On this day December 12, 1917, the stern wheeler RAPIDS was crushed by ice at Paducah, Kentucky. Her on board crew of two survived. The Great Lakes has claimed many vessels by crushing them in ice, but it does occur to the south, just not nearly as often.
Photo at top of page: RAPIDS in Fort Winnebago Lock, canal, Fox River at Portage, Wis., May 9, 1909
The RAPIDS was built in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1905, and with her sister ship the GRAND, ran on the Grand River in passenger service. Both were sold off the lakes and made an interesting trip down the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers to their new home. The following, from the Waterways Journal of February 26, 1938, explains their history on and off the lakes.
RAPIDS leaving canal into Wisconsin River, Portage, Wis., May 9, 1909
“The GRAND and RAPIDS, two western river type steamboats, were constructed at Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1905, to run between Grand Haven and Grand Rapids on Grand River, connecting at Grand Haven with lake steamships for Chicago. Eventually the two boats were purchased by the Memphis and Little Rock Packet Company and taken to Arkansas River. Crossing Lake Michigan they ascended the Fox River and descended the Wisconsin River to the Mississippi. The locks on the Fox were so narrow that it was necessary to cut the outriggers and remove the lower deck guards of the GRAND in order to pass her through. Contrary to popular impression the two boats were not identical, the GRAND, the larger of two being 136.3 by 32.3 by 5 feet, while RAPIDS was 134.8 by 28.4 by 4.5. After operating the RAPIDS on Arkansas River for a time, the packet company sold her and she ended her days in the Paducah and Cairo trade. The GRAND ran between Memphis and Little Rock, going sometimes as high up the river as Dardanelle, Ark. She was sold to the Johnsons, of Memphis, and a newspaper clipping dated January 17, 1913, stated the GRAND would leave Memphis next week for Little Rock in command of Capt. Johnson and a double crew. Capt. Sam G. Smith, Managing Editor of The Waterways Journal, was on the GRAND parts of two seasons as master-purser.
The GRAND
GRAND on the right with the RAPIDS on the left in the Wisconsin River at Portage, Wis., May 9, 1909
“The Memphis and Little Rock Packet Company was organized by the business men of the Arkansas City to obtain cheaper-than-rail freight rates. When that was accomplished the GRAND was sold and the trade above Pine Bluff abandoned. This company had no connection with the Memphis and Arkansas River Packet Company (Nowland Line) that ran a boat weekly between Memphis and Pine Bluff, Ark. Capt. Henry C. Daniels was superintendent of the M. and L. R. Company during its lifetime.”
Suzette Lopez
Photo Credit: Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.
