The Joe Wheeler was built in 1898 at Chattanooga, Tennessee and spent most of her life on the Upper Tennessee River. Her dimensions were:- 155.8 x 33.5 x 3.5 feet. Tonnage: gross and net, 192 tons. In 1902 she was owned by the Tennessee River Navigation Company: W. C. Wilkie was the manager. They also ran the N. B. Forrest, Gasconade and Sam Davis. The Joe Wheeler was the last packet to run out
The Patricia Barrett is a sternwheel, steel hull towboat built in 1927 at Jeffersonville, Indiana, by the Howard Ship Yard and Dock Company. Her dimensions are :- 175 x 40 x 6.4 feet. She is a coal burner having four return flue boilers. Her Frisbie machinery develops 700 horse power. However, her indicated horse power is 900 at 5/8's cut off and, working strong, produces 1200 horse power. She is
was the Lyons later rebuilt that she was classed as new in 1937. She was of the larger Pittsburgh pool-type vessel with a hull 150.6 x 32.6 x 5.6 feet; tonnage 534. She had compound condensing machinery, 14's by 26's with a 7-foot stroke. On March 16, 1942 enroute from Pittsburgh to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, with a tow of 10 barges she smashed into the B. & O. Railroad bridge 5 miles below
Tows comprised of barges were lashed together by manila ropes called \"lines\" in the early days of towboating. These, with other modern improvements, have, in part, been replaced by chains or cables with ratchet pulling jacks for tightening or reducing \"slack\". Ratchet pulling jacks were originally designed for steamboat and river work in hitching tows, fastening rafts, floats, etc. However, they have been so improved that they are now being extensively used in building construction and shipbuilding for fastening and holding in place the skeleton steel framework, derricks, masts, forms, etc. In railroad work they have proven a valuable tool for wrecking crews. In quarries and coal mines for fastening either permanent or temporary guys.
The J. D. Ayers is a steel hull, sternwheel towboat. She was built by the Midland Barge Company in 1929 at Midland, Pennsylvania. Her dimensions are: 151 x 34.7 x 6 feet. She has 4 boilers of the return flue type. The condensing engines are 15's - 30's with a seven foot stroke; 750 horsepower. The paddle wheel is ... - 4\" in diameter by 23 feet long working 13 buckets with a ... -inch dip. The
M/V (Claude Tully) passing Dredge. The M/V (Charles Norwell), also of Patton Tully is in tow and being taken to St. Louis Ship Building Co. to be re-engined (Mile 156).