ERASTUS WELLS (St. Louis Harbor Boat) 1907-1932
On the evening of October 16, 1907, the new St. Louis harbor boat the Erastus Wells arrived in the city from the Grafton Boat Yards in Illinois. Capt. Joseph P. Whyte, Harbor and Wharf Commissioner, who supervised the boat's construction and city officials, were on board the harbor boat Mark Twain as she towed the Erastus Wells. Schoellhorn and Albrecht machinists removed the Mark Twain's two engines and machinery and transferred them to the Erastus Wells. The Workhouse and Industrial School received the Mark Twain's lumber, other material, and the doors and windows were converted into nursery hotbeds. In the end the Mark Twain was dismantled and her hull used as a city landing boat. The Erastus Wells was a side-wheeler with a steel hull, and four new boilers. The total cost was more than $65,000 (over $1,100,000 in today's currency). She measured 186 feet long, 32 feet beam, 7 feet 6 inches depth, and her dimensions over all in the middle were 50 feet. The boat was named after the mayor at the time, Rolla Wells' father, Erastus Wells (1822-1893). Erastus Wells had been a leader in municipal mass transportation in Missouri. He established the first public transportation enterprise, first bus line, and first horse-car line (the Missouri Railroad Company) west of the Mississippi River. He was a member of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, and a U.S. Congressman from 1869 to 1877.
In a little over two months, on December 18th, the Erastus Wells made her first maiden trial trip as the official St. Louis harbor boat. The U.S. Supervisor of Inspectors, Joseph Dunne and members of the local Board of Inspectors, Mr. McDonald and Mr. Gordon were accompanied by a number of well-known river men and city officials. The purpose of the harbor boat was to do river police duty, and to provide protection after storms. Quarters for the master and half of the crew were an innovation that allowed them to be on board at night in case of emergency. The harbor boat assisted in fighting fires and keeping the levee clean with power from the three engines capable of pumping 6,000 gallons of water per minute, and throwing four streams through 2,000 feet of 3-inch fire hose. Capt. Thomas Garrison, master of the Mark Twain, who became the master of the Erastus Wells carried out a most unusual rescue. Two days after the arrival in St. Louis of the Erastus Wells, the crew of the Mark Twain successfully rescued the pet hog of the steamboat City of Memphis that had fallen overboard. The decks and cabins could easily accommodate 2,000 passengers. Many dignitaries were carried on the Erastus Wells on inspection tours and day trips. She served as an entertainment vessel for out of town guests and St. Louis mayors and other city officials. The Erastus Wells took part in two presidential steamboat parades, in 1907 with President Roosevelt, and in 1909 with President Taft.
John Frederick Deppe drafted the plans for the new and fast harbor boat; the speed of the Erastus Wells was twelve miles an hour against the current. Mr. Deppe had first hand knowledge of machinery having been in a boiler making, blacksmith and iron works business with his brother before designing and supervising the building of the Erastus Wells. Steamboatmen who saw the Erastus Wells being constructed and newly arrived at St. Louis said that the boat was perfect in every appointment and specification, and a great credit to the builders. During the depression years of the late 1920's and early 1930's, the city administration felt unable to maintain the $51,000 annual operating expenses. In 1932 after nearly twenty-five years of service as a harbor boat the Erastus Wells was sold at auction to Edwin C. Koenig. He renamed the boat the City of St. Louis and it was remodeled to be an excursion boat. Mr. Deppe's granddaughter, Helen Vollmar and her husband, Joseph E. Vollmar, Jr., donated the Erastus Wells pilot wheel and anchor lights to the St. Louis Mercantile Library.
For Further Reading: Finding aids are available at the St. Louis Mercantile Library and www.umsl.edu/pott on general river topics, rivers, and river maps, or contact the Curator of the Herman T. Pott National Inland Waterways Library, Bette Gorden, bgorden@umsl.edu.