The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-05-02

WESTERN RIVER COMMERCIAL report re.
| Gently presented to Congress by Col. Albert Chic
of the Corps of Typographical Engineers, on The
Commerce of the Lakes and the Western Rivers,
contains the latest exposition of the state and pro
gress of our internal trade. The facts set forth in
this document, drawn from authentic sources, are
as interesting as they are astonishing. The Balt
more American of the 18th inst, in review of the
work, makes the following synopsis relating to
Western river commerce:
The first vessel that navigated the Western
streams was the frail bark canoe !; next came the
Mackinaw boat, carrying from fifteen hundred
pounds to three tons; and then came the kee-boat
or barge, of from thirty to forty TONS With boat
of this description from three to four months were
consumed in making trip from New Orleans to
ST Louis. In 1919, soon after the introduction OF
steam, the voyage occupied steamboat twenty
seven days. Now it is accomr'. ned in about four
days.
In 1917 about the tirls ~. steam was first in
troduced upon the Mis- a,,., the whole commerce
from New Orleans to upper country gave en-
ployment to some TWEEN barges. of an average of
one hundred tons each, and making one trip in a
year. The number of keel boats on the Ohio was
about 100, carrying thirty tons each. The whole
tonnage was estimated at 5000 or 1000 tons.
Such was the condition of the trade on the Wes
tern waters thirty years ago. Let us come to more
recent times.
The steamboat tonnage on the Western rivers in
1912 was 126 27S, and there were employed 1000
other kinds of boats, making the whole tonnage
42627S
The produce transported is estimated at 1862, $50
TONS The exports to New Orleans were valued at
$50. 566, SOB, and the whole commerce amounted
to $40, 900.
In 1916 the steamboat tonnage was 249,O55, and
the merchandise of all kinds transported was 3,4l0,
1856 tons, and was valued at $lS5, 406,719.
The cost Of the steam and other tonnage was
S129f2,3 55, and there were employed Is, LA
mariners.
The whole length of the steamboat navigation of
the Mississippi and its tributaries has been ascer-
tanned to be 1864 miles.
The increase of population throughout the whole
region, whose prolific resources give rise to this vast
and growing trade, has no doubt been fully com
mensurate with the increase OF the trade itself
The next census will give us the statistics on this
point. A bill, if we mistake not, has been offered
in Congress to make arrangements, at the present
session. for the taking of the census of 1S50-so
that the report may be had by the close of that year.
If we were to take, In fancy, a look to the fu-
ture thirty years hence, as we have looked at the
reality of thirty years ago, and contemplate the
probable development of the commerce and pro-
ductive capabilities of the West for the year 1878,
the picture, drawn by the standard of the past and
upon the basis of existing facts, would be too start
ling for the imagination to become Eamiliarized
WIN. ne ralio Oh increase, however, must go be-
yond that OF former years, because it must include
new inventions, new facilities of intercourse, new
appliances to increase production and these adj
dltiona agencies will be brought to operate upon
scale far larger than any that the last thirty years
have witnessed. Besides, the progress onward
must acquire increased momentum as it accumu-
aes larger and still larger aggregate Of elements,
like mighty body put in motion and constantly
charging, whose rapdity is still accelerated In pro-
portion as the impulse which moves it acts upon
Weightier mass