Limestone, Kentucky, in 1790 was a little town and the point where emigrants from Virginia disembarked.[214] It later, 1796, became the depot for whatever goods passedfrom Baltimore and Philadelphia to Kentucky.[215] The grow th of the town was slow, and in 1807 they were only 80 houses. Schultz says, "from the great number of boats of every description lying along the shore, it must have a very considerable share of business. Ship building, I was informed, is likewise carried on with much spirit, but I saw nothing of the kind going on while I was there."[216] Louisville was, in 1796, a small settlement containing from 80 to 100 houses.[217] This was one of the earliest settlements on the Ohio and was rendered the more important at that time, by its position at the Falls of the Ohio. All the boats which touched at Louisville to take pilots were obliged to ascend the river more than two miles above the town to gain the current on the opposite side, which led to considerable expense and loss of time. This disadvantage in the situation of the town probably prevented it from increasing.[218] The Falls were occasioned by a bed of rocks extending from one side of the river to the other. There was a fall of 22½ feet in two miles.[219] In the year 1807 the legislature of Kentucky had incorporated a Company for the purpose of opening a canal around the Falls.[220] At this time Louisville contained 120 houses. Ship and boat building was carried on with considerable spirit.[221] Pilots were appointed to conduct boats over the falls, at the price of $2 per boat.[222] Steubenville, Ohio, laid out in 1798, and incorporated as a town in 1805,[223] contained, in 1807, about 130 houses, a number of brick buildings, and several stores well stocked with every kind of merchandise.[224] Chillicothe, was laid out on the Scioto by Nathaniel Massie in 1796. Galliopolis, settled in 1791, by a French colony,[225] is a good example of the bad faith of the Scioto Company.[226] This town rapidly declined.[227] Fort Vincents and Jeffersonville, Indiana, were in 1796, small villages, one of 50 houses,[228] and the other 40 houses.[229] In 1796 a large number of merchants had already established themselves at Frankfort on the Kentucky River, which was navigable for the largest boats ten months in the year.[230] Henderson, Kentucky, carried on a considerable export trade 1807-1809.[231] Shawneetown, Illinois, made its first appearance in 1805 and 1806, and increased considerably for some time. Great fleets of Keel boats concentrated at this point, engaged in the salt, and other traffic, and diffused life and energy to the new colonies.[232] Cuming says, 1807-1809, "there were several trading boats, and more appearance of business than I had seen on this side of Pittsburg."[233] Brownsville, on the Monongahela, and McKeesport on the Youghiogheny carried on an extensive boat-building business, in 1803, furnishing craft for the emigrants.[234]