New South (Packet, 1887-1905)

BOAT DESCRIPTION: Sidewheel

BOAT TYPE: Packet

BUILT: 1887 at Jeffersonville, Indiana. Hull built by Howard Ship Yard

FINAL DISPOSITION: On February 12, 1905 the ice gorge broke at Cincinnati. The New South broke loose and was so badly damaged that she was dismantled at Madison, Indiana

OWNERS: Shelby and Perkins; U.S. Mail Line

OFFICERS & CREW: Captain Robert W. McCoy (1894); Captain John Newton (master); Captain E.H. Matheus (master); Captain W.P. Norwood (master)

RIVERS: Ohio River; Mississippi River

OTHER INFORMATION: Ways - 4189; Home port or owner's residence circa 1887, Cincinnati, Ohio. Original price: $32,500. She was built for the Evansville-St. Louis trade but proved to be too large. In 1890 she entered into the Louisville-Cincinnati trade in opposition to the Fleetwood of the U.S. Mail Line. She made only one stop: Madison, Indiana. The two rival boats attracted a lot of attention and passenger fare dropped to fifty cents per round trip including meals and berth. Both boats were laid up by low water and during the summer lull the New South was purchased by the Mail Line and began running Cincinnati-Memphis. In the summer of 1894, she ran in the Cincinnati-Coney Island trade teamed up with the Bostona. In February 1896 she ran a Mardi Gras trip from Cincinnati to New Orleans. On a trip to St. Louis in October 1896 she got in a windstorm near Harrisonville, Illinois and disabled a wheel when she hit some piling. The C.W. Batchelor took off her passengers and freight. In 1902

PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Docked at the Cincinnati waterfront. The city can be seen in the distance