On July 15, 1908, the Batesville Guard reported “The Mount Olive Stave Company last week purchased the steamboat the G.W. Huff to be brought to Batesville to run on the White River hauling timber for the company. The Huff was a 66-ton boat with a barge capacity of 150-tons. The company was having trouble with the railroad in shipping its timber.”
If you would like to see more about the lumber industry as Independence County grew, stop by to see our “Earning a Living” exhibit!
Photo 1: Steamboat G..W. Huff, a timber boat at Batesville, 1906, with Capt. John T. Warner. Master. Best of its size. Made 187 trips on upper White River, 1908-1910. (OIRM, Beaverson, Mike and Billie collection)
Photo 2: Map of the White River near Batesville, 1915. Shows the river depths, Spring Creek entry, Old River entries, Ferrill Island, Mt. Olive Stave Co, oil house revetment built in 1895, freight depot, cotton copress, passenger station, hub milll and excelsior factory, willow thicket. (OIRM collection)
Photo 3: “Earning a Living” wall panel
