8:44 PM

I’ve discovered bloggers who never visited the Steamboat Arabia Museum or even heard about the sidewheeler are following my blog. They know the steamboat sank, September 5th but not much more
.Above- House of Representatives William A. Richardson, of Illinois introduced a revised Bill for Organizing Nebraska Territory (HR 353) on February 2, 1853 which was revised a final time on December 14, 1853, by Senator Augustus C. Dodge of Iowa. Collection of Matthew R Isenburg.

Per Wikipedia- The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands, repealed theMissouri Compromise of 1820, and allowed settlers in those territories to determine if they would allow slavery within their boundaries. (READ MORE)


I’ve discovered bloggers who never visited the Steamboat Arabia Museum or even heard about the sidewheeler are following my blog. They know the steamboat sank, September 5th but not much more.
One hot day in the early 1990s, Greg Hawley sent me a letter with this newspaper announcement from The Daily Missouri Democrat, dated September 11, 1856. This consignee list opened a doorway and helped me eventually solve the mystery what Arabia’s last trip to the upper Missouri River was about.
ARABIA- The Officers of this boat which was lost in the Missouri last Friday, arrived yesterday on the Tatum.  From them we learned that the sinking was a very sudden affair. The snag struck her forward of the boilers, pierced its way into the center of a lot of freight and lifted the deck several inches above its proper level. As soon as the boat was brought again under control, she was headed for the bank, but sank when she was about the distance of her own length from it. Two minutes only, elapsed from the striking until she sunk. Of course the alarm and confusion which always attend the like sudden disasters, prevailed here, but the fears of the passengers were allayed by the presence of mind displayed by her officers. We are glad to know that the only life lost on this unfortunate occasion was that of a mule, which would have been saved, but for own obstinacy.
Is it really a matter to be wondered at, how quickly boats which sink in the Missouri, disappear as a general thing. When the men left this boat on Sunday morning, the water had reached her hurricane deck, on the starboard side, and it is supposed she will now be entirely out of sight. The river is not rising, but the boat is sinking in the sand. The Arabia was insured for 10,500. We are indebted to Mr. James Spencer, one of the clerks, for the following statement of their freight and its destination:
Kay & Bailey                                       1 box merchandise                          St Joseph   
Donnell & Saxton                             8 box merchandise                          St Joseph  
J H Cook                                               3 box merchandise                          St Joseph  
Thomas Connelly                             3 box merchandise                          St Joseph  
E & Y [F] Impey & Co                       227 packages                                     Savannah
R Zimmerman & Co                         1 sawmill and fixtures                    Browsby Landing
G W Brown                                         10 barrels of Whiskey                     Iowa Point
Mc Allister, Orace [Crane] & Co   7 packages                                        Iowa Point
Gaines, Strickland & Co                 4 packages                                          Iowa Point
John O’knoll                                        2 packages                                         St Stephens
H D Kirk                                                                1 package                                            St Stephens
Hawk & Dillion                                   1 package                                            Hemmes Landing
Tootles & Armstrong                      5 packages                                          Linden
Smith, Brown &                McAlister            9 Package                                            Linden                 
Steamer Ben Bolt                             1 cook stove                                       Linden
Hall & Baker                                        (?) Barrels Ale                                    Nebraska City
D Seigel                                                11 packages                                        Nebraska City 
J Garside                                              (?) packages                                       Nebraska City
Tootles & Green [Greene]           30 packages                                        Glenwood
Allen                                                      11 packages                                        Bellevue
Sarpy & Kippy                                    3 packages                                          Bellevue
L M Peckham                                     1 package                                            Bellevue
B Lovejoy                                            2 packages                                          Bellevue
F M [T M] Boyer                                               1 package                                            Council Bluffs
Stutsman & Donnell                         55 packages                                       Council Bluffs
Thompson & Butts                          15 packages                                        Council Bluffs
Milton Rogers                                    13 packages                                        Council Bluffs
Cassady & Test                                 1 package                                            Council Bluffs
Babbitt & Robinson                          4 packages                                         Council Bluffs
C Gore                                                  2 packages                                          Council Bluffs
Keys & Co.                                          54 packages                                        Council Bluffs
J R [J E] Washington                        20 packages                                        Council Bluffs
Tootles & Jackson                            106 packages                                     Council Bluffs
Geo Doughty & Co                          21 packages                                        Council Bluffs
J Jones                                                  22 packages                                        Omaha
O B Smith                                            9 packages                                          Omaha
Tootles & Jackson                            5 packages                                          Omaha
H W Richmond                                  1 package                                            Omaha
A Sheldon                                           1 package                                           Omaha
Schneider & Hardford                    4 packages                                          Omaha
W Shirids                                             6 packages                                          Omaha
M Handon                                           28 packages                                        Omaha
Armstrong & Clark                           357 PCs Lumber                                                Omaha
Stutesman & Donnell                     202 packages                                     Omaha
Willimson & Roach                           5 packages                                          Omaha
Keiler [Keller]                                    20,000 Ft Lumber                             Florence
Blackbird Mission                             29 packages                                        Blackbird Hill
Burnes, Roberts & Co                     100 packages                                     Sioux City
D O Shea                                              3 packages                                          Sioux City
Tracy & Papin                                     720 packages                                     Logan
Tracy & Papin                                     2 Houses                                              Logan
J Harri                                                    20 packages                                        Logan
“Since reporting on yesterday the sinking of the Steamer Arabia in the Missouri River, we have learned some particulars touching insurance upon her hull and cargo. Our information is only partial and does not include the amounts of policies existing in the St Joseph Insurance Company, and in other offices in towns in that region.  The following amounts are set down to offices in this city.
On the Hull                         American Insurance Co.                                1,000
Merchants   Insurance Co             4,000
On the Cargo--                  Floating Dock Insurance Co.        8,000
                                                 St Louis Insurance Co.                   about 400
                                                 Lumberman’s and Mechanics    1,800