While news of vessels like the Coiner, which was detailed in the last column, was common in the issues of The Waterways Journal during 1935, there were also items… Read More
Author: Capt. David Smith
The lead story on page 3 of the February 6, 1935, edition of The Waterways Journal was headlined “U.S. Richard T. Coiner Launched Into Ohio.” It detailed the launch… Read More
For this special Wheelhouse issue of The Wateways Journal we will look at two important “firsts” that changed the lives of pilots for the better. In late… Read More
Like my friend Capt. Don Sanders, I also have those boats from the past that I consider favorites, even though I never had the opportunity to tread their decks. Read More
In 1938, the Inland Waterways Corporation (IWC), the government-owned barge line known among river interests as the Federal Barge Line, contracted with the Dubuque Boat & Boiler Company for… Read More
In 1921, the Eichleay Contracting Company, Hays, Pa., built a sternwheel steam towboat for the U.S. Engineer Department. This was the first towboat built by Eichleay, and it… Read More
The subject of this column was prompted after Jeff Wilkes, riverman, realtor and historian from Savannah, Tenn., recently sent this writer a photo of a sunken boat that he… Read More
There were two sternwheel packets named Granite State. According to Way’s Packet Directory, the first was built at California, Pa., in 1870 for Capt. Wash Kerr, who used it… Read More
This first column for 2023 may be more appropriate for the Easter season since it involves a resurrection. The boat that will be described is 65 years old this… Read More
In the last column we looked at the Bessie E. Merrill, owned by Capt. Charles C. Stone of Point Pleasant, W.Va. It was mentioned that Capt. Stone dismantled… Read More
