 Water transport increased through the 1850s with multiple craft ferrying pioneers , emigrants and miners ; many of these runs were from St. Louis or Independence to near Omaha . There , most of these people would set out overland along the large but shallow and unnavigable Platte River , which was described by pioneers as " a mile wide and an inch deep " and " the most magnificent and useless of rivers " . Steamboat navigation peaked in 1858 with over 130 boats operating full @-@ time on the Missouri , with many more smaller vessels . Many of the earlier vessels were built on the Ohio River before being transferred to the Missouri . Side @-@ wheeler steamboats were preferred over the larger sternwheelers used on the Mississippi and Ohio because of their greater maneuverability . 
 Water transport increased through the 1850s with multiple craft ferrying pioneers , emigrants and miners ; many of these runs <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> from St. Louis or Independence to near Omaha . There , most of these people would set out overland along the large but shallow and unnavigable Platte River , which was described by pioneers as " a mile wide and an inch deep " and " the most magnificent and useless of rivers " . Steamboat navigation peaked in 1858 with over 130 boats operating full @-@ time on the Missouri , with many more smaller vessels . Many of the earlier vessels <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> built on the Ohio River before being transferred to the Missouri . Side @-@ wheeler steamboats <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> preferred over the larger sternwheelers used on the Mississippi and Ohio because of their greater maneuverability . 
Water transport increased thru da 1850s with multiple craft ferrying pioneers , emigrants and miners ; many of these runs was from St. Louis or Independence to near Omaha . thea , most of dese people would set out overland along tdalarge but shallow and unnavigable Platte River , which was described by pioneers as " a mile wide and an inch deep " and " thdaost magnificent and useless of rivers " . Steamboat navigation peaked in 1858 with ova 130 boats operating full @-@ time on the Missouri , w many more smaller vessels . Many of the earlier vessels was built on thedaio River before bein transferred to the Missouri . Side @-@ wheeler steamboats was preferred over the larger sternwheelers used on the dasissippi and Ohio because of their greater maneuverability .