Hello Gentlemen,
John that is a fine reconstruction and as I recently told Kaz,'with the Webb John will definitely show us a beautiful sheer'. I would move the walking beams and funnel a bit forward. Typically the aft end of the beam attached to the wheel crank shaft and the fore to the engine cylinder. The center of the A-frame would be nearer the fore side of the wheel box. Where did the very first sketch come from? Who was the artist and what was the approximate date of the drawing? I have not seen it before and it does appear to be a classic antebellum towboat although the hull does not appear as deep as the Webb's.
The painting is an enlargement from the wall mural at the National Civil War Naval Museum. It is of recent origin and the artist depicted the vessel based upon information provided by the museum. That painting is similar to another recent sketch done of the Webb found in a book describing Algiers.
The best possible source for accurate Webb details as built would be the Special Collections department of the Webb Institute (New York). Unfortunately, my last inquiry to them was returned with a polite notice that they no longer had the resources to answer research requests. I have yet to make formal plans to visit the institute but I know they have some comprehensive and unique files on Webb built vessels, and other vessels built in the New York area (19th century).
A couple of years ago Kaz located a newspaper article (great find), I believe from the early 1900s, that was based on an interview of a former Shreveport Station sailor. Granted, the details were hazy after so much time but the article did include his rough sketch of the Missouri and the Webb. From such a sketch one could get a fair idea of the extent of the deck house, funnel and mast and their locations relative to the wheels. I don't have my copy immediately at hand but perhaps Kaz can comment.
All the best,
Bil