Interview with Delvia Hopper

Partial Transcript: I got to see, uh, a whole lot of the last part of the river transportation.

Segment Synopsis: Hopper talks about watching timber rafts coming down the river. He walked on one once but never took a raft downriver.

Keywords: Log raft

Subjects: Kentucky River (Ky.) Timber rafting

Partial Transcript: What was it like growing up on the Kentucky River?

Segment Synopsis: Hopper describes his youth on the river. He emphasizes the freedom that he had and fishing. He also talks for great length about different boats that he remembers from the river when he was young.

Keywords: Dixie; Falls City; Fishing; Freight boat; Hanover boat; Kentucky; Martha; Packet boat; Steamboat; White Dove

Subjects: Boats and boating--Kentucky River (Ky.) Fishing--Kentucky River (Ky.) River steamers--Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Where was the Corp facility located here?

Segment Synopsis: Hopper talks about his work maintaining locks and dams on the Kentucky River. In particular, he talks about different ways that they would cap dams.

Keywords: Dam maintenance; Lock 3; Lock maintenance

Subjects: Dams--Kentucky Locks (Hydraulic engineering)--Kentucky River (Ky.) United States Army Corp of Engineers

Partial Transcript: Did you ever work on a snag boat?

Segment Synopsis: Hopper talks about cleaning channels and getting out snags in both the Ohio River and the Kentucky River.

Keywords: Snag boat

Subjects: Kentucky River (Ky.) Ohio River United States Army Corp of Engineers

Partial Transcript: How long did you work for the Corp of Engineers?

Segment Synopsis: Hopper talks about the eight years that he worked for the United States Army Corp of Engineers. He says that many men retired well from it because they won a lawsuit against the government for back-pay.

Keywords: Army Corp of Engineers; Lawsuit

Subjects: Kentucky River (Ky.) United States Army Corp of Engineers

Partial Transcript: What about the engines? You worked on the engines, tell me about that.

Segment Synopsis: Hopper goes into detail about how different types of engines work, focusing on coal engines.

Keywords: Boat engine; Coal engine; Compound condensor; Hone shaft; Scaling boilers

Subjects: Boats and boating--Kentucky River (Ky.) United States Army Corp of Engineers

Partial Transcript: But they've got a smaller outfit that runs in this river periodically.

Segment Synopsis: Hopper talks about the neglect of the Kentucky River dams and locks. He says that the Corp of Engineers is trying to get the state to take it over by not taking care of it. He also talks about the possibility of future dams.

Keywords:

Subjects: Dams--Kentucky Locks (Hydraulic engineering)--Kentucky River (Ky.) United States Army Corp of Engineers Valley View (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Who are some people that, uh, I might interview now that have lived and worked on the river.

Segment Synopsis: Hopper talks about different men that he has worked with and whether or not they are still alive.

Keywords: Cecil Hardin

Subjects: Boatmen--Kentucky River (Ky.) Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Working on the steam, steam cylinder the ram that worked on it was only about that long.

Segment Synopsis: Hopper talks about steam cylinders and the Barnes Engine. He describes how it works and the best way to pilot a boat with it.

Keywords: Barnes engine; Steam cylinder

Subjects: Boats and boating--Kentucky River (Ky.) Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: That's where that boat, one of the biggest boats there was on the river at that time broke in two, McBride.

Segment Synopsis: Hopper talks about the McBride sinking. He also talks about a boat that sank and was brought up. The owner cut it in two and added a longer mid-section. He also talks about a boat called the Sprag that was in the Ohio River.

Keywords: McBride; Sprag

Subjects: Boating accidents--Kentucky River (Ky.) Boats and boating--Kentucky River (Ky.) Drowning victims--Kentucky River (Ky.) Ohio River