THE FERRY


From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties" - J. A. Caldwell, 
1880, page 291.

The ferry originally belonged to Col. Ebenezer Zane and his brother 
Jonathan.  The time at which it was established is not certainly 
known, but it supposed to be between 1785-90.  It came into the 
possession of Ebenezer Martin through his mother's interest in the 
Colonel's estate. In 1810 John Rowland received license to keep a 
ferry at this point.  In 1802 John Philey received license to keep a 
"house of public entertainment" at this landing.  In 1805 Absalom 
Martin also received license to keep a tavern at this ferry.  Fees 
paid, $10. This crossing-point has been known from the earliest 
settlement of the state, it being more convenient to cross the river 
at this one ferry than the two with the intervening island opposite 
the city.  The roads leading to this ferry were the chief 
thoroughfares for the travel of emigrants and adventurers to the new 
country of Middle Ohio, and the return of hogs and cattle in droves, 
and the produce of the opening farms to Eastern markets.  About the 
first of the present century the ferry became noted as a crossing-
point by the Virginians.   A ferry-house and an accompanying tavern 
were soon put up, and were made as comfortable as possible in those 
times for the pioneers and their beasts.  Through a period of over 
forty years cattle and hogs were driven from the interior of Ohio as 
far west as the Scioto and Miami rivers to Baltimore and Philadelphia 
by way of this route.  The ferrying of these droves was a great 
business, and at times engaged many extra hands and very often two 
sets of boats.  The boats used were flat-bottomed scows, without 
decks, and sided with a fence of posts and slats, with bars at the 
bow and stern, leaving only a space at each end for propelling the 
boats with poles or oars, as were most convenient.  Steam ferry boats 
were not introduced her until 1840.  As the current of the river is 
strong here at most seasons, it was necessary to take the boat to a 
landing far up stream,  and then, by means of much driving, coaxing, 
hallooing and swearing, get the cattle on board, then push out into 
the stream, and, with four men pushing and pulling at each large pair 
of oars, they made for the opposite side.  This was a slow way to 
ferry a large drove, and often an entire day was consumed in crossing 
with one herd.  On the opposite bank one or two of the drovers herded 
the cattle until the last load was brought across, when they took up 
the line of march to their destination.

The ferrying of hogs was by much the same process, except that the 
native sense of independence in the pig made him more troublesome to 
handle, and, as this driving all came in the midst of the fall rains 
and early snows, it was so muddy along the roads and at the derry, 
indoors and out, that no conception can be formed as to the hardships 
and disagreeableness of the early drover and ferryman.  Hogs were 
usually driven about ten miles a day, so that the journey from 
Chillicothe to Baltimore took at least two months.

In 1833, a new contrivance was substituted for propelling the boat.  
The modus operandi of this arrangement was as follows:

Nearly a mile above the landing, a strong wire rope was fastened to a 
tree on the Ohio bank, from which point it was carried down to the 
landing, supported at respective distances by floating buoys, and 
passed over pulleys at each end of the boat and around a cylinder in 
the middle of the same, by which it could be turned with either end 
up stream, at will.  A lee-board passed down the outside of the boat 
along its length and reached some distance below the bottom.  Against 
this the current would pass, and if the shore end of the boat was up 
stream the boat would remain at the shore; but on turning the outer 
end up stream,  the current pushing against the lee-board (the wire 
rope holding the boat from floating away) she would immediately run 
across the river, on the principle of the incline plane, landing a 
short distance above the point of starting.  Then, on turning the 
other end up stream she would float back, of course much easier than 
in passing over.  It was an easy matter to run the quarter of a mile 
in five minutes or less. But the frequent passsage of boats along the 
river greatly interfered with the use of this plan and it was given 
up for steam.

In 1841, John S. Pringle, of Brownsville, Pa., built the first steam 
ferry boat at this place.  Whilst floating the boat from said town 
down the river it struck on some rocks between Martin's Ferry and 
Pittsburgh.  The owner becoming uneasy about the safety of the boat 
wrote to Pringle and offering to send help to get her off.  He 
returned an answer saying:

"There are several rocks where she lays and it would be very 
difficult to haul her off without injury.  If it had been a gravel 
bottom I would have hauled her off before now; but the rocks she 
struck on are fifteen or eighteen inches higher than the bar, and 
when I found I could not raise force enough to get her off at the 
time, I cut some blocks and blocked her up all round to keep her 
fair."

In ten or fifteen days afterward a raise occurred in the river and 
early one morning near the last of October a new ferry boat landed at 
the wharf to the great delight of the citizens of the village, who 
crowded her deck for several hours during the day with curious 
interest.

This boat was named in honor of Mr. Martin's son, who had shortly 
before made his advent, receiving the appellation of "Isaac Martin."  
In 1844, Mr. Martin in consequence of financial embarrassments was 
obliged to give up the business, and then it passed with the ferry 
right from Jefferson street to the lands now owned by William Clarke, 
into the hands of Hugh Nichols, who conducted it until 1862, when it 
was purchased by Price, Updegraff & Long.  In 1864, George K. Jenkins 
bought Updegraff's interest, and in 1865 Jenkins and Price purchased 
Long's interest.  In 1866, Price sold to Levi W. Inglebright.  Two 
boats are used - one a light draft for low water and the other larger 
and well suited for high water and floating ice.
      

Contributed by Linda Cunningham Fluharty.