Bolton High School - Bruin Yearbook (Alexandria, LA)

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RKD RIVER TRANSPORTATION The history of Red River, that stream which has played so important a part in the develop- ment of our state, our locality, and in particular our city and which in length and commercial importance ranks fourth in the whole United States, is a worthy theme for the annual of Bolton High School, just as the school deems itself worthy of the section which the body of water developed. The early white voyagers, ami even before them the Indians, poled themselves up the river in hollowed-out cypress logs. Soon flathoats and barges replaced the cruder pirogues and the settlers were not so scattered. The first census, in 1769, taken by several young officers sent for that purpose, showed a popu- lation of a small fraction of our present-day city. But use of the river on a large scale was made very difficult for many reasons chief of which were the flood waters, later shallows and sandbars, rapids, and the Great Raft. Little was done during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to open up the river for transportation. Howell, before he died of yellow fever, cleared twelve miles of raft. Several independent companies were organized to work on the problem, hut accomplished little. It remained for one of the most intensely interesting characters on Red River—Captain H. H. Shreve—really to improve the stream. He was horn far in the North, hut while still a young man was attracted to steamboats and river navigation. Early he was identified with New Or- leans and the Mississippi ami soon he began his career on the Red. In 1814 Shreve carried his Enterprise up the Red, some three years even before a steamboat was piloted up the Mississippi to St. Louis. This was destined to come down in history as the first steamer on the river and it opened the wav for the thriving stream of boats later. There is a legend, which loyal Louisianians like to believe, that this trip was to reach reinforcements and carry them to Newr Orleans in the war of 1812. The enterprising captain’s accomplishments were called to the attention of the government and in 1826 he was placed in charge of improving our Western rivers. For over fifteen years he labored to open up the Red and did more toward its development than any other river figures. The steamboat was the sole method of the early planter to transport his crops and to convey himself. At its peak, just about the time of the construction of the first railroad, countless packets—as they were called—had regular runs between various points along the stream and New' Orleans. The LaBelle, Red River, Jefferson Davis, St. Mary, and the Lioness were familiar names to Louisianians. The docks wrere thronged with people awaiting the arrival of mail, pas- sengers, and freight. An entire plantation would turn out to watch a boat’s passage, with its shrill salute. Many of the steamers wrere enormous and far more sumptuously furnished in comparison than out floating palaces of today. The staterooms were large and comfortable and the boat had an immense ballroom for entertainments, which were frequent. Each time it docked was made an occasion for a celebration. Every year the wealthy families would travel to Mardi Gras, leaving the steamboat tied up off one of New Orleans’ streets and occupying their rooms all during the festival. Red River was the scene of stirring battles and brave deeds during the bloody Civil War. Gage and his army steamed up it to attempt the subjugation of this valley, hut on the return trip were grounded and delayed by the shallow' water and rapids. It was then that a young engi- neer built the famous dam in the channel from nearby sugar houses which he tore down. In a few’ days enough water was caught up to float the boats easily over the snags and jutting rocks. A particularly grand hit of Southern patriotism was revealed when the Northern army was in control of our city. A staunch and slightly stubborn editor who was publishing a small news- paper here was ordered hv the opposing general to discontinue his weeklv. This he refused to do. So all h is blank paper was taken to insure carrying out the orders. Not daunted in the least by this, he printed the news on the hack of wrallpaper and renewed his tirade against the enemy. It was several years before the Cival War that a steamer brought up two hundred tons of iron for the first railroad and another carried the locomotive; but not until some time after the fighting was over did the “iron horse” really become a menace to river trade. From that time on it continued to decline—hut from this period in Red River Valley grew up the prosperous towns and farming areas that we know today. 2

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The Bruin 1934 Published by Students of BOLTON HIGH SCHOOL Alexandria, Louisiana

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Far hack in the beginning of trade on Red River, the Indians bartered furs and skins with the Spaniards and French for gawdy trinkets and amusing pretties. Poling their rough canoes over the swift current to the waiting ships, they gloried in the wealth of multi-colored trifles and received them in return for the contents of their traps, almost worth their weight in gold. This practice was the origin of the future flourishing stream of boats which ran to and from thriving cities carrying cargoes of cotton and sugar. The very keynote of transportation on the Red is found in such transactions. Each one led to another and finally to the big deals which made Louisiana planters the wealthiest of the South. Just so, the keynote of this Bruin is the development which began in this valley with the introduction of Red River navigation. 3