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The most interesting phase of this era is the connection between western trade and the politics of the Mississippi Valley which led up to the Louisiana Purchase。 By the Treaty of San Lorenzo in 1795 Spain made New Orleans an open port； and in the next seven years the young West made the most of its opportunity。 But before the new century was two years old the difficulties encountered were found to be serious。 The lack of commission merchants； of methods of credit； of information as to the state of the market； all combined to handicap trade and to cause loss。 Pittsburgh shippers figured their loss already at 60；000 a year。 In consequence men began to look elsewhere； and an advocate of big business wrote in 1802： 〃The country has received a shock； let us immediately extend our views and direct our efforts to every foreign market。〃
One of the most remarkable plans for the capture of foreign trade to be found in the annals of American commerce originated almost simultaneously in the Muskingum and Monongahela regions。 With a view to making the American West independent of the Spanish middlemen； it was proposed to build ocean…going vessels on the Ohio that should carry the produce of the interior down the Mississippi and thence abroad through the open port of New Orleans。 The idea was typically Western in its arrogant originality and confident self…assertion。 Two vessels were built： the brig St。 Clair； of 110 tons； at Marietta； and the Monongahela Farmer； of 250 tons； at Elizabeth on the Monongahela。 The former reached Cincinnati April 27； 1801； the latter； loaded with 750 barrels of flour； passed Pittsburgh on the 13th of May。 Eventually； the St。 Clair reached Havana and thus proved that Muskingum Valley black walnut； Ohio hemp； and Marietta carpenters； anchor smiths； and skippers could defy the grip of the Spaniard on the Mississippi。 Other vessels followed these adventurers； and shipbuilding immediately became an important industry at Pittsburgh； Marietta； Cincinnati； and other points。 The Duane of Pittsburgh was said by the Liverpool 〃Saturday Advertiser〃 of July 9； 1803； to have been the 〃first vessel which ever came to Europe from the western waters of the United States。〃 Probably the Louisiana of Marietta went as far afield as any of the one hundred odd ships built in these years on the Ohio。 The official papers of her voyage in 1805； dated at New Orleans； Norfolk （Virginia）； Liverpool； Messina； and Trieste at the head of the Adriatic； are preserved today in the Marietta College Library。
The growth of the shipbuilding industry necessitated a readjustment of the districts for the collection of customs。 Columbia （Cincinnati） at first served the region of the upper Ohio； but in 1803 the district was divided and Marietta was made the port for the Pittsburgh…Portsmouth section of the river。 In 1807 all the western districts were amalgamated； and Pittsburgh； Charleston （Wellsburg）； Marietta； Cincinnati； Louisville； and Fort Massac were made ports of entry。
The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 gave a marked impulse to inland shipbuilding； but the embargo of 1807； which prohibited foreign trade； following so soon； killed the shipyards； which； for a few years； had been so busy。 The great new industry of the Ohio Valley was ruined。 By this time the successful voyage of Fulton's steamboat； the Clermont； between New York and Albany； had demonstrated the possibilities of steam navigation。 Not a few men saw in the novel craft the beginning of a new era in Western river traffic； but many doubted whether it was possible to construct a vessel powerful enough to make its way upstream against such sweeping currents as those of the Mississippi and the Ohio。 Surely no one for a moment dreamed that in hardly more than a generation the Western rivers would carry a tonnage larger than that of the cities of the Atlantic seaboard combined and larger than that of Great Britain！
As early as 1805； two years before the trip of the Clermont； Captain Keever built a 〃steamboat〃 on the Ohio； and sent her down to New Orleans where her engine was to be installed。 But it was not until 1811 that the Orleans； the first steamboat to ply the Western streams； was built at Pittsburgh； from which point she sailed for New Orleans in October of that year。 The Comet and Vesuvius quickly followed； but all three entered the New Orleans…Natchez trade on the lower river and were never seen again at the headwaters。 As yet the swift currents and flood tides of the great river had not been mastered。 It is true that in 1815 the Enterprise had made two trips between New Orleans and Louisville； but this was in time of high water； when counter currents and backwaters had assisted her feeble engine。 In 1816； however； Henry Shreve conceived the idea of raising the engine out of the hold and constructing an additional deck。 The Washington； the first doubledecker； was the result。 The next year this steamboat made the round trip from Louisville to New Orleans and back in forty…one days。 The doubters were now convinced。
