Steamboat People, page 1 Doc Hawley at the NATCHEZ calliope Oct 1989. Steamboat Natchez Youtube LouisianaHumanities Published on Feb 4, 2016 Captain Clarke "Doc" Hawley gives a Louisiana Cultural Vistas tour of the Steamboat NATCHEZ. Visit knowlouisiana.org. Captain Doc Hawley" originally aired on October 7th, 2015 Doc Hawley on WWNO radio program . . . there are 2 other episodes at the link that include Holly but they recycle what is heard on the 2015 broadcast which is representative of him americanroutes.wwno.org FROM THE SHOW: RIDING THE RIVERS AND RAILS: JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE AND CAPTAIN DOC HAWLEY October 7th, 2015 - SEGMENT From the show "Riding the Rivers and Rails: Justin Townes Earle and Captain Doc Hawley" originally aired on October 7th, 2015 Photo of Captain J.R. Peterson taken with passenger Erba Heckel in front of the DQ pilot house Aug 26, 1938. I also have a letter from Capt. P. to Erba and her sister Elizabeth dated Sept 18, '38 thanking them for this photo and apparently some others that I don't have. I suppose it's possible that the woman in the picture is Elizabeth instead of Erba but I'm going with my first choice . . . Fred Way Jr. aboard the Washington, autographed. Tom Greene from the Aug '45 YANK . . . Mary Greene at the helm of the Gordon C. Greene from the '45 YANK. Photo of an unidentified pilot taken in St. Louis, perhaps in the 1880's, it's not dated and there's nothing on the Elite studio online. Note anchor design buttons on his coat. Had to pay a handsome price on eBay, thankfully (I guess) nobody outbid me. I scanned it large, retouched the worst blemishes from face and uniform and it by half. Jim Hale suggested that he could be an Anchor Line pilot but anchors on buttons for nautical uniforms have been common for centuries. In Chapter 25 of Life on the Mississippi Mark Twain commented on how uniforms were a surprise to him when he revisited the Mississippi River and steamboating in 1882. In the pre-Civil War era the officers wore civilian dress: Uniforms on the Mississippi! It beats all the other changes put together, for surprise. Still, there is another surprise - that it was not made fifty years ago. It is so manifestly sensible, that it might have been thought of earlier, one would suppose. During fifty years, out there, the innocent passenger in need of help and information, has been mistaking the mate for the cook, and the captain for the barber - and being roughly entertained for it, too. But his troubles are ended now. And the greatly improved aspect of the boat's staff is another advantage achieved by the dress-reform period. Eddie Bayard of New Orleans is a jazz musician and was leader of The Bourbon Street 5 when it played on the maiden voyage of the Mississippi Queen which began on July 20, 1976. Eddie kindly bestowed this field drum, especially made for that first year of cruising that coincided with the Bicentennial year. It was carried by drummer Ronnie White when the group played on deck or marched on shore. Eddie wrote "Most of my stuff washed out with Katrina, but the drum was safe upstairs." The drum was specially customized with the text: "THE QUEEN'S OWN" (band) and the names: CAP (Captain Ernest Wagner) BETTY (Betty Blake, tireless promoter of the Delta Queen Co.) EDDIE (Eddie Bayard, cornet) BILL (Bill Coburn, trombone); FUZZY ("Fuzzy" Ballard, clarinet) VIC (Vic Tooker, banjo and calliope player). RON (Ronnie White, drummer) STAN (Stan McCauley, piano) DAVE (Dave Jacobs, bass) Attached photo of the drum here at home and a photo of The Bourbon Street 5, also provided by Eddie Bayard. The Mississippi Queen was built by Jeffboat Inc. in Jefferson, Indiana, from 1973 to 1975 and launched on November 30, 1974. Until her christening on April 20, 1975, in Louisville, KY, she was referred to as "Hull 2999." - Dave Jazz Band Bourbon Street. Jim Swift (long time editor of the Old Boat Column for The Waterways Journal) and myself in the St. Louis office of the WJ in October, 1988. The steamboat ambiance is strong in the office with photos, paintings and at least one model as I recall. Jim was always a fun person to visit with in St. Louis and up at Keokuk during the Midwest Riverboat Buffs gatherings. Included is a link to a posthumous collection of Jim's writings published by Jack Simpson who was the editor of the Waterways Journal when I visited there in '88. Backing Hard Into River History by James V. Swift littleriverbooks.com 384 pages. 