Letter from Judge Rufus Putnam to President George Washington
7/24/1790
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River travel was not easy in the 1790s. Natural dangers such as heavy currents, strong winds, snags, and shifting sandbars took an appalling toll. The life expectancy of a steamboat – before it snagged, blew up, caught fire, or vibrated apart – was five years. In spite of improvements that removed natural obstacles, rivermen and settlers were still plagued by foreign powers, Native American tribes opposed to settlement in their lands, and river pirates who seized goods and murdered crews.
This primary source comes from the General Records of the Department of State.
National Archives Identifier: 5757431
Full Citation: Letter from Judge Rufus Putnam to President George Washington; 7/24/1790; Northwest Territory, July 13, 1787 - August 1, 1791; Territorial Papers, 1789 - 1873; General Records of the Department of State, Record Group 59; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/putnam-washington, May 15, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.