For a little while the quaint and original riverman held on in the new age； only to disappear entirely when the colored roustabout became the deckhand of post…bellum days。 The riverman as a type was unknown except on the larger rivers in the earlier years of water traffic。 What an experience it would be today to rouse one of those remarkable individuals from his dreaming； as Davy Crockett did； with an oar； and hear him howl 〃Halloe stranger； who axed you to crack my lice？〃to tell him in his own lingo to 〃shut his mouth or he would get his teeth sunburnt〃to see him crook his neck and neigh like a stallionto answer his challenge in kind with a flapping of arms and a cock's crowto go to shore and have a scrimmage such as was never known on a gridironand then to resolve with Crockett； during a period of recuperation； that you would never 〃wake up a ringtailed roarer with an oar again。〃
The riverman； his art； his language； his traffic； seem to belong to days as distant as those of which Homer sang。
CHAPTER VI。 The Passing Show Of 1800
Foreign travelers who have come to the United States have always proved of great interest to Americans。 From Brissot to Arnold Bennett while in the country they have been fed and clothed and transported wheresoever they would goat the highest prevailing prices。 And after they have left； the records of their sojourn that these travelers have published have made interesting reading for Americans all over the land。 Some of these trans…Atlantic visitors have been jaundiced； disgruntled； and contemptuous； others have shown themselves of an open nature； discreet； conscientious； and fair…minded。
One of the most amiable and clear…headed of such foreign guests was Francis Baily； later in life president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Great Britain； but at the time of his American tour a young man of twenty…two。 His journey in 1796…97 gave him a wide experience of stage； flatboat； and pack…horse travel； and his genial disposition； his observant eye； and his discriminating criticism； together with his comments on the commercial features of the towns and regions he visited； make his record particularly interesting and valuable to the historian。* Using Baily's journal as a guide； therefore； one can today journey with him across the country and note the passing show as he saw it in this transitional period。
* 〃Journal of a Tour in Unsettled Parts of North America in 1796 and 1797〃 by the late Francis Baily （London； 1856）。
Landing at Norfolk； Virginia； Baily was immediately introduced to an American tavern。 Like most travelers； he was surprised to find that American taverns were 〃boarding…places；〃 frequented by crowds of 〃young； able…bodied men who seemed to be as perfectly at leisure as the loungers of ancient Europe。〃 In those days of few newspapers； the tavern everywhere in America was the center of information； in fact； it was a common practice for travelers in the interior； after signing their names in the register； to add on the same page any news of local interest which they brought with them。 The tavern habitues； Baily remarks； did not sit and drink after meals but 〃wasted〃 their time at billiards and cards。 The passion for billiards was notorious； and taverns in the most out…of…the…way places； though they lacked the most ordinary conveniences； were nevertheless provided with billiard tables。 This custom seems to have been especially true in the South； and it is significant that the first taxes in Tennessee levied before the beginning of the nineteenth century were the poll tax and taxes on billiard tables and studhorses！
》From Norfolk Baily passed northward to Baltimore； paying a fare of ten dollars； and from there he went on to Philadelphia； paying six dollars more。 On the way his stagecoach stuck fast in a bog and the passengers were compelled to leave it until the next morning。 This sixty…mile road out of Baltimore was evidently one of the worst in the East。 Ten years prior to this date； Brissot； a keen French journalist； mentions the great ruts in its heavy clay soil； the overturned trees which blocked the way； and the unexampled skilfulness of the stage drivers。 All travelers in America； though differing on almost e