My Newest Addition to the Library: Way's Packet Directory

I just wanted to share my joy in a recent book acquisition that I made! After many years of searching, I have my very own copy of Way's Packet Directory by Frederick Way, Jr.  My copy is the1848-1983 hardcover edition with a clean dust jacket!

By Frederick Way, Jr

Fortunately the book is currently in I believe it's 3rd printing as the prices have come down considerably recently I have seen this book sale, not just list but sale for $600.00. I found my copy for $10.00 shipped!! I was so excited.

This book is 640 pages of nothing but Mississippi/Ohio River steamboats with wonderful details. Such as where they were manufactured, who captained them and final disposition of the boats.

I originally got interested in steam wheelers when my fiancee' was selling vintage postcards. I started steering (no pun intended) her towards steamboat postcards and I would do the research on them for her listings. This is also where I learned about the existence of this book and the fact that our local library did not own a copy.  I found this very disheartening, being that we live in a river town.

According to Wikipedia:

Fredrick Way, Jr. (February 17, 1901 - October 3, 1992) was the youngest steamboat captain on the Ohio River and Mississippi River. He was the author of books on the boats that ply the inland waterways. He captained the flat-bottom, stern paddlewheeler, the Delta Queen, from San Francisco, down the Pacific coast, through the Panama Canal, across the Gulf of Mexico and up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Pittsburgh in 1946.

As time permits me, please ask any questions about Mississippi river area Steamboats and I'll look them up for you.

Good Luck Glove Company Metropolis Illinois

The Good Luck Glove Co., with locations in Carbondale, Metropolis, Rosiclare and Vienna. For years, the glove company was the third-largest work glove company in the United States.  The following is a postcard from my collection notifying of shipment of a large order of gloves.  Please if you have any information about the Good Luck Glove Co. leave me a note in the comments below you don't need to log in or anything to leave comments!

Postcard Front
AMERICA'S BEST WORK GLOVE VALUE
Unconditionally Guaranteed
Wear Good Luck Brand Quality Gloves
800 ARMOR
815 IRON FACE

Postcard back
Mailed November 10, 1964
Good Luck Glove Co.
Metropolis, IL

Mailed to:
Atlanta Army & Navy Supply
79 Alabama St. SW
Atlanta, Georgia
Gentlemen:
We are pleased to advise that shipment of 68 dozen gloves was made 11/9/64 against order number 26211

The CB&Q Metropolis Railroad Bridge part 13

Hopkinsville Kentuckian
Tuesday, September 8, 1914

Quit Work On Bridge

European War Alleged Cause For Ceasing Construction At Metropolis, Ill.

Paducah, Ky., Sept. 5. --- Work on the Burlington bridge at Metropolis, Ill., twelves miles below here which was started a few weeks ago, was stopped Friday and all of the employees paid and discharged. Semi-official announcement was made that financial difficulty, caused by the European War, compelled the railroad to suspend work indefinitely. When it will be resumed was not stated.



A temporary 1 percent grade line will be constructed from the bridge site to Futrell, six miles from Paducah, and the Burlington, will transfer, using the Illinois Central tracks from Futrell to Paducah, until the bridge is built. At present the Burlington business is being handled across the Ohio River here at a large expense. The sudden announcement caused a shock in business circles here and at Metropolis. The estimated cost of the bridge was three and one-half million dollars.

Read Part 12  Read Part 1

The CB&Q Metropolis Railroad Bridge part 12

The Paducah Evening Sun
Thursday, July 28, 1910


No Opposition to Bridge, Now

Rivermen satisfied to secure proper location of Burlington's piers.

No further opposition to the width of the spans of the Burlington bridge at Metropolis promised by the river interests. The rehearing at St. Louis settled all of the objections to the bridges, and the river men are well pleased with the privilege extended them of locating the piers. This morning Mr. C. M. Riker, general manager of the West Kentucky Coal Company, stated that he knew there would be no more objections. By having the main span 720 feet in width a steamboat with a large tow will be able to pass under the bridge at any angle. With lights on the piers at night the span will be sufficient width to enable the pilots to judge his distance and pass under the bridge.

Read Part 11   Read Part 13  Read Part 1

The CB&Q Metropolis Railroad Bridge part 11

Picture of the W.B. Duncan in dry dock

The Paducah Evening Sun
Thursday, July 28, 1910

Transfer Boat Duncan is Ready

Official on his way to inspect craft, which will ferry trains here.

