Retail trading boats continued in use on the Ohio. Every considerable landing place on the Ohio and Mississippi, had in the spring, a number of stationary and inhabited boats, lying by at the shore. They were often dram shops.[344] Flint says, "While I was at New Madrid, a large tinner's establishment floated there in a boat. In it all the different articles of tinware were manufactured, and sold by wholesale and retail.[345] A still more extraordinary manufactory, we were told, was floating down the Ohio, and shortly expected at New Madrid. Aboard this were manufactured axes, scythes, and all other iron tools of this description, and in it horses were shod. In short it was a complete blacksmith's shop of a higher order. I have frequently seen in this region, a dry goods shop in a boat, with its articles very handsomely arranged on shelves."[346] Keel boats were still used on the Mississippi and Ohio in low stages of water, and on the boatable streams where steamboats did not run. Before the introduction of the steamboat, there were six times as many of these boats used as afterward.[347] These boats were used to carry merchandise down the river, eight or ten boatmen being required for a journey down stream,[348] and from twelve to twenty-four to pole the boat up stream.[349] Emigrants sometimes took passage down the Ohio in keel boats.[350] As early as 1817 the steamboats were beginning to supersede them.[351] Barges, varying from 40[352] to 170[353] tons burthen, were used in the transportation of merchandise. About twenty[354] or twenty-five[355] hands were required to work an ordinary barge upstream, the boatmen being able to make about six or seven miles per day against the current.[356] During the years 1812-1818 these barges were used to carry large cargoes both to and from New Orleans.[357] These boats often were equipped with sails, masts, and rigging. From ninety to one hundred days was a tolerable passage from New Orleans to Cincinnati. In this way the intercourse between Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, and St. Louis, for the more important purposes of commerce, was kept up with New Orleans.[358] A rather interesting article appeared in the Louisiana Gasette of October 24, 1815, which was as follows: "The steamboats now in use cannot carry one twentieth part of the goods that might be in demand from this city (N. O.)--the common barges, always slow and expensive in their operations are in a great measure paralyzed by the few steamboats in use, the bargemen know that steamboats will always have the preference, hence they are prevented from preparing barges, the expense being great, and the barge owners generally men of very limited means, so that the public will be worse served than if steam were not in operation unless a spirit is immediately diffused that will bring the steam navigation into use commensurate to the demand of transportation."[359] As time went on the barges fell into