The Leaders

Abbott Veach, Editor

The first man to put his stamp on the paper, both as The River and The Waterways Journal, was Abbott Veach. He is often referred to as "Capt.," but in the paper he is also titled "Major" and "Colonel." In the masthead he is shown as editor and business manager, vice-president and editor, and later just editor. There can be no doubt, however, that he was in close contact with rivermen. Then, in the March 25, 1893, issue his name is missing from the masthead, and in the May 6, 1893, issue his name is missing from the masthead, and in the May 6, 1893, edition, there is a note from R.J. Groeninger, then apparently the sole owner, warning that no one was to pay "any moneys to Abbott Veach as he is no longer connected with the Journal."

(There was a rumor around that the paper had been set up by the railroads so they could keep better track of the steamboat business, but as far as is known no proof of this had been found.)

William Arste Takes Over

Issues are missing for late 1893 and early 1894, but in the April 7, 1894, issue the masthead shows William Arste in charge of The Waterways Journal Publishing Company. He was to be the paper’s leader until 1921. In a story in the March 26, 1927, issue on the occasion of the Journal’s 40th anniversary, it was said "Mr. Arste can never be given sufficient credit for regularly publishing The Waterways Journal during the years that steamboats all but vanished from the rivers. Many times he was on the verge of quitting but he held on."

The firm was still in the printing business; there is one ad saying "steamboat excursion tickets furnished on short notice." Some highlights of. Arste’s career were the St. Louis cyclone of May 1896, which the Journal staff witnessed first hand from their office, and the special issue of April 19, 1919, featuring the river trip of President Howard Taft.

Donald T. Wright

A major turning point in The Waterways Journal history came when Donald T. Wright, Oil City, Pa., became editor in January 1921. In December he bought the paper and the River Publishing and Investment Company which controlled it. The company was dissolved and the WJ was the surviving entity.

Indicative of the interest remaining in river history is the fact that in all legal language in the sale paper special attention is given to a "certain miniature steamboat enclosed in a glass case… the sole exclusive property of William Arste… shall remain in the possession of said party of the second part (Donald T. Wright) to be used exclusively in connection with the operation of the business of the corporation and for no other purpose." This was the model of the str. Mary Morton that was in the offices of the Journal for so many years and was later in the River Room (now defunct) of the Missouri Historical Society.

The offices of WJ were also moved uptown to the Chemical Building at Eighth and Olive. It is said that Capt. Wright’s father picked out this place because of its center of business. There is another version; he wanted to get away from the river so the staff wouldn’t be looking out the window at the river! The paper was in the Chemical Building in various locations until October 1976, when it moved to the Security Building and again had a river view.

Donald Wright took over the WJ when the river was still at a low ebb. The paper only had 350 paid subscribers. However, World War I had shown the need for river transportation, and the Federal Barge Lines was starting to revitalize towing. The new editor and publisher had "heard the call of the river in high school," according to his obituary, and he had worked on boats in the Pittsburgh area.

Capt. Wright was active and a leader in many river organizations, and the WJ became a spokesman for them and the river generally. One of his biggest peeves was low bridges, and the river industry today owes much to Donald Wright for satisfactory clearances in high water. He led a continuing fight against permits for low structures.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1965, he suffered a fatal heart attack.

H.N. "Ray" Spencer

Fortunately, a change in ownership had already been in the works before Capt. Wright’s death. H.N. "Ray" Spencer, Jr., became the publisher immediately, and the paper continued on a prosperous course as the towing industry grew. He also supported the river organizations in all ways.

During his tenure, the WJ branched out in the publishing business with the acquisition of The Inland River Record from its originator and longtime editor, Capt. Frederick Way Jr., in 1968. In 1972 The Inland River Guide was started, with Dan Owen editing both. (Dan Owen continues to edit The Inland River Record to this day!)

The Inland River Record continues to be published annually, with the exception of 1953-1954 and 1988-1989 where the editions were combined.

