Gateway to Texas: The History of Orange and Orange County Page: 46
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Alamo, Angelina, Big Ben, Bonnie, Buffalo, Charles
Lee, Colonel Woods, Comargo, Dennis Call, Dime,
Dura, Early Bird, Effort, Emily P., Extra, Fannie,
Fleta, Flora, General Bryan, General Rusk, Henri-
etta, J. L. Webb, James L. Graham, JefDavis, John
H. Bills, Lark, Laura, Liberty, Maude Howell,
Mustang, Neches Belle, Ogden, Orleans, Patrick
Henry, Pelican State, Philadelphia, Pioneer, Pow-
hattan, Robert E. Lee, Sciota Belle, Sonewall, T. J.
Emory, Tobe Hurt, Tom Parker, Tom Davis, Una,
Uncle Ben, Vicksburg, Washington, and the Wren.
During the 189O's there were a number oft
steam towboats on the lower Sabine. Most, how-
ever, were soon propelled by naphtha-burning
internal-combustion engines. Among these were
the Nellie, the converted Charles Lee, the I V.
Guillotte, the Ava, the Fannie, the T C Griflith.
the Ideal and the John P. Smith
The movement of cotton oni the ri cr e -t ccn
Orange and Logansport ended after 1895. The
last significant year of the cotton trade was 1893.
A decline in the growing of cotton, coupled with
the development of the railroads, had taken its
toll. Exploitation of timber along the Sabine had
long been the backbone of Orange industry, and
the lumber business burgeoned in the years fol-
lowing the Civil War. Lumber was largely re-
sponsible for the coming of the railroads, and
lumber companies normally owned and operated
the tram roads.
Steamers continued to bring cotton and hides
downriver and carried upriver such cargo as ma-
terials for the tram roads, grain for timber-
hauling draft animals, lumber, and men and sup-
plies for the tram camps. Logs were dumped by
the thousands into the river to float to the mills
at Orange, often creating hazards and hampering
the movements of the steamers.Among the steamers still active in the cotton
trade as late as the 188o's were the Lark and
Extra. The former belonged to Captain Tom J.
Davis in 1879, and later to Captain Joshua Grif-
fith. The Lark was damaged in 1888, but con-
tinued to run through 1889. The Extra also oper-
ated profitably in the post-bellum cotton trade,
moving 5,ooo bales during the 1884 season. She
sank in 1893. Others included the Lamar, theVicksburg, the Maude Howell, the Pearl Rivers, the
Dura, the Minna, the Charles Lee and the Neches
Belle.
The Neches Belle was built on dry land in 1890
at a cost of $3,000 by Captain Will Loving and
(right) The Neches Belle at the Fourth Street dock loaded
with cotton, ca. 1890.Riverboat Lucy receiving news about the flood on Johnson's Bayou, ca. 1ro.
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Williams, Howard C. Gateway to Texas: The History of Orange and Orange County, book, 1988; Orange, Tex.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth39146/m1/64/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .