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A Brief
History of
the Steamboat
Arabia
by Gabrielle
Person.
The steamboat
Arabia was
built in
Brownsville,
PA in 1853.
She ran for a
few years on
the Ohio and
Mississippi
before she
moved to the
Missouri. The
Missouri
River was a
tough river
to navigate
and many
boats
sank during
the
steam boating
age. The
current was
often shallow
with shifting
sandbars and
thousands of
snags.
Steamboats
were so
lucrative,
though, that
one
successful
trip could
make up the
cost of the
boat. In
fact, during
the golden
age for
steam boating,
a boat would
leave
St. Louis
every hour
and head up
the river.
Today,
upwards of
400
boats
still lay
beneath the
river or the
farm fields
that now
occupy the
old river
channel.
The Arabia
was quite
well known
for being
able to
navigate the
shallow
waters of the
Missouri. She
could float,
fully-loaded
with 220 tons
of cargo, in
4 ½ feet of
water. She
was often the
first boat
out in the
spring and
the last boat
in in the
fall.
Her last trip
was in
September of
1856. On the
6th of the
month, she
passed the
Town of
Kansas, as
Kansas City
was known
then. She was
carrying a
full load,
including 400
barrels of
Kentucky's
finest
whiskey, a
fact which
would make
her somewhat
famous. That
evening, just
one mile down
river from
Parkville,
MO, she hit a
tree snag.
Snags are not
floating
lots, but
nearly whole
trees, with
roots holding
them into the
mud. They
could be
completely
submerged,
and yet, when
a boat hit,
they had no
where to go
except
through the
boat. The
Arabia could
make about 6
miles an hour
upstream.
Even then the
inertia and
force was
enough to
snap the snag
in two. She
sank fifteen
feet to the
bottom of the
river in less
than 10
minutes.
Thereafter,
she settled
into the mud
at about a
foot an hour.
Source:
www.associatedcontent.com/article/2226607/a_brief_history_of_the_steamboat_arabia.html?cat=8
"The Big
Dig". The
digging was
easy....keeping
the Missouri
River at bay
was another
issue.
The only
causality.
A mule
complete with
saddle,
saddle bags
filled with
supplies, and
a bridle
still tied to
the deck.
Really
massive
timbers to
support the
paddlewheel
axle. Note
how they are
interlocked.
The only
portion of
the boat that
was brought
to the
surface.
A section of
the stern
complete with
a rudder.
Boat building
was indeed an
art in the
1800s.
Boilers and
drive
pistons...probably
still in
working
condition.
Colored glass beads
by the
millions,
perfume
bottles some
complete with
perfume, hair
pins,
thimbles,
toothbrushes,
yarn &
jewelry.
Needles,
pins, ink pen
nibs,
glasses,
thimbles, and
a powder
flask cap.
A Home Depot
of the 1850s.
Keys, key
hole covers
and cabinet
hasps....all
good as new.
Lots of
hardware for
the home
including the
all important
barrel tap.
More hardware
for the home
including a
case of
window glass.
Saws....big
and little
for every
job.
Including a
miter saw.
One would
think that
after 150
years someone
would come up
with a better
design for an
axe
handle....but,
not to be.
Keys, keys,
and more
keys.
Insulators
for lighting
rods with
either strap,
spike, or
screw
fittings.
An axe head
for every
propose.
Shoes and
boots.
Only the
men's came in
left and
right.
You could
have any
color you
want...as
long as it is
black.
Clothes,
hats, fabric,
and yarn.
Sure looks
like Home
Depot to me.
A tool for
every
occasion.....and
none required
batteries or
electricity.
What will
they think of
next?
Nice set of
tools for the
home.
The saw,
however, has
seen better
days.
Planes and
levels.
I wonder if
the levels
are still
true?
Pistols,
powder
flasks, caps,
and shot.
I wonder what
these pistols
were used
for?
Dueling, I
suppose.
Pocket knives
by the
hundreds.
Even 150
years ago the
selection was
never ending.
Cast iron
pots, china,
candles, and
a huge
collection of
kitchen
knives.
Clay pipes
and match
boxes.
Two styles of
clothes pins.
Today's
generation
probably
would not
know what
they were
used for.
Ink pen
staffs and
nib holders.
They appear
to be gold
filled.
Ink wells and
bottles.
The one in
the middle is
a traveling
ink well.
Bells perhaps
for school.
Whale oil
lamps of all
types and
sizes.
China by the
barrel full.
Kitchen
knives, cast
iron pots,
coffee mills,
and wooden
buckets.
China and
colored
flasks. I
don't know if
the bottles
were full of
empty when
they were
shipped.
Whale oil
lamps.
The one on
the far left
has an
unusual gold
iridescent
color.
Whale oil
lamps and
what appears
to be open
salts.
Really
unusual
traveling ink
wells.
Colored
scroll flasks
and tin ware
for the home.
Lots of tin
ware for the
home.
More tine
ware.
Knives,
forks, and
spoons....all
with wooden
handles.
Jewelry for
the lady of
the house
Ear rings of
all kinds.
Visit the
Arabia
Steamboat
Museum
Kansas City,
MO
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