City of Louisville

Hartford, John
Steamboat Photo Co.

picture

City of Louisville (Steamboat)
Bells
River steamers
Steamboats

Stories are legion concerning the large bell in the center of the hurricane forward deck of the pilot house. The pealing and ringing of these bells, particularly packets, connote richness of tone, clarity of sound, lavishness of unstinted expenditure, silver used in their casting, and combined melody with harmony. Steamboatmen attached a great deal of sentiment with these bells and they were passed on from one boat to another at the end of a steamer's carreer. The bell of the Valley Belle came from the Science. That of the Fannie Dugan went to the City of Jacksonville... Great expense was involved in the casting of many of these roof bells and many were ornate in design. There was a lot of silver mixed in the metal of the big bell on the Chalmette to enhance it's tonal qualities. It was highly finished and an artistic decorative ornamentation extended entirely around it near the bottom. It is said that the silver toned qualities of the Hudson's bell was ruined after she was destroyed by fire at Cincinnati. Tapping the roof bell by the captain or mate as a packet approached a landing gradually fell into disuse. But the use of the roof bell at the time of departure still continues. Tapping the roof bell often caused the packet's cabin to even vibrate. Captain William Loyd had a unique system in ringing out the Columbia on the Upper Ohio...

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