13. On to Pittsburgh and the Ohio River, gateway to the west
After the experience of crossing the mountains, Dickens enjoyed another unusual aspect of the Pennsylvania canals. The approach to Pittsburgh was via a raised, curved aqueduct which he described as “a vast, low, wooden chamber full of water” which crossed the Allegheny River and delivered him to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh to Dickens’s eye resembled Birmingham in England, not surprising since both cities were already known for their iron foundries. “It certainly has a great quantity of smoke hanging about it, and is famous for its iron works”, he remarked. Pittsburgh was but a rest stop for Dickens, where he awaited steamboat passage down the Ohio River for his next destination of Cincinnati.
“[W]estern steamboats usually blow up one or two a week in the season”, Dickens observed, deciding it was advisable to seek the services of a reputable boat and captain. Unknown to Dickens, most steamboats did not follow the schedule announced to passengers, often remaining docked long after their announced departure date. “But this is the custom: for if the law were to bind down a free and independent citizen to keep his word with the public, what would become of the liberty of the subject”, was the writer’s comment on the matter. He was unaware that profits came from shipping freight, and boats did not leave their docks until all freight space was sold.