Evansville (Packet, 1880-1931)

Summary

• BOAT DESCRIPTION: Sternwheel
• BOAT TYPE: Packet
• BUILT: 1880 at Cincinnati, Ohio
• BECAME: Crescent City (1897-1903); Evansville (1906)
• FINAL DISPOSITION: Burned at Bowling Green, Kentucky on July 25, 1931
• OWNERS: Evansville, Green and Barren River Navigation Company; Captain Cole Boren and others (1890); Captain John F. Klein (1895); Evansville and Bowling Green Packet Company; Captain Hite (1896)
• OFFICERS & CREW: Captain Elmore Bewley (first master, 1880)); T. L. Burnham (clerk, 1880); Captain Abbott Veatch; Captain William Williams (master, 1923); Captain Gene Lunn (pilot, 1923); Captain Owen P. Jones (pilot, 1923); Lou Walker (mate, 1923); Tim Hill (mate, 1923); Ben Ellis (engineer, 1923); Len Johnson (engineer, 1923); T. K. Knowles (pilot, 1898);
• RIVERS: Ohio River; Green River
• OTHER INFORMATION: Ways - 1922; 1923; This boat was originally named Evansville; in 1897 was renamed Crescent City and retained that name until 1903. Sometime after that, she was completely rebuilt at Madison, Indiana and in 1906 was documented as a new boat named Evansville. She had 22 staterooms and the original cost was $22,000. Cabin was built by Elias Ealer, engines by C.T. Dumont. Sold to Captain Boren in July 1890 for the Cairo-Tiptonville trade but returned to Green River that November. After being sold to Captain Klein in 1895, she ran in the Wheeling-Clarington trade, about six weeks after which she again returned to Green River. After the rebuilding program, she was owned by Evansville and Bowling Green Packet Company. Officers in 1912: Lee Howell, president; T.A. Williams, superintendent; Jeff H. Williams, agent at Evansville; Lucian Graham, agent at Bowling Green. She sank at Aberdeen, Kentucky on July 11, 1919 and was quickly raised. After she burned, her whistle went to the towboat Tom Williams. She carried a "mockingbird whistle" also upon which tunes were played by pilot Gene Lunn