Flat Boats
The magnitude of the Wabash commerce in 1832 is described in a quotation from "The Emigrants and Traveler's Guide," published in that year. "Hundreds of flat-goats annually descent the Wabash and White Rivers.......The trade of the Wabash River is becoming immense. In 1831,during the period between March 5th and April 16th, fifty-four steamboats arrived and departed from Vincennes. It is also estimated that at least one thousand flat-boats entered the Ohio from the Wabash in the same time. In February, March and April of this year there were sixty arrivals of steamboats at Lafayette." This writer tells us that one-tenth of the flat-boats, according to estimate, were "loaded with pork at the rate of 300 barrels to the boat," -another tenth said to be loaded with lard, cattle, horses, oats, cornmeal, etc., and the remainder with corn on the ear. The value of produce and stock sent annually to market from the valley of the Wabash was estimated by one authority at nearly $1,000,000.
The flat-boat was an ideal craft for the times and purpose for the Indiana Rivers, from it light draft, its capacity and cheapness. the flat-boats were made in the fall and winter, ready for the spring waters. Trunks of poplars, sometimes 90 to 100 feet long, without a splice, were used for the gunwales. The tree was squared by hewing, and then mounted on "bucks" so that two men could whip-saw it from end to end. The two timbers were then about eight inches thick and from two to three feet wide. These formed the two sides or gunwales. Near the lower edge of each gunwale, a groove was cut a depth of two or three inches to allow the flooring to be set on, and the planks were bolted by wooden pins. the pins were made by the barrel. Spikes were not used because of expense and scarcity of iron. The seams were calked with hemp or flax. Uprights were set at intervals along the gunwales, and the sides were boarded up to the required height, depending upon the draft of the vessel. A thousand bushels of corn were often the contents of one cargo.
The boats were built bottom side up, and when finished were turned over by block and tackle. Sometimes they were built on a slope at the water's edge so that turning was easier. Another method was to turn the boat right side up in the water, sand being poked on one side until the weight was sufficient to careen the other side, and a little skilful maneuvering put the craft upright.
Corn was shipped in the ear. The southern planters preferred it so to being shelled and sacked, since it was less liable to spoil. One of the staples brought back from the south was New Orleans sugar. Of course, sugar was a luxury, and until the steamboat era reduced the cost of transportation the pioneers generally depended on maple sugar and other homemade substitutes. Even after the steamboat traffic became general, a large proportion of the imported merchandise used in Sullivan County was brought in overland from Louisville and Evansville. For a number of years a man named Webb, of Merom, carried on an extensive business in hauling goods overland. He had several fine tams in which he took much pride.
Busseron Creek was also considered a navigable stream during the flat-boat era. Owing to the presence of forest growth and lack of drainage, the waters of this and similar tributaries were greater in volume and less fluctuating than in later years, and during the spring freshets it was possible to float boats loaded with produce down the current of Busseron. Caledonia was once a center for the flat-boat traffic, and boats were also loaded at Carlisle and other points.
Source: A History of Sullivan County, Indiana. Closing of the first century’s history of the county and showing the growth of its people, institutions, industries and wealth. Thomas J. Wolfe, Editor. The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909, page 139-140.