Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
NORTHWESTERN PACKET COMPANY
NORTHWESTERN PACKET COMPANY. Organized on November 19, 1863, NorthWestern Packet Company was led by John Lawler, Prairie du Chien, president; W. E. Wellington, Dubuque, superintendent; and George Blanchard, of Dubuque, secretary and treasurer.
Headquartered in Dubuque, the company added to its craft until by March, 1866, when it had ten first-class steamers and thirty-six barges varying in capacity from five thousand to twenty thousand bushels of grain. During the winter of 1865-6 the company spent one hundred thousand dollars in constructing barges. The capital of this company in boats was about five hundred thousand dollars.
The Northwestern Packet Company spent annually in Dubuque about two hundred thousand dollars; its taxes here in 1865 amounted to $6,981.40. Late in 1865 the Northwestern Packet Company ofifered for sale the steamers Milwaukee, Northern Light, Itasca, War Eagle, Key City, Ocean Wave, Flora, Diamond Jo, Damsel, Julia and Lansing.
In 1869 the Northwestern Packet Line had the following boats and masters : Tom Jasper, Frank Burnett; Phil Sheridan, A. M. Hutchinson; Milwaukee, E. V. Holcombe; City of St. Paul, Thos. Davidson; Mattie McPike, Moses Hall; Key City, Judd West; War Eagle, Thos. Gushing; Addie Johnson, Sam Painter; Jennie Baldwin, Charles Leuserbox; Keokuk, Isaac H. Moulton.
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Source:
Oldt, Franklin T. History of Dubuque County, Iowa. http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/franklin-t-oldt/history-of-dubuque-county-iowa-being-a-general-survey-of-dubuque-county-histor-tdl/page-26-history-of-dubuque-county-iowa-being-a-general-survey-of-dubuque-county-histor-tdl.shtml