198 illustrations. Hard cover. Nonfiction. Little River Books. It covers the last 100 years of river development and the towing industry; the 112-year history of The Waterways Journal, known affectionately as the "riverman's bible" and the author's 60-year love affair with both. Link to Chapter 13 of Jim's book: littleriverbooks.com Forgot the captain of the SPIRIT OF SACRAMENTO took this photo some eight years or more ago with the DELTA KING looming out front through the pilot house window. John Fryant, the most accomplished steamboat model maker in the world (left) with the late Ralph DuPae (steamboat photo maestro for the Murphy Library) in Fryant's basement workshop. John was in the process of building a large scale sidewheeler here. Below are John Fryant's memories on the photo of himself with Ralph DuPae. - Dave Wonder who took that one? My Wife, maybe. It was in the basement of our little house in Virginia during the time I was building the Rob't. E. Lee model for Mud Island in Memphis. I would date it about 1979 or 80. The late Michelle Kingsley was around at that time - maybe she took the shot. Attached 1939 press release photo of the lady president of the Seattle based Skagit Navigation & Trading Co. and how she and her son were virtually held up at gun point for $500.00. Biographical material from online resources about Anna G. Grimison, her father Capt. Henry H. McDonald and his steamboat line which she eventually took charge of follow the news item. ACME NEWSPICTURES SAN FRANCISCO BUREAU VICTIM OF $500 ARMED ROBBERY SEATTLE, WASH - MRS. ANNA G. GRIMISON, HEAD OF A STEAMBOAT COMPANY, WHO WAS FORCED BY ROBERT CAMPBELL TO WRITE A CHECK FOR $500 AND HELD AT GUN POINT WHILE HER SON CASHED THE DRAFT. (LA PORT CL ST) 1-2-39 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anna G. Grimison in the 1940 United States Federal Census: Born about 1881 in Canada of English descent Has resided since 1935 in Seattle, King County, Washington ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anna's Papa: Capt. Henry H. McDonald (1857-1924) A native of Nova Scotia, McDonald came to the Puget Sound in about 1886 and with his sternwheelers and steamboats like the GLEANER and the SKAGIT CHIEF. McDonald fought a successful 15-year battle with Great Northern Line's James J. Hill to compete for freight shipped to and from the Skagit River. McDonald's daughter Anna G. Grimison later became president of her father's Skagit River Navigation & Trading Co. and gained fame as a steamboat captain in the Tugboat Annie mold. skagitriverjournal.com I located the following from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse magazine the LANTERN Summer 2012: "For 34 years La Crosse native Ralph DuPae crisscrossed the country asking steamboat photo collectors to share a copy of their prints. When DuPae died in 2008 at the age of 83, his passion was responsible for the world's largest collection of steamboat photos." Ralph DuPae, right and Dave Thomson left aboard the GEO. M. VERITY during reception night on a Friday for a Midwest Riverboat Buffs weekend at Keokuk, Iowa in October 1988. "I talked to Ralph for over an hour over the phone the day before he passed on. Ralph shared many hilarious and amazing true stories of his life in the Navy during WW2 and the way he said "Good bye" to me at the end of the conversation had a profound implication. The next day Ralph's wife Kathleen called me to tell me of his passing and we talked about him and their lives together for a long time then and in subsequent conversations. Ralph and Kathleen were very hospitable to me during my visits to La Crosse, they always welcomed me as a close friend and it was a pleasure and honor to spend time with them." add to river room 79 DT on Sun Deck added to new Delta Queen page 80 added to illustrations 18 81 J.S. postcard added to photos4 Captain Doc Hawley conversing with Alan Bates on the Muskingum River excursion sternwheeler VALLEY GEM. Alan Bates - Star player of Steamboatmen For Steamboat People, a photo of Alan Bates as 1st Mate on the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE. Alan led the restoration of the former IDLEWILD/AVALON into what became the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE. Alan designed the NATCHEZ at New Orleans and the GENERAL JACKSON at Nashville among his many other achievements. He was editor of the Old Boat Column for The Waterways Journal and a member of The Sons & Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen. Alan authored a number of books on steamboat lore and memoirs of his own life and times including: The Belle Of Louisville, 1965 The Western Rivers Steamboat Cyclopoedium: or, The American Riverboat; Structure amp; Detail, Salted with lore; with a nod to the Model Maker, 1968 The Western Rivers Engine Room Cyclopoedium, 1996 Alan Bates' obituary (at this site) - click here. Portrait of Steamboat Captain Julius Oliver I REMEMBER THE T. J. POTTER FROM BACK WHEN I WAS INTO THE COLUMBIA RIVER STEAMBOATS. I STILL THINK THEY WERE FINE BOATS. I LIKED THE STERNWHEELERS BETTER THAN THE SIDEWHEELERS. I LIKE THE PICTURE OF THE CAPTAIN. HE LOOKS SMART IN HIS CAPTAIN'S CAP AND HIS UNIFORM COAT WITH PLACARD FRONT AND ANCHORS ON HIS COLLAR HE LOOKS QUITE THE PART OF A STEAMBOAT CAPTAIN. ON THE SOUTHERN RIVERS THEY NEVER DID WEAR UNIFORMS, BUT WORE SUITS AND A DRESS HAT LIKE A BANKER. SOME PILOTS WORE A PLAIN BLACK NAUTICAL CAP SOMEWHAT LIKE A GREEK FISHERMAN'S CAP. - JIM HALE Thanks for the info on the Potter and her captain. He certainly looks young in the photo. The Potter was indeed a handsome boat. I have plans of her drawn by the late Ed Newbauer, who drew up plans for many of the Columbia River steamers. I have copies