The James T. Staples was built at Mobile, Alabama in 1908 by Captain Norman Staples. In 1913 she exploded her boilers and was partially wrecked near the town where Captain Staples was born. Most of her upper works were blown off but she was taken to Mobile, rebuilt and renamed the Peerless. After operating for some years as the Peerless the boat was purchased by Captain Owen F. Burke, of Mobile
The Josephine was built at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1873. Her dimensions were:- 178 x 31 x 4.5 feet; 301 tons. She had two boilers. Her engines were 15 incehs in diameter with a 5-foot stroke. This boat ran as a packet on the Missouri River. She once made a notable exploration trip to the upper Yellowstone, reaching Pompey's Pillar on June 3, 1875; then went up to Hell Roaring Rapids where she
The Alton was built in 1906 at Jeffersonville, Indiana. Her dimensions were:- 241.1 x 38 x 7.3 feet. Tonnage 800, gross and net. She had 1350 horse power. She was owned by the Eagle Packet Company of St. Louis and was one of their finest packets. One mark of distinction was an hexagonal shaped pilot house. At 1:45 A.M., on January 28, 1918, while laid up in the winter fleet on the Tennessee River