Most of the work of the Illinois Central transfer steamer Duncan, which will ferry trains between Paducah, Brookport and Metropolis pending the erection of the Metropolis bridge, has been completed.

This morning M. K. Barnum, superintendent of the motive power, and R. W. Bell, superintendent of the machinery, of the Illinois Central railroad, arrived in the city from Chicago and made an inspection of the transfer boat. Captain Ed Howard, the veteran steamboat builder, has inspected the Duncan and said that she is one of the best wooden transfer steamers that he has ever seen. The boat is of sufficient weight to carry a large tonnage.

Read Part 10  Read Part 12  Read Part 1

The CB&Q Metropolis Railroad Bridge part 10

The Paducah Evening Sun
Wednesday, July 27, 1910


Rivermen Will Select Place Of The Bridge Piers

Engineers Approve Site and Adopt Length of Span at St. Louis Meeting

Metropolis People Jubilant Over Result.

Paducah Men Have Returned

To the dictation of towboat pilots and owners was left the location of the piers for the main channel span for the Burlington railroad bridge at Metropolis yesterday by the government board of engineers at St. Louis. The bridge site and width of the span is definite.

This encouraging news was brought home today by Capt. Saunders A Fowler, secretary of the Commercial Club, who returned this morning with County Judge Alben Barkley and State Treasurer Ed Farley from St. Louis after attending the meeting. Mr. Fowler said the result of the meeting is that the board concurred in the action of the engineers at Cincinnati on June 9 in the bridge's location. The span for the main channel will be 700 feet.

The bridge is to be located 1,800 or 2,000 feet below the ferry landing at Metropolis. This is the most feasible site for the foundation and the approaches. The channel span will be 700 feet in the clear at low water mark and the main channel span 600 feet, located in the river. The best position for the piers has been left to the judgment of the rivermen.

Capt. Fowler said a large number of Metropolis people attended the meeting and were jubilant over the result. He said they expressed a warm appreciation to the river interests at Paducah for the support given them in their contentions for the bridge.

Read Part 9   Read Part 11  Read Part 1

The CB&Q Metropolis Railroad Bridge part 9

The Paducah Evening Sun
July 7, 1910

Illinois Central Transfer Boat Being Rushed and Incline Built to Accomodate Burlington Road

Wish Boat Completed by the 15 of August --- Material on Ground for Incline --- Will be Constructed Quickly.

By September 1 and possibly before the Burlington system will be handling freight in and out of Paducah. Until the bridge is completed over the Ohio river at Metropolis, the railroad will use the inclines of the Illinois Central railroad at Brookport and Paducah. Arrangements for the transfer of freight have been outlined, and the work is being rushed, so that the transfering may begin August 15 and September 1.

The steamer Duncan, owned by the Illinois Central Railroad, is now on the Marine Ways, receiving a general overhauling, and when completed will be used to transfer the cars. When the work was done it was intended to have the transfer boat completed by September 1, but now a request has been received to have the boat ready for service by August 15 if possible.

At the foot of Campbell street to the Ohio river a new incline will be built, so that with the old incline there will be a double track to the transfer boats. Much of the material for the new incline is already on the ground, and shipments are being received daily. An order has been received by the bridge department of the Illinois Central not to begin the construction of the incline yet, but it is expected that the work will begin this month. The incline can be erected in 30 days.

Originally the incline at the foot of Campbell street was double tracked, but now only the single track is used. The old foundations are still solid, and the trestle work can be built on the old foundations.

New hearing.

The rehearing of the protest over the granting of a permit for Burlington bridge at Metropolis, Ill., is set for July 26, at St. Louis. At this time the engineers will hear the objections to the shippers of the Mississippi river and north of the Ohio river. The engineers recommended that the permit be granted when the first hearing was held at Cincinnati last month. At St. Louis it is believed that the opposition to the Bridge will not be as strong as it was at Cincinnati, where the large coal shippers fought the bridge.

It is said that when the double track bridge is completed at Metropolis, much through business will be deverted from the Cairo bridge by the Illinois Central, to the Carbondale division, because the single track on the long approaches to the Cairo bridge already is overcrowded. The Illinois Central between Paducah and Fulton and Paducah and Carbondale will be double tracked and improved to handle the fast traffic between Chicago and New Orleans.

Read Part 8   Read Part 10  Read Part 1