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Packet Phil Sheridan, Building of and Launch, 1885-86
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Excerpts from the Daily Intelligencer column "River News"
-from the Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, November 15, 1865:
We were shown yesterday a letter from Capt. Muhleman, who is in Cincinnati superintending the building of the new boat, (for the Wheeling and Parkersburg trade,) of which we have previously spoken. The Captain says the work is progressing finely. It has been decided to call her "Phil. Sheridan." She will be an honor to her namesake, and we hope she may ride our waters as proudly as did the gallant Phil. o'er his battle fields, and that she may be as much advantage to her owners as was her namesake to the Union cause.
-from the Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, November 18, 1865:
The Phil Sheridan—the new boat being built at Cincinnati for the Wheeling and Parkersburg trade—has been launched, and is now being finished. She will be done in about a month. We are anxious to chronicle the advent here of this fine steamer, and can only wish for her much success.
-from the Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, January 26, 1866:
The Phil Sheridan will arrive here today, and leave to-morrow for Cincinnati. All persons are invited to visit and inspect her. She will take down a gay pleasure party with her to-morrow. From the Cincinnati Commercial we take the following description of the Sheridan, and an account of her crew.
"Captain Charlie Muhleman's new and splendid side-wheel packet Phil. Sheridan, was built here expressly for the Cincinnati and Wheeling trade. The hull, by the Marine Ways, is 227 feet long, 36 1/2 feet beam, with 6 feet depth of hold. The machinery, by C.T. Dumonty & Co., comprises four boilers, containing five nine-inch flues each, forty inches in diameter, and twenty-six feet long. The cylinders are twenty-two inches in diameter, with seven feet long stroke, working a pair of water-wheels twenty-eight feet in diameter, with eleven feet five inches length of buckets. The cabin, by Horsley & Fahler, is full length, and finished in elegant style throughout. The staterooms are six by seven feet, with splendid accommodations for one hundred passengers. She has capacity for seven hundred tons, and trims on thirty-two inches water in complete running order. The furniture and upholstery is by J. & G. Mendel, of Wheeling; table and plated ware, and chandeliers, by Rogers, Smith & Co., and E. Ketchum & Co., New York. The rich velvet and Brussels carpeting in her cabins and staterooms is also from New York.
"The Phil. Sheridan was built under the personal supervision of Capt. Charlie Muhleman, who has been connected with the Wheeling and Parkersburg packets during the past eight years, and more recently in command of the Revenue and Express. He is an exceedingly accommodating as well as competent commander, and, like his elegant packet, will soon become a favorite in the trade. Messrs. Chris. G. Young and Charlie Knox are associated in the office. The engineers are Geo. Wright and Jas. Hall; pilots, Captian Amos Davis and Phil. Anshutz; Mate, Colonel Harlan; Steward Henry Habermehl and carpenter, Thornton Terry. Mr. Lee Pettit has fitted up a neat and well stocked saloon for the accommodation of her guests. Take the Phil. Sheridan all in all, she is one of the most perfect packets ever built for the trade. On her recent trial trip, she made excellent time, indicating that she will prove a clipper as soon as her machinery wears smooth. The Sheridan cost $96,00.
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