Steamboats played a major role in the 19th-century development of the Mississippi
River and its tributaries by allowing the practical large-scale transport of
passengers and freight both up- and down-river. Using steam power, riverboats
were developed during that time which could navigate in shallow waters as well as
upriver against strong currents. After the development of railroads, passenger
traffic gradually switched to this faster form of transportation, but steamboats
continued to serve Mississippi River commerce into the early 20th Century.
The Mississippi is one of the world’s great rivers. It spans 3,860 miles of
length as measured using its northernmost west fork, the Missouri River, which
starts in the Rocky Mountains in Montana, joining the Mississippi proper in the
state of Missouri. The Ohio River and Tennessee River are other tributaries on
its east, and the Arkansas, Platte and Red River of Texas on the west. The
Mississippi itself starts at Itasca Lake in Minnesota, and the river wends its
way through the center of the country, forming parts of the boundaries of ten
states, dividing east and west, and furthering trade and culture.
Vessels were made of wood—typically ranging in length from 40 to nearly 300 feet
in length, 10 to 80 feet wide, drawing only about one to five feet of water
loaded, and in fact it was commonly said that they could "navigate on a heavy
dew." The boats had kingposts or internal masts to support hogchains, or iron
trusses, which prevented the hull from sagging. A second deck was added, the
Texas Deck, to provide cabins and passenger areas. All was built from wood.
Stairs, galleys, parlors were also added. Often the boats became quite ornate
with wood trim, velvet, plush chairs, gilt edging and other trimmings sometimes
featured as per the owner's taste and budget. Wood burning boilers were forward
center to distribute weight. The engines were also amidships, or at the stern
depending on if the vessel was a sternwheeler or sidewheeler. Two rudders were
fitted to help steer the ship.
Vessels, on average, only lasted about five years due to the wooden hulls being
breached, poor maintenance, fires, general wear and tear, and the common boiler
explosion. Early trips up the Mississippi River took three weeks to get to the
Ohio. Later, with better pilots, more powerful engines and boilers, removal of
obstacles and experienced rivermen knowing where the sand bars were, the figure
was reduced to 4 days. Collisions and snags were constant perils.
