BOWLING GREEN

Description

Dec - 17 - 1962. Steamer "Bowling Green."

"Here My Friends," is my "Really-Real" first Steamboat Love. She - was built at Howards in 1904 - came out, new in early 1905. "And I mean - new." No hand me downs from any other steamboats. I went striker on her May 17th 1905, and remained for two years, without pay, except occasionally I had a chance to run as roof watchman for which I got "big pay" $2.80 a week, at the end of the week I had my $2.80. She was short and sweet, had to be short to get through the Green River locks. She coined the money for her owners. Her dimensions were 122' X 32' X 5' not overall. She had two boilers, with brooms in them ever hear of that? Well, I will explain to you sometime, I helped to operate them. Her engines were 4" X 6' stroke. This picture scene on Lower Green River, down bounds, for Evansville, note, the passengers on boiler deck. Cattle on main deck. Coops of poultry on head and roof. This and more I have seen on her many, many times, the on watch pilot as seen at wheel is definitely the late Captain James A. Burnette Sr. I was on watch at this time Chief Joseph Wattum, we always stood the forward watch. The Late Captain Sam G Smith was master, this in about 1906, more when I see you, from Myrtle and Courtney M. Ellis.