Rush Chute Bad Places Between Burlington and Skunk River. Chapter XVII RIVER HELPED DEFRAUD REVENUE DISTILLERIES THAT ESCAPED THE GALLON TAX Old Tax-Dodgers Now Gone to Their Reward. Straightening The Des Moines Chapter XVIII THIRTY YEARS OF HIGH FREIGHT A TREMENDOUS TAX ON THE PEOPLE’S RESOURCES Downward revision of Freight Rates is needed-river improvement and Water Transportation is the Solution Chapter XIX RISE OF DIAMOND JO. REYNOLDS COMMENCED BUSINESS IN DUBUQUE AS A GRAIN BUYER THEN MADE A FORTUNE SPECULATING IN WESTERN MINES -- WHY CAPTAIN SANDERSON WAS BURIED ON HICKORY ISLAND. Chapter XX WHEN MONTROSE WAS A LIVE TOWN LIGHTERING FREIGHT SHIPMENTS OVER LOWER RAPIDS. Circus Gangs and Other Bad Men Who Were Beaten Up in the Attempt to Terrorize the Town. Chapter XXI EARLY FREIGHTING ON DES MOINES OLD BILLS OF LADING BROUGHT IN EVIDENCE. Only Bridges are in Way of Successful Navigation of Des Moines River Today Chapter XXII History of old Burris City A RIVER LANDING THAT WAS BELOW HIGH WATER MARK Once had a Hotel, newspaper, paved streets and many brick buildings up Against a River flood-Keokuk’s great failure Chapter XXIII FAMOUS POEM RECITED BY HOBBS Used At Temperance Meetings in Dallas City Jim Bludso Legendary Hero of Old Steamboat Days- The Story of Bill Henderson. A Frenzied Financier Chapter XXIV MAROONED WITH A PIRATE CREW A Captain Kidd of the Upper Mississippi Difficult--Navigation at Lime Kiln Crossing--Responsibility of the Engineers Chapter XXV DALLAS CITY ONCE INLAND TOWN Political deal returned her to river map Putting in Shore Protection at Ottumwa-Spooks that Rang Pilot Bells Chapter XXVI SHIPPERS SHOULD STAND BY BOATS The Secret of Building Up River Traffic Chapter XXVII TONNAGE WANTED FOR THE BOATS Shippers Hold Key To Situation If Steamers do Not Receive Shipments, River Will Not be Used Chapter XXVIII RIVER TRAFFIC CAN BE RESTORED Upper Mississippi Cities Should Act The Great Advance of Cheap Water Transportation In Building Up Industries Chapter XXIX IDEAL LOCATION FOR A CITY BENCH LANDS ADJACENT TO RIVER AT LOMAX CAPT. E. H. THOMAS Writes Concerning W. T. Love’s Great Enterprise-River Reminiscences Chapter XXX SHOULD IMPROVE RIVER LANDINGS PRESENT CONDITIONS A DISGRACE TO TOWNS. Great Possibilities inherent in the Des Moines River--Letter From Capt. Fred A. Bill Chapter XXXI SLACK WATER NAVIGATION The Upper Mississippi Fifty Years Hence Beautifying The River Fronts To Be Taken in Hand by the Women’s Clubs Chapter XXXII IOWA RIVERS SHOULD BE LEVEEIED RECLAMATIONOF MANY THOUSNAD FRUITFUL ACRES Shippers must Co-Operate in River Improvement-The Phantom Raft Chapter XXXIII HAWSHAW WAS A TERROR Old -time Inspector of River Steamers Comparisons between Ocean and river Regulations-Transportating Raft Crews Chapter XXXIV HEATHFULNESS OF THE RIVER Atmosphere Over The Water Purifies Itself Unique Suggestions For a Floating Sanitarium-Comment on Disasters On the Water Chapter XXXV PROBLEM OF RIVER OVERFLOW Reservoirs Most Rational Remedy Excess Water Furnishes Opportunity for Lateral Canals to Carry Commerce. Chapter XXXVI ANDREW BURTON’S ADVENTURE Led Relief Party that Rescued John C. Fremont Afterward Built Ferry Boat at Nauvoo-More About Capt. Mose Hill. Chapter XXXVII SILAS HAIGHT WAS A PROFANE MAN He Ran Steamer Countess in Burlington Trade. Did No Loafing at the Landings But Hustled Up and Down Stream. Chapter XXXVIII Steel Hull Now are Cheapest When the Great River Was Covered With Boats The Wolverton Brothers Built a Continuous Hull, Sawing It Off Where The Customer Directed Chapter XXXIX STEAMBOATS BURIED UNDER FARMS A Wrecked Boat Buried Every Seven Miles from the Mouth of the Missouri Clear Up to Great Falls. Chapter XL ON THE DES MOINES IN N THE ‘50’S Paid for Herself in On Season Operating a Ferry Boat at Keithsburg Chapter XLI (incomplete) GOVERNMENT SUPERVISION GOOD. Few Serious Accidents on the river Severe Penalties for violations of the Marine Laws- blessings of Marine Hospital System Chapter XLII A STEAMBOAT ON HENNEPIN
Chapter XLIII |
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