Manuscript Resources on The History of Transportation

Barron, Charles. Letters, 1840-1845. 6 items. Location: MISC:B. Seaman on the ship Sharon. Letters to Barron's parents in Topsham, Maine, written from New Orleans and New York. They describe individual ships and the shipping business trade from the Northeast to New Orleans and to Liverpool, England. Included are comments on freight, ship crews, weather, and activities at various ports. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 1221, 1248, 1274, 1334.

Barth, William, 1898-1982. Papers, 1917-1959. 2.5 linear ft. Location E:109-111. William Barth was a civil engineer with the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He was also a member of the River Rats, a fraternal organization of engineers. This collection contains personal and professional photographs covering the period 1917 to 1944, professional correspondence, copies of a commendation and diplomas, and a calculating device (along with accompanying brochures and instructions). The professional photographs document the work being done on the Mississippi and Atchafayala Rivers when he worked for the US Army Corps of Engineers from 1928-1958. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 4421.

Baton Rouge Land Survey Document, 1848. 1 item. Location: Misc:B. Land survey document dated April 11, 1848. Includes property drawing and description by prominent Baton Rouge surveyors and civil engineers Henry and William Waller. The survey was made at the request of the mayor of selectmen of Baton Rouge to assess the dimensions of a Mr. Vincent's house and gallery on the corner of North and River Streets. For further information see online catalog. Mss. 5016.

Baton Rouge Transportation Company. Records, 1916-1919, 1935-1943. 2 ms. vols. Location: F:3. Log books of Baton Rouge ferry boats Hazel and City of Baton Rouge. The early volume records a few local items, the weather, and river conditions. The second volume contains entries for routine fire drills and inspection of equipment. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 2388.

Baton Rouge, Grosse Tete, and Opelousas Railroad Co. Stock certificates, 1859. 3 items. Location: Misc.:B. Shares bought in the names of W. B. Robertson, Jordan Holt, and Henri Pelichet, and issued at Bayou Grosse Tete, Louisiana. A vignette of a train is printed on the certificates. Transfer of title is written on the back, including one to W. S. Pike. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 1524.

Bayou Lafourche passenger lists, 1835-1836. 14 items. Location: OS:B. Sheets from passage book of Pierre Gabaroche, Sheldrick Moore, S. G. Moore, and P. R. Lott listing names of passengers on the steamer Revenue and probably another steamboat from towns on Bayou Lafourche to New Orleans and return. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 1738.

Beadle, Erastus F. Diary, 1857. 1 ms. vol. Location: M:20, BTC. Travel diary of a trip from Buffalo, New York, to lands near Omaha, Nebraska. Entries reflect incidents of travel, political sentiments of the day, the great emigration to the new territory, life in Nebraska, and the financial panic of 1857. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 914.

Bertrand, Alvin Lee, 1918- interviewee. Oral history interview, 1995. 5 sound cassettes (7.5 hours), transcript (276 p.). Location: L:4700.0524. LSU alumnus and Boyd Professor of Sociology/Rural Sociology. Bertrand discusses growing up in rural Louisiana and the French language and Cajun culture. Bertrand also discusses loss of the small farm way of life, agricultural mores, and the impact of mechanization on rural life in Louisiana. Bertrand describes the general layout of the LSU campus in 1936, the creation of the LSU lakes, the LSU stadium, and student social activities. He comments on the many changes he witnessed while at LSU and details his long association with LSU and the Sociology Dept. He also discusses the development of rural sociology at LSU; his own involvement in international organizations; his work as an international rural sociologist; and his research and studies on health care needs. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 4700.0524.

Biering, Lucie. Letters, 1904. 12 items (on 1 microfilm reel). Location: Mss.Mf:B. Resident of Montana and the granddaughter of Christian D. Koch, Hancock County, Mississippi. Letters written when Lucie was 12 describe a trip with her father from Montana to Russia via Mississippi, New York City, Germany, and Denmark. Included are descriptions of Russian culture, customs, and military preparations for the Russo-Japanese War. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 1479.

Bigelow, Jonas. Letter, 1835 June 20. 1 item. Location: Misc.:B. Letter from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Otis Arnold, Cincinnati, Ohio, referring to Bigelow's business of running a steamboat and flat and keel boats, loaded with cattle and corn, down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. For further information, see online catalog. Mss. 2344.