Posts Tagged ‘missouri river map’

The Wreck of the str Fearless.

Monday, April 2nd, 2012

The Army Corp of Engineers Kansas City District published map of the Missouri River in Dec 2000 that shows the changing of the river channel over the last century.  This map is a composite of a map used by Capt HM Chittenden in 1897 and a more recent river channel map.  For historians, the map is interesting because it identified the approximate locations of steamboats wrecks.  Capt HM Chittenden located the sites in 1897.  From his historical research prior to 1962, Dr EB Trail also identified the sites of the same steamboat wrecks.  Their findings differ. 

Kansas City District Corp of Engineers dated Dec 2000

Kansas City District Corp of Engineers dated Dec 2000

 

For me the map is interesting because the site of the wreck of the str Fearless was identified.  The str Fearless was operated by Capt Thomas W Poe for a short time before his death.  Although he died in 31 Dec 1881 aboard the str Fearless on his way to Pittsburgh and the steamer sank eight months later on 26 Aug 1882, his spirit lived on in the courts.  The legal case regarding the property loss was finally decided by the Supreme Court of Missouri in Oct 1887. 

 

 

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