Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Steamboat Torch


Robert Killion, curator - collections and technology at Peoria Historical Society displays a torch that was used on steamboats.

Steamboats working at night suspended iron baskets filled with oil-soaked scraps over their sides to illuminate the shore. Torch baskets helped pilots navigate, but they also posed a risk of fire if sparks landed on flammable cargo.

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