Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-08-12


and the expenses incidental to their nav
CATION TO be twelve million two hundre
, and eighty thousand dollars. 1t estimate
: Inc number Of fiat boats engaged in th
same navigation at four thousand, and III
persons employed in navigating them q
twenty thousand, and the annual cost an
expense of building and navigating Their
al one million three hundred and eighty
thousand dollars 1t also estimates tn
amount OF freight, on the superstition tn
boats go full ireghted, at $2,000,000 an
nually, and the annual value of the pro
ducts of the valley transported on the rive
and its tributaries at $l20,000,00O, ant
thar from others portions ofthe Union ant
foreign countries at $l00,000,000 making
In the aggregate, S220,000,000,
Such was the estimate ofthe commerce
of the Mississippi, including its tributaries
made by an intelligent committee to the
citizens of Cincinnati, at the beginning oil
the year ls43. 1t has greatly increased
since as short as is the interval, with the
rapidly increasing population and wealth
OF lis valley, 1t appears, by the last an.
nual report of the Treasury Department
on the commerce and navigation of the
United States, that their steamboat tom
mage on the western waters on the last of
June, lS45, was l59 ,7l3 tons. 1t appears
from the same document, that the number
built du ring the year, ending on the Both
June, lS45, on those waters, was ll9 /;
making, in the aggregate, 1858 tons,
aud an average Of fraction more than
l73 to boat, instead of 300, as estimated
by the Cincinnati committee. Assuming
that to be the average tonnage Of the
boats belonging to the river, their number
then would be $50, and their number now
may be estimated safely at 900 boats, aud
their tonnage at l6l,7S7.
Assuming, then, that the number of per.
sons employed in navigating the Missis.
sippi and its tributaries, and the expense Of
the navigation, and the value of the boats
and cargoes, to be what the Cincinnati es
Inmates make it, and that their estimates
are correct, the present annual value Of the
commerce of the river and tributaries
would exceed $300,000,O00. But how
ever great it may be, il is but the begin
ming. If the commerce Of the valley shall
increase in proportion with its population,
and nothing should occur to impede that, it
will in short time be more than qnadru.
Piled. Looking beyond, 10 not very dis
tant future, when this immense valley, con
tanning within its limits 100000 square
miles; lying, in its whole extent, in the
temperate zone, and occupying a position
midway between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans; unequaled in fertility and the d
versity Of its productions; intersected in
every direction by this mighty stream, in
GLIDING its tributaries, by which Ii is drain.
ed, and which supply continuous nayiga
lion Of upwards Of 10000 miles, with
coast, including both banks, of twice that
length, shall be crowded with populations
and its resources fully developed, imagi-
nation itself is taxed in the attempt to
realize the magnitude Of its commerce -
Such is the present state of the commerce
Of the Mississippi, including its trbuta.
rIes, according to the best data that can
be obtained, and such its future prospect.
But as great as are the advantages which
Is waters afford 10 the transit and inter.
course Of its valley, its navigation is sub.
ect to serious and heavy drawbacks. Few
'lyers are more rapid and dangerous. 1t
S obsructed,not only by obstacles common
o almost all streams-shoas aud sand
lis channel is thick set, in many
places and for long distance. with trunks
If trees, called snags, firmly fixed in the
,ed of the river, with their points project
ng at an angle well calculated 10 strike
he bottom ola vessel which may be so
Unfortunate as TO strike against them. And
What adds TO the danger. many of them
ave their points so far below the surface
IS not to be visible, but at the same time
o near as to pierce the vessel which may
ome in contact with them. From these
nd other causes, the annual loss by the {
destruction Of boats, with their cargoes, or /
amage to both, including the loss of life $
N the part of the passengers and crew, is {
cry great. c
II Is much to be regretted that no GER Q
hin information can be had of the amount O
t either loss or damage. The fullest and
most satisfactory data which yoIr commit {
DC has been able 10 obtain, is contained 10 {
supplemental statement of report of the c
ecretary of the Treasury, transmitting
opy of letter from the surveyor of the a
ort of St. Louis. Ii appears from his lei- !
Or, that, of the 1876 steamboats, enrolled at Z
t. Louis, and trading with that port du- +
ing the years Of lS4l and 1912, 30 were q
,st OF these, % were sunk; and Of
rem 30 proved total loss, and were
lised. OF the % lost, l6 were sunk by I
nags, by rocks, and 2 by ice, by y
form, 2 by collision, by log, and 3 burnt $
he total less is estimated, including de- &
trrction and domaua of hnata aud car 9