Lee Line Steamers | Riverboat History

Another Memphis river front postcard from an EBay seller.   I have not seen this card previously.

HARRY LEE: Boat 2540 Way’s Packet Directory page 207. Stern Wheeler, Packet, wood hull, built Clarington Ohio 1899. Originally named CITY OF WHEELING. Renamed by the Lee Line. Sank at Brandywine Landing 45 miles above Memphis August 1911 and was raised. Burned at Memphis March 19, 1914. She carried the whistle of the Lee Line ROBERT E LEE.  The S&D Reflector noted in the September 1984 issue that “They (Lee’s) took good care of her and in 1913 gave her new boilers, engines, and put cylinder beams on her.” The S&D also noted following burning on March 19, 1914, “the hull was sold to Watkins Tie Co and converted into a barge. The machinery and boilers were used in the building of a new steel hull HARRY LEE at St. Louis

Thank you Stephanie P for sharing these pictures of your St. Louis and Tennessee River Packet Co. red plate.   This very nice plate has been in her family since 1912.  The writing on the back of the plate was done by her grandmother.

This picture was taken at the Bohlen-Huse Ice Company following the great flood of April 1913 which inundated the companies facilities.  This picture along with a number of others was taken to support a flood damage claim.  The Bohlen-Huse Ice company was founded in 1850 and was purchased by James Lee Jr. around 1884.  The tall rectangular container to the left of the boiler tubes is an ice mold.  The series of pictures taken to support the flood claim were in the possession of my second cousin Rowena Lee daughter of Capt. G Peters Lee.  A Memphis couple who looked after Rowena inherited her collection of family papers, graciously permitted me to copy these pictures along with other documents.

Another Lee Line postcard from EBay.  The writer inscribed the following on the front of the card.  “Caruthersville Mo.  Sept. 28, 1908.  Here’s a view of the most renowned boat that caught on fire.  This picture was taken when the boat stopped to load on board 2800 sacks of wheat S. of Cap. Girardeau.  My stateroom was about at the X.   The message on the back of the card was addressed to Miss Helen Cross, Columbia Mo. and reads “This picture is the best I took on the way down here.  I had a few extra finished.  They cost 5 cent each + $.70 for the package of film.  Gee!  This weather is cold – hope you are not frozen out.”  (Way’s Packet Directory makes no mention of a fire on the PETERS LEE.)

Prices for this 18 day voyage range from $155 to $255.   “The price includes meals and berth f0r the round trip, as well as use of the boat, berth and breakfast while in port at New Orleans.”

Recently this colorful 1927 L&C Steamers Mardi Gras by boat brochure was purchased from an EBay seller.    The Lee Line ran Mardi Gras excursions prior to its liquidation in 1926.   The period art and narrative is of interest to lovers of steamboat history and travel.  Over the next several days, I will add more pages from this beautiful Art Deco brochure.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal Mid-South Memories section Sunday October 26, 2014 reported the following for October 26, 1889, “Jay Gould has again demonstrated his faith in Memphis by purchasing, for $28,000, a tract, 137 by 340 feet, on Sixth in Fort Pickering to be used as terminal facilities for his St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad.  The land was conveyed to Gould by T.H. and J.D. Milburn, John M. Farrington, D.P. Hadden and Capt. James Lee.”

The following link gives some history on Jay Gould.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Gould

Here is a link to the fabulous James Lee House Bed and Breakfast.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-James-Lee-House/167165240041348?ref=profile