of all of his plans, I think. I don't know if anyone still sells prints of them or not. He was the "Alan Bates" of the Columbia River boats. - JOHN FRYANT Here is a cabinet card photograph of a man in uniform: Julius Oliver, one of the Captains of the majestic Columbia River sidewheeler T.J. POTTER which is pictured in the other photo as she looked after her 1901 remodeling when her flat roofed pilot house was given a domed roof and a curved front bulkhead. From a news article in The Oregon Daily Journal Portland, Oregon - June 25, 1913: Captain Julius Oliver, formerly a Willamette and Columbia river steamboat man, said that he was in White Horse, Yukon territory, for the first time on June 17th, as the result of a big fight between the two steamboat companies running out of Fairbanks. The distance from Fairbanks to White Horse is over 1400 miles. "This is a little longer run than on the Yamhill." said Captain Oliver. He is now connected with the Northern Alaska Steamship company. The following excerpts come from Wikipedia articles: Captain Oliver's irony in comparing the 1400 mile stretch he navigated on the Yukon with the 11 mile Yamhill River is explained: [The Yamhill River that Captain Oliver referred to is an 11-mile tributary of the Willamette River, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by the confluence of the South Yamhill River and the North Yamhill River about 3 miles east of McMinnville, it drains part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range. The river meanders east past Dayton to join the Willamette River at its river mile 55, south of Newberg. It is likely that Yamhill was the 19th century white settlers' name for a tribe of Native Americans, a Kalapuya people who inhabited the region. The Yamhill people were among 27 bands and tribes moved to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, formally established in 1857.] When launched in 1888, the T.J. POTTER was named after first the vice president of the Union Pacific Railroad's operations in the West. She was built entirely of wood by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, owned by John F. Steffan. She was built for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. Her upper cabins came from the steamboat WIDE WEST. This required some structural modifications, because the T.J. POTTER was a sidewheeler, whereas the WIDE WEST had been a stern-wheeler. The boat's first owner was the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company. The T.J. POTTER was one of the few side-wheeler boats that operated on the Columbia River. "The POTTER was the final step in the evolution of the side-wheeler—230 feet long, 33 feet beam, with grace and beauty in every inch of her. She was intended to be the last word in the elegance then incorporated into steamboat design. Even the paddlewheels were decorated with intricate designs. Where those of the lesser side-wheelers were pierced by simple fan designs, hers were jig sawed into an intricate floral pattern that made them works of Victorian art. A divided, curving staircase led up to the grand saloon, and her passengers could observe themselves ascending it in the plate glass mirror, which was the largest in that part of the West. Colored sunlight from the stained glass windows of the clerestory gleamed on soft carpeting and the mellowed wood and ivory of a grand piano." Construction of the POTTER was supervised by Capt. James William Troup, one of the most famous steamboat captains in the West, as well as the owner of the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, the builders of the T. J. POTTER. On May 26, 1888, the same year the POTTER was built, Captain Troup had brought the sternwheeler HASSALO over a six-mile stretch of rapids called the Cascades of the Columbia during low water, reaching speeds of 50 miles an hour in the process. The POTTER was refurbished in 1910, and continued in operation on the Portland-Ilwaco run. In the early 1990s, Professor Frederick Bracher recalled riding on the POTTER from Portland to Ilwaco as a young child in 1915: "The T.J. POTTER was an old but comfortable sidewheel steamboat, ponderously slow, even when going downstream. Although it was later replaced by the GEORGIANA, a sleek and narrow twin-screw steamer, I preferred the T.J. POTTER to the smaller and faster rival. The monumental semi-circular paddle boxes, painted like the rays of the rising sun, arched up as high as the boat deck; the paddle wheels produced a prodigious wake to port and starboard, as well as astern. On the main deck were staterooms for the elderly, the rich, or the newly married; and a continuous seat ran all the way around the stern. If the weather was good, there would be deck chairs on the open afterdeck, and the glass-enclosed lounge cabins were comfortable on cold or rainy days." With the exception of images credited to public institutions, everything on this page is from a private collection. Please contact Steamboats.com for permission for commercial use.* All captions provided by Dave Thomson, Steamboats.com primary contributor and historian.