Today in Wheeling History: July 9—The "Chesapeake," billed as the fastest boat on the Ohio River, departs on its trial trip from Wheeling (1883).
On the morning of July 9, 1883, the steamboat "Chesapeake" backed away from Wheeling’s levee and embarked on its highly anticipated trial run. Built by A.J. Sweeney & Son of Wheeling for the Chesapeake Packet Company of Gallipolis, Ohio, the vessel was designed to be the swiftest steamer on the Ohio River. John Sweeney, who oversaw construction, proudly declared it could outpace the "Minnie Bay", then considered one of the fastest boats afloat. The "Chesapeake" featured a hull built at Harmar by Knox, with a sharp stem and hollow waterline that allowed it to slice through the river with minimal resistance.
Measuring 188 feet in length with a 26-foot beam and 5-foot hold, the sidewheeler boasted 20-foot diameter wheels and powerful engines with 16-inch cylinders and a 5-foot stroke. Its three steel boilers were built for strength and efficiency. The boat’s cabin stretched the full length of the vessel, housing 36 staterooms, a spacious ladies’ cabin, and elegant hardwood furnishings. Safety was also prioritized, with four staircases connecting the decks. The Chesapeake’s trial trip confirmed its reputation, and it soon became a symbol of Wheeling’s industrial prowess and riverboat innovation.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/yc48zpz7); Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, July 10, 1883 (Library of Congress) (https://tinyurl.com/mryk97xe)
Photo caption and credit: "THE FASTEST BOAT ON THE RIVER: Makes its Trial Trip--General Levee Gossip" (Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, July 10, 1883)
On the morning of July 9, 1883, the steamboat "Chesapeake" backed away from Wheeling’s levee and embarked on its highly anticipated trial run. Built by A.J. Sweeney & Son of Wheeling for the Chesapeake Packet Company of Gallipolis, Ohio, the vessel was designed to be the swiftest steamer on the Ohio River. John Sweeney, who oversaw construction, proudly declared it could outpace the "Minnie Bay", then considered one of the fastest boats afloat. The "Chesapeake" featured a hull built at Harmar by Knox, with a sharp stem and hollow waterline that allowed it to slice through the river with minimal resistance.
Measuring 188 feet in length with a 26-foot beam and 5-foot hold, the sidewheeler boasted 20-foot diameter wheels and powerful engines with 16-inch cylinders and a 5-foot stroke. Its three steel boilers were built for strength and efficiency. The boat’s cabin stretched the full length of the vessel, housing 36 staterooms, a spacious ladies’ cabin, and elegant hardwood furnishings. Safety was also prioritized, with four staircases connecting the decks. The Chesapeake’s trial trip confirmed its reputation, and it soon became a symbol of Wheeling’s industrial prowess and riverboat innovation.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/yc48zpz7); Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, July 10, 1883 (Library of Congress) (https://tinyurl.com/mryk97xe)
Photo caption and credit: "THE FASTEST BOAT ON THE RIVER: Makes its Trial Trip--General Levee Gossip" (Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, July 10, 1883)
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