▁p addle ▁ste amer ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁steam bo at ▁on ▁the ▁Colorado ▁River ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 8 5 2 , ▁Uncle ▁Sam , ▁a ▁ ▁long ▁side - w heel ▁p addle ▁ste amer ▁was ▁brought ▁by ▁the ▁sch oon er ▁ ▁from ▁San ▁Francisco ▁to ▁the ▁Colorado ▁River ▁D elta ▁by ▁the ▁next ▁contract or ▁to ▁supply ▁Fort ▁Y uma , ▁Captain ▁James ▁Turn b ull . ▁ ▁It ▁had ▁been ▁built ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco ▁by ▁Dom ingo ▁Marc ucci ▁and ▁dis ass emble d ▁for ▁ship ment . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁assemble d ▁and ▁launched ▁in ▁the ▁est u ary , ▁ ▁above ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Colorado ▁River . ▁ ▁E qui pped ▁with ▁only ▁a ▁ ▁engine , ▁Uncle ▁Sam ▁could ▁only ▁carry ▁ 3 5 ▁tons ▁of ▁supplies , ▁taking ▁ 1 5 ▁days ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁first ▁ ▁trip . ▁ ▁Uncle ▁Sam ▁made ▁many ▁tri ps ▁up ▁and ▁down ▁the ▁river ▁for ▁four ▁months ▁to ▁finish ▁carrying ▁all ▁the ▁supplies ▁for ▁the ▁fort , ▁impro ving ▁its ▁time ▁up ▁river ▁to ▁ 1 2 ▁days . ▁Neg lig ence ▁caused ▁it ▁to ▁sink ▁at ▁its ▁dock ▁below ▁Fort ▁Y uma , ▁and ▁was ▁then ▁was hed ▁away ▁and ▁lost ▁before ▁it ▁could ▁be ▁raised , ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁flo od ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 3 . ▁Turn b ull ▁who ▁mean while ▁had ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁D elta