Show first steamboat on mississippi Ni nicholas eichold J roosevelt built the steamer new orleans at pittsburgh in 1811 under an arrangement with robert fulton and according to ful tons plans this was undoubtedly the first steamboat to navigate the mississippi the new orleans was of about tons burden and was propelled by a stern wheel assisted when the wind was favorable by sails sails carried on two masts the boat was feet long 30 feet beam and its cost including the engine was about the builder with his family an engineer a pilot and six hands left pittsburgh in october 1811 and reached louisville in 70 hours and new orleans in 14 days the new orleans could steam along at ten miles an hour and created a sensation at every landing it passed |