Black Rock Advocate (Buffalo, NY), 28 Oct. 1836, page 3

LAKE STEAMBOATS.--A correspondent of the Buffalo Loco Foco-- a spirited little paper that has recently made its appearance in Buffalo--has favored that print with the following interesting statistical facts relative to the names, number and business of the steamboats now employed on Lakes Erie, St. Clair, Huron and Michigan:

the names of the boats trading to and from Buffalo, are as follows:

Total, 28 American and 3 British Boats. The ordinary performance of these 31 boats, every 6 days during the season of navigation, will average as follows, to wit:

1 Trip to Chicago and intermediate ports, 3 Boats,
20 trips to Detroit, " " 20 do.
3 " S. Creek, Dun'k, & Port'd Har. 1 do.
12 " " and Dunkirk, 2 do.
6 " Chippewa & P't Robison [sic], U.C. 1 do.
4 " P't Stanley & in. ports, C. side 2 do.
1 " Amherst'bg and " " 1 do.

53 arrivals and 53 departures, or an average of 17 boats in daily operation at our wharves taking in and discharging passengers, luggage, and freight.--Our marine lists show only about one half this number. In addition to the boats above named, there are running at the head of the lake, on the Detroit, St. Clair, and Maumee Rivers, and the Maumee, La Plaisance, and Sandusky Bays, the following steamboats, viz: Erie, Cincinnati, Gen'l Brady, Gen'l Gratiot, Andrew Jackson, Toledo, Elvira Smith and Major Downing-- all American boats. Also, the British boat, Minnissetunke, running between Amherstburg and Goderich, U.C.--And the head of St. Josephs River, American boats Chicago, Matilda Barry and David Crockett. Total, 39 American and 4 British steamboats on Lake Erie and the Upper Lakes in the year 1836, exclusive of several steam ferry boats. In 1821, the Walk-in-the-water was the only steamboat on these lakes, since which, the following boats have been disposed of, to wit:
Walk-in-the-water, wrecked in Buffalo Bay in 1821.
George Washington, " near L'g Point, U.C. 1833.
Superior, condemned as unfit for use, 1834
Pioneer, wrecked near St. Josephs, L. Mic'n, 1835.
Delaware, " " Chicago, " " 1836
Henry Clay, condemned, 1835.
Enterprise, " 1835.

These facts are worthy of notice.--Only 2 steamboats lost on Lake Erie and 2 on Lake Michigan in fifteen years; and, as I am informed, all of them were beached, and no loss of life amongst the passengers, except in one instance, from endeavoring to swim through the surf contrary to advice.

*3 British Boats.