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22 Youth's Golden Gleam
destination to include St. Louis and "the Missouri River" as well as Independence. "Shippers and passengers may rely on this boat going through direct." The sailing date was changed from April 5 to April 9 and again to April 10, when at 4 p.m. Captain Logan did take his boat out from Cincinnati with certain California emigrants.31
Another activity of Irwin & Foster was the sale of used boats. Their newspaper advertisements from March 9 to April 7, 1848^ announced that "we offer for sale a light-draught steamboat, less than one year old and has only run for three months—will carry 200 tons and draws but 18 inches light."32 The firm also served in settling claims, such as the case of the steamer Hendrik Hudson in the spring of 184s.33
6.
These transactions hold interest for us because undoubtedly Stephen Foster had a part in them. From the first he strove to fulfil the hopes of his family at home. Stories about him as a dreamy youth bungling his work and jotting musical themes on bookkeeping ledgers possess no factual or logical basis. We have it on the testimony of a friend, Robert P. Nevin,34 that Stephen discharged "the duties of his place with faithfulness and ability," and on the testimony of his older brother, Morrison Foster, that he "was a beautiful accountant |
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