The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1846-04-25
Correspondence of the Ripley Advertiser. !
TIE OlIlO-irS COMMERCE. AND
NAViG iTlON.
On BOARD TIE STEAMER MErAMoRA.

Il NAViG iTlON.
d On BOARD TIE STEAMER MErAMoRA.
e APRIL IL, lSi6.
DEAR Sir My las, letter lief, me in the vi
entity Of Pittsburgh. The rapdny of nv pro
gress thence to Philadelphia, and tina, too b,
land, together with other matters aferward,
claiming my attention, rendered it necessary t.
suspend my espondendence until the recur
renee OF more favorable circumstances for wri
ling. Now that am "homeward bound" ane
comfortably lodged once more upon an Ohio
Steamer Ga tine large boa, by the way sgaiu
resume my pen with the view of bringing I'd nv
notes."
gave you in my las, communication has,y
and imperfec, sketch of the most attractive and
interesting features of this stream, now render.
ed still more attractive by the robe of living
green" in which the genial influence of Spring
is fast arraying the forest, the hight hue OF the
new leaves contrasting finely with the darker
shade Of The eVergteens scattered here and there
amidst the other growth along its banks. Blu,
It's beautiful scenery is no. its only boast. In
point o! commercial importance (ot which pro
missed you some accounD it is second only TO
The Mississippi among the rivers Of the West.
This will at once appear from glance at the
region which the Ohio drains.
From the mouth to Pittsburgh, i, affords some.
thing over thousand miles of steam boa, nav
CATION. The scope OF country bordering upon it
usually designated as the "Oho Valley" ex.
,ends Woodward to the highlands which sepa
rate It's waters from the basin of the great lakes
with an average breadth of two hundred miles,
and westward from the foot of the Aerhaney
Mountains TO the mississippi, making an area
Of 200 900 square miles or upwards. |, embra.
ces the greater portion of the States of Ken
lucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, part of Michigan,
Western p ennsylvania and West Virginia. -
Within its limits is to be found some of the f.
nest so in the United States. Its mineral re.
sources, too, are by no means inconsderable.-
The upper section Of it lies within the grea,
| bitumnous coal region, and iron ore and sail
springs abound in different parts of It. The
population of the Valley is now estimated a
more than tive and half millions and il ma,
We some general notion Of it's agricultural ca
pabi'lties to mention the fact tina, in the yea
is4a' according 10 the annual repor, OF the Com
missioner OF Patents, i, produced $4,000, 90,
bushels oil the various grains and potatoes, an,
'o2'ooo'ooo pounds of hemp, tobacco, co,tol
: and sugar. Manufacturing establishments ar
also rapidly growing up, and yearly adding to it
: wealth and trade.
For conveying TO market the surplus product
. Of this region, as well as the trade inciden
thereto, the Ohio is of course the grand avenue
besides being the great horoughfare for sendin,
TO the West and South large part of The vas
=, amount OF merchandise shipped every year iron
the eastern Cities. According TO the mos, au
,hentc information that can be obtained, NOR
than three hundred steam boats arc employe
upon this river and its tributaries, transporting
:, annually one million tons Of freight, and hal
million passengers constituting an annua
commerce valued at not less than fifty million
: of dollars.
1t is interesting to look back at the rapis
growth of the commerce of the Ohio within tb,
:! last quarter OF a century, and to contrast thing
as they were fifty, on even thirty years ago, witt
things as they now are. Thus, for instance, II
the early part of 1874 two keel boats, carving
perhaps twenty tons each, were deemed gu fiji
cient facilities for the trade between Cincinnati
and Pittsburgh, until short time subsequent
when two more were added to the line. They
advertised to leave the former port at stated pc.
rods, and make the voyage back to it again in
four wseks respectively. The public was also
informed that the boats we're made ball proof as
well as provided with fire arms and port holes to
resist the attacks Of the Indians on the way