Springfield, Bon Homme Co., SD Centennial Book

	This file contains part of the full text of the book, 
	"Springfield South Dakota Centennial July 1970".

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Early Day Ferries

FIRST FERRY BOAT

	The Springfield Times states that in March, 1874, John C. Thomas 
built the first ferry boat to make regular crossings between here and 
Santee, Nebr., after selling his sawmill to L. C. Palmer It was a 
rather crude affair, just large enough to handle one team and wagon and 
crossed for the first time on March 26, 1874.

	It was hauled one-half mile upstream along the bank by a horse 
and then poled and rowed across the river landing some distance down 
stream. It was then hauled up the opposite shore and worked back the 
same way to the original landing. After going into the ferry business, 
Thomas was always known as Captain Jack. In May, 1874, he procured a 
charter for two years with the agreement that if he put in a steam 
ferry It would be extended to 15 years.

	His advertisements in the Times stated that he would cross from 
"sun to sun" except on Sundays when he crossed from 8 to 10 a.m. and 
from 5 to 7 p.m. This way then allowed him to attend church. There were 
long waits between crossings which he put to use In studying, not 
having much formal education, but later serving four terms as county 
judge of Knox County, Nebr.

	In 1877 his younger brother William and family came from 
Wisconsin and he worked for one season on the ferry boat. They 
experimented with a horse-power treadmill to propel the ferry boat but 
did not find it very satisfactory. This was during the time when big 
steam boats were making regular trips on the river and one captain 
remarked "I have had nightmares that turned out better than that".

	In 1879 Jack disposed of his homestead and was able to buy a 
steam-powered ferry boat which he put into operation in the spring of 
1880.

	Capt. Jack made many hazardous trips across the river with his 
Bee, bound to fulfill his promise not to stop on account of wind or 
water, one being in January, 1878, when Dr. Eagle was out of town and 
he was requested to procure the services of Dr. Ira of Santee Agency 
for a very urgent case of sickness. Being possessed of a fair amount of 
the "milk of human kindness," he made the trip across a river filled 
with floating ice with the thermometer at the zero mark.

The last ferry crossing from here was in 1937.

[photo - THIS OLD FERRY plied between Springfield and Santee.]

"CITY OF SPRINGFIELD"

	"The City of Springfield" was launched in the Missouri River 
March 19, 1910, by the McGoeldrick Bros. This boat was owned by a stock 
company until August, 1920, when Pat and Tom McGoeldrick bought It. The 
crossings were made between Springfield and Santee, Nebr., and carried 
both freight and passengers. Often sand bars made the crossing 
difficult. During the winter months the ferry was taken out and the 
river was usually frozen over for "team crossing".

	The price for crossing on the ferry, per person, was 5 cents. The 
merchants of Springfield gave "tokens" to their customers of Santee to 
pay for their trip. Until recently Sam Henderson and Delbert Fitzler 
each had such a token which had been used by their fathers in business. 
They are now in the museum in Pierre.

	The McGoeldrick Bros. continued to give ferry service between 
Springfield and Santee until the early'20s.

[photo - THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD ferry. The automobile on the ferry 
gives an indication of the time the picture was taken.]

FAMED FERRY PILOT

	Mrs. John (Cathy) Gretschmann, pilot of the Running Water ferry, 
brought Springfield to the attention of the nation when she appeared on 
the "What's Your Line", television show from New York and proved 
completely baffling to the panel of four experts who attempted to 
divulge her occupation by asking questions of her. Besides receiving 
the liberal reward for puzzling the panel, she had the privilege of a 
plane trip to New York and elaborate entertainment while there, at the 
expense of the program.

	Mrs. Gretschmann, wife of John Gretschmann, owner of the ferry 
boat, has been piloting the boat quite regularly for several years and 
is said to be the only licensed woman ferry boat operator in the United 
States. She secured her license after the usual careful Inspection and 
examination and doesn't need to defer to anyone when it comes to the 
skill needed for successful and safe operation of the river craft.

[photo - THE "SALLY ANN" now operates between Running Water, southwest 
of Springfield, and Niobrara, Nebr.]

[ photo - ANNA LUNDIN FEEDING THE CALVES]