***EARLY LAFAYETTE STEAMBOATS

NATCHEZ LOST
 The elegant Mississippi river steamboat, Natchez, struck a reef near Lake Providence, La., on January 1st, and was so badly injured that when she was run ashore she sank in nine feet of water. No one on board was lost or injured, but it is believed that the boat and cargo will prove a total loss. This Natchez is the last of seven great steamboats bearing that name. She was built in Cincinnati, in 1879, at a cost of over $200,000. She was insured for $75,000. This season has been unusually disastrous for steamboats on the Mississippi; but it is to be hoped that Capt. Leathers will speedily duplicate the Natchez. This name should never be permitted to pass from the surface of the Mississippi river. Lafayette Advertiser 1/5/1889



 Another steamboat disaster on the Mississippi.
 The steamboat Sarah and the tug H. C. Warmoth, collided near Pearlington, Miss. The Warmoth was badly wrecked and sank in a few minutes. A colored woman, a passenger on the Warmoth, was drowned; and the engineer of that boat was badly scalled. Lafayette Advertiser 1/5/1889




SINKING OF THE STEAMER EXCHANGE.
[Abbeville Meridional.]

Tuesday morning about seven o'clock on her down trip as the Wise Line Steamer Exchange was making the bend above Sosthene Herpin's - about a mile below Abbeville, she struck a snag and sank in a few minutes. The crew all jumped off and swam ashore as she was going down. At present writing she lies close into bank in about 20 feet of water. Most all of the (unreadable word) light freight was saved together with the cabin and of the furniture, but the sugar and freight on deck and in the hold will prove a total loss. It is supposed that all of the sugar and cotton are insured. If not it will prove a terrible blow to the owners.

Messrs (unreadable names) had shipped their entire crop, a huge amount of cotton and sugar.

So soon as the report reached here there was a great rush for the scene of the disaster and the town was for a time almost depopulated. People living in the neighborhood who owned skiffs and others made quite a handsome haul pulling up floating tobacco, - one man alone saved fifty bales.

Chickens, geese, and ducks that were floating around in their coops were drowned or near so.

Much credit is due the engineer and pilot on watch at the time of the accident. Both stood at their post until every one was off of the sinking craft. Mr. Solomon Wise left last evening for New Orleans, to bring back a wreck boat to raise the Exchange. From reports of parties versed in such matters it will require only a few days, after the arrival of the wreck boat, to raise the sunken steamboat. Lafayette Advertiser 1/14/1882.



Sinking of Steamer Elbe. - The steamer Elbe that went under lately it is said had on board $500,000 in money, and was carrying besides this in its mail, checks, drafts, notes etc., estimated at $1,000,000. A large quantity of diamonds and jewelry, also, formed part of the steamer's freight. Possibly a part if not all of this loss will be recovered by submarine divers. The value of the steamer, itself, is place at $1,500,000. Lafayette Advertiser 2/23/1895.





















More Steamboat Service. - The steamboat D. Stein made her first trip up the Bayou Vermilion from New Orleans via the Atchafalaya this week. We understand that the D. Stein will hereafter make regular trips between New Orleans and Pin Hook, carrying freight at reduced rates. We wish the new boat success.
Lafayette Advertiser 1/25/1879.

Unfortunately, the D. Stein, didn't meet with the success wished on it by the Advertiser. In fact, according to Rebecca DeArmond-Huskey's book, "Bartholomew's Song," its reported to have sunk several times and was finally destroyed by fire in 1886. Google books lets us read a good bit of that book. Click on the link.

http://books.google.com/books?id=EA0dIYFsmA4C&pg=PA187&lpg=PA187&dq=steamboat+d.+stein&source=bl&ots=jeHxAJahG4&sig=iSLZ4cS2SGUlIZZtsVv4Ihabxvc&hl=en&ei=4Sg9TfHeI4aBlAesmMWjAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&sqi=2&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=steamboat%20d.%20stein&f=false
 
Captain Pharr's speeches are said to be very short. The old man is a Christian and he believes in treating others as he would like to be treated himself.Laf. Gaz. 2/29/1896.


Capt. Pharr, Hardy, Brian, W. Bailey and Jim Wilkinson passed through Lafayette Thursday on their way to St. Landry, where they were billed for two meetings. Laf. Gazette 2/29/1896.

















Steamboat excursion at Abbeville to-morrow.
Laf. Adv. 4/16/1898.


Don't forget the Mauriceville Steamboat excursion to-morrow for the benefit of the catholic church. The "Why Not" will leave Abbeville at 7 o'clock a. m. for Vermilion Bay. Refreshments will be served on board. Tickets $1.00, children 5 to 12 years, 50 cents; under five years of age free.
Laf. Adv. 4/16/1898.





The steamer "Mary Rose" was busily engaged during the week clearing out obstructions to Bayou Vermilion between Abbeville and Pin Hook. The chances are that next week we will have a boat making regular trips between the above named ports. 4/19/1890




Letter to the editor: 
Mr. Editor.
I went to Cheniere la Croix two weeks ago with my papa. We left Carencro on a cold rainy day and changed cars at New Iberia for Erath station on the Abbeville road. A wagon met us and took us to the good home of Dupla Boudreaux, where we stayed three days and the good madam wanted to give us some molasses. The faucet broke loose and the molasses went into her face, but we had a good meal. I saw two little boys there and I played with them. We went hunting every day and had fine sport. I hunted with the grown men though I am a little boy eleven years old. We killed thirteen geese and one sandy hill crane and twenty ducks. We saw the steamer called the "Bell Alice," that brings the stock for shipment to Morgan City, it is chartered by Mr. Ditch One man that lives at the Cheniere saw eight deer, and how I did wish to get a shot at them. We went to kill geese at Indian Point and there were two young men in our party that had never killed a goose, but they were very proud when they brought down eight. These gentlemen killed one hundred and fifteen snipe, so you can imagine our sport. We ate about one hundred dozen oysters, which we enjoyed very much. I wish, Mr. Editor, that next year you would come with us to the sea shore, and I will promise you as fine a time as we had this year. Your little friend,
LAENMER H. FRANCEZ.
Lafayette Advertiser 4/21/1894. 




Steamboat Service on Vermilion River? - We learn from the Meridional of the 20th. inst.,  that a movement is on foot at Abbeville, to build a suitable steamboat to be run in the Vermilion to trade direct to New Orleans. The present high rates of freight is a serious disadvantage to this section of the country and anything tending to reduce them and to increase shipping facilities, will be encouraged and hailed with real pleasure by the people of this parish as well as our sister parish of Vermilion. Lafayette Advertiser 4/27/1878.


    
The Steamer Mattie on her last trip up land at Olidin's Ferry, on bayou Vermilion, one hundred and eighty-six convicts from the State Penitentiary. They are destined for Railroad work some where about the Mermentau river, as we were informed. The number was increased after their arrival, by a delegation from this Parish. Lafayette Advertiser 5/24/1879.

Fresh Goods From Steamer Mattie. -  Messrs. M. P. Young & Co. received a fresh supply of drugs and medicines by the last trip of the steamer Mattie. Also a lot of new, extra fine flour, direct from the St. Louis mills, which they are selling at very moderate prices.
Lafayette Advertiser 5/31/1879.


No Steamers on Vermilion. - The steamer Mattie has been temporarily withdrawn from the Vermilion bayou. If small freights is the cause, a reduction of rates would increase them very considerably. High rates and want of a little accommodation and politeness on the part of the employees, have driven much of the trade of this parish to Washington, St. Martinsville and New Iberia. Lafayette Advertiser 6/15/1878.