The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-04-23

Di liberia gents Your dark eagle shall nout,
Ogn1 ronca Aud death and tho devil,
un sccaro guerrier Its as allies!
Amen.
ST.. LOUIS, March 23d lS4S.
Commercial Statistics-7rade Of the South,csst-
Interesting Intelligence.
have thought that some statistics relative to
the commerce of st. Louis, during the year ls47,
would not be unacceptable to your readers, or at
least those of them who may feel interested in
the growth of the West and have accordingly
culled from reliable sources number of facts,
which herewith offer.
| The number of steamboat arrivals at this port
during the period named, was three thousand
two hundred and si1ty.six. The aggregate ton
mage ofthese arrivals, according to custom house
| measurement, was a fraction over six hundred
and one thousand tons. The arrivals were of two
hundred and seventy-three different boats-the
tonnage of which varied from sixty-fivc to eight
hundred and fifty tons. 1t should be recolected,
however, that all Western boats have the capaci-
| ty of carrying down stream at least one-thrd
more than their measured tonnage would indi-
| cate.
| OF the two hundred and seventy-three boats
| employed in the carrying trade of this port dur
| ing the year, one hundred and thirty seven, or
more than one-half, were owned here. The rest
were owned at various points In the West,
with the exception of two or three, that have
owners in New York. The measured tonnage of
the st. Louis owned boats is, in round numbers,
thirty thousand tons. OF the whole amount of
freight landed at our wharves within the period
designated, they were probably the carriers OF
f1e.sixths.
Although our citizens own so large a share of
the steamboat stock employed by them, statistics
| show that boat building has not received SO much
attention here as mt some other points. Thus,
of the whole number of boats arriving as above
stated, one hundred and one were built at Pitts
burgh and vicinity sixty. one at Cincinnati;
forty. nine at New Albany and Louisville ; forty
one at st. Louis thirteen at Wheeling, and
eight at other points
Louis from different sources, was probably very
nearly as follows: From New Orleans, and points
below the mouth of the hio river, l00, 900 tons;
from Ohio river towns, IS, 900 tons; from Cairo,
Louis, Is. 900 tons. This. giving 10000 tons of
freight, comprises, for the most part, such artl
cles as are classed properly among imports. or
those intended tor consumption or domestic use.
From the Upper Mississippi, Gall above the
mouth OF the Illinois river,) the tonnage may be
put down at $50, 900 tons from the Illinois RI
yer, 1o4 900 tons; from the Missouri river, 55 600
tons and from Alton and "the coast" 40, 900
tons total, 349 900 tons. This amount includes
almost solely the staple products of the country,
nineteen-twentieths Of which are of articles in
tended for export The aggregate falls short of
the measure tonnage OF arrivals as given, IN CON
carry more than their measured tonnage, those
from New Orleans and the Ohio river do not
usually carry to their full capacity.
While the foregoing statistics furnish pretty
fair indication of the relative importance of the
export and import trade, they also point out the
principal sources Of wealth OF this region. Not
withstanding the difficulties which attend the
navigation Of the upper Mississippi, 1t is per-
ceivable that its tonnage was nearly one-thlrd
more than that OF any other river. For many
months in the year, navigation Is entirely sus-
pended by ice or low water; yet this branch OF
internal commerce is more important than any
"A
well as the mineral wealth OF the Western val
ley, exists above the rapids OF the Mississippi,
and daily the resources OF the country are be-
templated railroad from Keokuk to Dubuque shall
have been completed, the upper Mississippi trade
will double its present value.
Low water 10 the great obstacle to the navi-
CATION of the Illinois river, and it is exceedingly
doubtful whether this evil ever can be entirely
obviated. The banks OF the stream are not suifi-
GENTLY elevated to allow OF canaling, or slack
water improvements, and the stream Is too slug
gish to receive permanent benefit from the re-
moval of its numerous sand-bars, even were such
an undertaking practicable. railroad connect
ing the foot OF the canal with the Mississippi
must eventually be resorted to Meantime, the
number of light draught boats employed ia its
trade must greatly increase, as the opening OF the
canal, about to take place, will add greatly 10 the
business OF that region.
The navigation of the Missouri is annually in
creasing, though not in the ratio Of that OF other
neighboring streams. The fact is, the country
which the Missouri drains has not reached that
point of prosperity generally enjoyed in the West,
and, as a consequence, the people have but CON-
parativey little to export Still, the farmers
very generally are beginning to appreciate the
importance Of an export trade, and are turning
their attention to the rearing OF wheat and hemp
for that purpose. The culture Of tobacco appears
to be on the wane-at least, 1t is not increasing.
The mineral resources of the State, which are
immense, remain almost entirely untouched.
The Improvement OF the navigabe condition Of
the Usage river, of the tributaries OF the Mis-
souri,, which is about to be commenced, will add
realty to the development Of agricultural as well
as mineral resources. That stream drains one
OF the richest portions of the State.
la this connection, 1t may not be irrelevant to
state, that of the two hundred and seventy three
boats mentioned as having visited the port of st.
Louis during the year lS47, sixteen only had
reached thei, fifth season. Western boats are
built with but little regard to durability. 1t is
necessary that they should be of very light
draught and, to effect this, they are built of
slight materials. They seldom survive their
fifth season. Of the whole number OF boats
mentioned, no less than sixty have been de-
stroyed since the LIST of January, 1917. Forty
have been lost by sinking, twelve have been
burned, and light torn up. This list OF course,
does not include many that were sunk and alter
ward raised; nor the many sunk, burned, blown
up, sc, that had not happened TO visit THIS port
during lSf7. the number OF STEAMBOATS, lost on
the western waters within the period named,
would probably reach one hundred and NIFTY
REcuIARrTy OF THg HERALD. The Sduannah
Republican says An the New York papers, except the
,, n vhich comes regularly are subiect