Chapter 29
pages 155 - 161

BOATING.

      Early times there was but little boating on the Illinois, because there was but little to bring to the country, and less to take out of it. There were plenty of Indian canoes here, in those days; but when the Indians disappeared, canoes were not long disappearing. When white men had to do the work of making their small craft, they preferred making skiffs. Those who have never been accustomed to canoes will think this was a great change for the better. When timber became valuable, it was as a matter of economy, for each canoe required a whole tree, and a large one at that. Otherwise the canoe was the better boat for the Indian and the backwoodsman. Those accustomed to them could run them with great speed, and were in no danger of capsizing them.
     Pirogues and Mackinaw boats had been discontinued before I arrived. Several flat-boats (broad horns) were run out of the river with produce, in early times, but the steamboats soon superseded them. The Messrs. Voris built two or three flat-boats, on the bank of the lake, between Main and Fulton streets, about the years 1834 and 1835. I believe they built one as late as 1840. They carried mostly pork, but some whisky and other articles of country produce. Steamboats could have been obtained to carry the produce, but the other mode was thought to be cheaper; and besides, it gave the owner the choice to stop wherever he could find the best market.
     On the 10th of March, 1832, I arrived on a steamboat from St. Louis, which was the first that had been up, or that could come up, on account of the lateness of the ice in the river. It often happens that the river is open in January, as far up as Peoria; but that winter it froze up about the 25th of November, and so remained to the 10th of March, and but for a strong south wind which blew all day and broke up the ice, the steamboat could not have got in on that day.
     The winter of 1835-1836 was worse than this. The ice then became solid (if I remember correctly) on the 15th of November, and so remained until the 15th of March; but these were exceptions.
     I remember a steamboat coming from St. Louis to Peoria in the spring of 1832, of which one Smith, a man of showy appearance, was captain. Who he was I do not know, for I have never seen him since.   Shortly before this, say in November, 1831, Snatchwine, an Indian chief of the Pottawatamie tribe, whose village was about a mile above Chillicothe, had died, which threw the band into much grief, and some confusion. He had a son, a larger and a better looking man than Pottawatamies usually were; but, like many other Indians, he was a drunken fellow. For this or some other reason his authority was not much regarded by his tribe; yet he felt his consequence, and concluded to pay a visit to Captain Smith, on his boat. He had to walk a long plank to get on board. Before he was quite at the upper end, some mischievous fellows turned the plank, and threw him into the river. He came out perfectly wet, and in a high rage. The spectators began to reflect on what had been done, and became alarmed lest he and some of his tribe, who were near, might get up a row, and burn the boat or village; but no one present could understand a word he said, nor could he understand a word they said. In the mean time, Captain Smith, who was some where in the village, and heard of the muss, made his appearance, and pacified the Indian, by apologizing in a bland and familiar manner, in a language he did not understand a word of; The Indian's wrath cooled down, and he became mild and  good-natured, and I presume expressed his satisfaction in Pottawatamie, for he said much in a calm tone, that no one understood. Tone and gesture did the business.
     As time progressed, the business of the city greatly increased; and as there were no railroads in those days, the business of the city was done by steamboats. Brown's Directory for 1851 speaks thus of the steamboat business previous to that year: "The first steamboat that arrived at Peoria was the Liberty (formerly known as the Native), in the month of December, 1829. In the spring of 1830, Mr. John Hamlin went to St. Louis to make purchases to return to Peoria. He chartered the S. B. Triton to bring up his stock of goods. This was the second steamboat to this place. In 1832 the Fairy made a trip, and a contract was made by Mr. Hamlin to purchase one half of the boat on her return and delivery; but in a short time thereafter she was lost, near the month of the Missouri, on her upward trip. In 1833 three steamboats were running on the Illinois to this place, viz., the Exchange, Utility, and Peoria. In 1834 there was added to these the Express, Herald, Argus, and Winnebago. Others were added, as the commerce on the river increased, and in 1840 there were forty-four; in 1841,the number was sixty. From that time up to 1844 they had increased to one hundred and fifty different boats, seventeen of which were regular packets: and the number has been increasing ever since. Some of our citizens have become owners and part owners in some of them. In the spring of 1848, our enterprising citizen, Captain W. S. Moss, purchased the hull of one of the burned boats at St. Louis (the Avalanche), and had it towed up to Peoria. He had her put upon the stocks, about twenty feet added to her length, and completely rebuilt by Peoria workmen, and ready for the fall-trade of that year. The next spring, 1849, the keel of another steamboat was laid in Peoria, and furnished with the engine of the 'regon, which had been wrecked on Beardstown bar. The boat was commenced by Captain David Brown, who sold her before she was finished, and is called the Kingston, at which place she is owned (about 18 miles below this), and is engaged in the coal-trade, and towing canal-boats from Lasalle and intermediate points to St. Louis."
     He then goes on to give a list of all steamboat arrivals and departures during the year 1850, and the tonnage of all those boats, from which it appears that there were, during that year, engaged in the Illinois trade, as high up as Peoria, 59 steamboats, whose tonnage was rated at 9,463 tons, at ship carpenters' measurement; whereas it was well known that boats carry about a third more than the estimated tonnage, and that they carry much more down stream than upstream. And that the number of steamboat arrivals at our quay had been 1,236; about 300 more than there were in 1847. In addition to this, we had had more than double the number of canal-boats.
     Since that time, however, although the business of the country has immensely increased, yet railroad facilities have so far kept ahead of this increase that the steamboat business has greatly fallen off. Now there are only four regular boats running between Peoria and St. Louis; three of them only running as high up as Peoria, but one runs farther up, generally as high up as Lasalle. There are, however, generally about eight steamboats of a less expensive class, called tow-boats, the main business of which is to carry freight, partly in their holds, and partly in canal-boats and barges. They, however, carry some passengers.
     Compare the above with the following article taken from Drown's Almanac and Business Directory for 1851, and remark the contrast, and remember that the business of the country has greatly increased since then:
     "By this list it will be seen there have been fifty-nine steamboats engaged in the trade of the Illinois as high up as this city, whose tonnage is rated at 9,463 tons at ship carpenters' measurement; but it is a well-known fact that our steamboats will carry, about one-third more than the estimated tonnage, and also they carry much more down stream than up. There have been 1,236 arrivals of steamers at our wharf the past season, about 300 more than there were in 1847. In addition to this, we have had more than double the number of canal-boats. It will also be seen that this list does not take into account barges and flat-boats. I think the amount of produce exported from Peoria has equaled that of any preceding year, and it is well-known that our importations, including merchandise, lumber, etc., have been quadrupled."

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