The Inland River Guide remains a mainstay as the index to the industry, providing detailed listings of various companies, firms or facilities operating or servicing the inland waterways or Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

Ray Spencer retired as publisher of The Waterways Journal in July 1979, turning the helm over to his son, H. Nelson Spencer. He remained as chairman of the company until his death.

H. Nelson Spencer III

Nelson Spencer began his career on the river at an early age. He started as a deckhand for Crounse Corporation, navigating the Green River.

In January of 1971, he opened the New Orleans office as the southern sales representative and contributor.

In the following years, numerous challenges were to appear for the publishing business. In 1981, the printing of the WJ was forever changed as letterpress printing was replaced with offset printing where the WJ is entirely composed in house and sent to the printer by a disc.

In 1984, the WJ purchased Quimby’s Cruising Guide, a listing of marinas and locks of the Mississippi, Illinois, Arkansas, St. Croix and Black rivers. The listings have grown in the publication to include every major river or waterway throughout the inland waterway system and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway System. It covers 9,436 river miles in all for use by recreational boaters.

With experience serving the recreational boating audience, The Waterways Journal purchased Heartland Boating magazine from Doug and Molly Blom in 1998. With the acquisition, the frequency in publication of the magazine changed from seven to nine times a year in 2000.

Even with the new publication, H. Nelson Spencer still kept the inland marine industry in mind as the WJ produced the industry’s first stack logo chart, which was inserted in The Inland River Record and later as a stand-alone poster.

Today, The Waterways Journal continues to be a dependable and timely news source for the entire industry.

The News Department

Back in St. Louis at the Journal the news was digested by Messrs. Veach, Arste and Wright. Capt. Wright wrote much of the paper’s copy, and he had with him Capt. Sam G. Smith, a former steamboat captain master and clerk, who acted as business manager.

Some notable men served as news editors; including Irw in M. Urlind, from Baden, Pa.; James H. Lavely, who had written the Illinois River news; Richard Armfield, who has been in the St. Louis Engineer District; and Arthur Hirsch. Jack Simpson became editor when Hirsch retired in 1974. Current Journal editor replaced Simpson as editor in 1996. Simpson still writes the weekly editorial.

J. Mack Gamble, son of a steamboat owner and master, was an early contributor with upper Ohio River news from his home in Clarington, Ohio. When Mack retired his place was taken by Robert E. Kennedy, Cattlettsburg, Ky. On Bob’s death, Capt. David Smith began writing the Upper Ohio News.

Capt. Wright had New Orleans staked out as his personal territory to cover until he relinquished to Capt. Frank W. Leahy, a distinguished riverman and Coast Guardsman; and after his death H.E. Falbaum, who had been with Federal Barge Lines. In January 1971 the Journal established the New Orleans office with Nelson Spencer in charge. Wade McIntyre followed as well as Jeff Yates. William A. Evans, Jr. was the Gulf Coast Representative for over 25 years. Following his retirement he was honored by the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Assocation as a "Top 100" for his contributions to the Gulf Intracoastal maritime community. Currently, Capt. Richard Eberhardt, a resident of New Orleans, covers news in the area.

Other longtime fixtures on the editorial staff include former editor Jack Simpson, who still pens the editorial. He has been associated with the publication since 1974. Dan Owen is the editor of The Inland River Record and former editor of The Inland River Guide. He has been with the company since 1968. Alan Bates, who was the naval architect for the sternwheeler Natchez, a passenger vessel located in New Orleans, now writes the "Old Boat Column."

Jim Swift, who originally authored the majority of this history, spent over 60 years serving in various capacities for the WJ including the widely read "Old Boat Column.” A beloved figure at the office as well as the industry, Swift personified the mission of the publication by providing timely, pertinent articles for the industry he whole-heartedly promoted and enjoyed.

In an article written by Simpson regarding Swift’s death, he wrote: "As one river buff put it: Jimmy had many, many friends. Not acquaintances. Friends."