Posts Tagged ‘steamer fearless’

Lives Remembered

Saturday, December 31st, 2011

One-hundred-thirty years ago today, Thomas W Poe died (31 Dec 1881) while on a trip from St Louis to Pittsburgh aboard the str Fearless.  In 1880, Capt Thomas W Poe bought the str Fearless to transport grain between Kansas City and St Louis. 

 

The str Fearless was a large heavy-draft Mississippi River stern-wheel tow boat built in Pittsburg PA in 1865 according to Benjamin M Laughlin.  It was 160 x 30′ rated at 395 tons with two engines (20″x8′) and five boilers (26′ x 40″)- with a working steam pressure of 150lbs.   When it sank on August 26, 1882 in the Missouri River about 40 miles from its mouth near Lower Bonhomme Island, the boat was owned by the Kansas City Barge Line.  The captain of the boat at the time it sank is unknown.

 

Happy New year.

 

 

Copyright © 2011 Francis W Nash
All Rights Reserved

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Posted in History of Georgetown PA, Missouri River Commerce, River history, Steamer Captains | No Comments »

The Internet Delivers Its Surprises

Tuesday, December 27th, 2011

Many people have been quite generous with their historical information and memorabilia.  Most recently, Mr Russell Weisman, a Senior Historical Preservation Specialist for the state of Missouri, shared new information on Thomas W Poe and his towboat, the str Fearless.  Mr Weisman described Thomas W Poe’s efforts to get into the grain barge transportation business between Kansas City and St Louis in 1880. 

 

I wish Mr Weisman the best of luck in his attempt to locate the wreck of the str Fearless  which sank in the Missouri River about 40 miles from its mouth near Lower Bonhomme Island on 26 Aug 1882.  Thomas W Poe died eight months earlier on 31 Dec 1881 while on a trip to Pittsburgh with the str Fearless.

 

Based on this information, I will update my Thomas W Poe biography and research Kersey Coates and the Mississippi Valley Transportation Co and Kansas City Barge Line.

 

 

 

Copyright © 2011 Francis W Nash
All Rights Reserved

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Posted in River history, Steamer Captains | No Comments »