Steamboat Racing.

I'm getting ready to give a lecture on it.

The problem with steamboat racing was it was a very dangerous sport.

When they were racing, they didn't care If the boat blew up, oh well, the goal was to win.

and they would do anything to win.

Getting cargo from port to port was very important.

But we were also a growing nation and speed was extremely important.

So the faster boats always got the business.

And how did you prove you were faster?

Well, you either beat somebody's time between ports or you raced somebody who said they were faster, the goal was to win.

and they would do anything to win.

We have a silver cup that was given to one steamboat that won the Cincinnati, in the race between the Cincinnati and the America.

Actually, the race was fixed.

The cup has the name of the Cincinnati engraved into it and was made before the race.

Now, normally in steamboat racing, you don't fix a race.

the Cincinnati was the new brag boat.

They wanted her to be in public favor so they staged a race.

Well, Floyd Turner was the chief engineer on the America, He did not want the America to lose because he knew she was the faster boat.

And he flat out refused.

And at the very last second, the owners told him, said, this boat either loses or you don't have a job.

He had them draw all the fires and shut the engines down and let the Cincinnati float ahead.

But he kind of had to because the trophy was already made.

To discover more stories, visit wfy.org/acrossindiana.