\u00a0Way’s Packet Directory makes no mention of this boat being owned by the Lee Line.\u00a0 However, the following is taken word for word from a newspaper clipping of unknown date (likely written in the 1940’s).\u00a0 The byline of the article is “In the Pilot House” by Joe Curtis\u00a0 and reads as follows:\u00a0 “First Mississippi river packet to have a seperate cabin for negro passengers was the GENERAL ANDERSON.\u00a0 Before the Civil War, Negroes were not permitted in any boat’s cabin unless they were maids or housemen traveling with their owners.\u00a0 Capt. James Lee was the first owner of a boat to conceive the idea of a negro cabin.\u00a0 It was installed on the GENERAL ANDERSON when he acquired her for the Memphis and Vicksburg trade and what brought it about was increasing travel of negroes who paid first class fares along the lower Mississippi.\u00a0 When Capt. Lee bought the GENERAL ANDERSON he brought her to Memphis from the Ohio River.\u00a0 Carpenters were put to work extending the rear of the texas (deck) leaving all forward rooms for the crew and the rear for negroes.\u00a0 A nice well furnished cabin was fitted up with staterooms and a small place for them to occupy if they did not want berths.\u00a0 Meals were served in the “parlor,” as the Negroes called it.\u00a0 And they had the same food set before first class passengers in the main cabin.\u00a0 Capt. Lee was advised against building such quarters for Negroes but answered his friends: “I believe any person paying first class fare on a steamboat is entitled to first class passage.”\u00a0 That settled the argument.\u00a0 It was October 12, 1869, when repairs to the ANDERSON were finished.\u00a0 Steam was raised.\u00a0 That afternoon she was given a trial run downstream.\u00a0 The bluffs of Memphis were crowded to watch the boats performance because she was talked about on account of quarters for Negroes.\u00a0 Her average speed was 20 mph, considered fast for a packet.\u00a0 Capt. Stacker Lee was chief purser.\u00a0 His assistants were J.B. Booker and Henry Mathes.\u00a0 She loaded next day to Vicksburg, departing amid screeching whistles from a dozen boats in port.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0Way’s Packet Directory makes no mention of this boat being owned by the Lee Line.\u00a0 However, the following is taken word for word from a newspaper clipping of unknown date (likely written in the 1940’s).\u00a0 The byline of the article … Continue reading