Talk:Yellowstone (steamboat)

Yellowstone (Steamboat)

Significance:

Missouri River

The achievements of the Yellowstone along the Missouri River were, at the time, heralded in the press-- garnering the attention of Europeans. The boat represents cutting-edge application of the technology of the time and in the 1830's was famous for that. More than a novelty, the success of the Yellowstone demonstrated the practical and profitable use of steam boat technology on the shallow rivers, able to haul 100 persons, 75 tons of cargo and to do so at speed had obvious economic as well socio-political advantages. --cregil 18:08, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

Texas

The Yellowstone's part in the Texas Revolution is well known, perhaps mostly to historians, and much loved by many Texans. No account of the Texas Revolution is complete without at least mention of the role of the Yellowstone.

--cregil 19:19, 23 March 2011 (UTC)

Observations:

Researches may find the following sections helpful

--cregil (talk) 17:37, 10 February 2012 (UTC)

Despite strong evidence that the steamboat had returned to her birthplace along the Ohio River in the Summer of 1837, Texans hold tight to the almost certainly spurious tale that she sank and remains at rest in Buffalo Bayou, near Houston. The machine is an anthropomorphized symbol for the Texas identity. Originating in the old pioneer west and coming to Texas to take part in the fight against the tyranny and tame a hostile land, the Yellowstone is seen as "one of us" by Texans, and to admit that her final resting place is other than within Texas is simply inappropriate, even if true. Those settlers who came to fight for Texas, stayed or died in Texas, so the regional legend will probably remain.--cregil 18:10, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

The bell mentioned as being generally accepted as that of the Yellowstone and on display in San Antonio has a legend attached to it mentioned in Jackson's book. The top of the bell is broken and missing pieces are clearly seen in the image contained in that book. The folklore is that the missing piece was sent to Philadelphia in hopes that the metal might be used to repair the Liberty Bell. Beside having no source for that folklore, that the only reference for it seems to be Mr. Jackson, it is, therefore, not seemingly appropriate for the article. However, that the bell is accepted, without evidence, by Texans as belonging to the Yellowstone, that her final resting place, without evidence is held by Texans to be near San Jacinto, and that folklore declares a kinship with the Liberty Bell -- all indicate the affection and therefore prominence of this boat's history for many.--cregil 18:10, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

Critical

Sources

Sourcing is limited to three primary texts. Jackson, Puryear and Chittenden. Other sources include various individual documents with brief description or passing mention (e.g., several dispatches found in the Jenkins' Papers of the Texas Revolution, the chronicles of the steamboat's passengers, and several newspaper advertisements of her services). Jackson and Puryear both make good use of the minor sources, but unavailable to this author, those authors are credited.--cregil 18:10, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

Dimensions

Several web sites indicate the Yellowstone to have been 130 feet in length-- but there is no source which I have been able to discover to support that dimension. It is for that reason, that the sourcing is doubled-- Jackson's transcription of the original order on page 160, being the most sound evidence of the correctness of the 120 foot dimension.

Puryear gives 122 feet, which is likely the main deck rather than the hull. The deck was to extend 18" beyond the superstructure (sides and rear, by examination of images), and it may be that the rear extension was beyond the hull, and the remaining 6" perhaps at the bow where the keel rises to the main deck. It doesn't seem necessary to argue the point in an encyclopedic entry, but rather merely reference the evidence and explain here.--cregil 18:10, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

Portland Ship Channel

Jackson suggests that the "Portland Ship Channel" is near Cincinnati; however, I believe the newspaper report (sorry-- I neglected to annotate that in my study and will reference when I again return to the archives) is referring to the Portland-Louisville Ship Canal, a lock bypassing the Falls on the Ohio River at Louisville, Kentucky and Portland, Indiana.--cregil 18:10, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

Buffalo Bayou

Many websites also indicate as accepted fact, that the Yellowstone sank in Buffalo Bayou. While almost certainly untrue, it is mentioned here and then gently (I hope) refuted because of the spurious accounts found elsewhere.--cregil 18:10, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

San Jacinto Battle Ground

With an eye toward future edits: A powerful event took place aboard the Yellowstone as she passed the San Jacinto Battleground soon after that battle. The soldiers on board saluting the place with cheers and rifle fire in honor of the near-sanctity of the place which came to be accepted of it and remains today. However, such a narrative does not seem appropriate for the idiom of an encyclopedic entry concerning the boat and so has not been included. --cregil 18:10, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

La Barge

Another apparent misconception is that Joseph La Barge was the captain of the Yellowstone. That does not seem to be the case. La Barge was the pilot which seems to be incorrectly presumed to be the role of a Captain. I list La Barge as a Captain because I have been unable to prove the negative, but I do not believe he ever served as Captain except in as much as he was in command during the cholera incident.--cregil 18:10, 30 March 2011 (UTC)

The Bell

Jackson's book contains a picture of a broken bell said to be in the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library in San Antonio (on the grounds of the Alamo) but contact with them to verify that bell is in the Library and not the museum resulted in response that they could not locate the presence of any bell associated with Yellowstone in their collection.--cregil (talk) 23:45, 29 April 2011 (UTC)

Start Class Rating

I question the "Start Class" rating. It is a small article, and (agreeing with the "low importance" rating) there is little (if anything) left to say appropriate for an encyclopedic entry.--cregil (talk) 14:28, 2 December 2012 (UTC)