The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-06-03
A Revolution in SteamboatinE on the
Mississippi River.

canal is obsolete, the turnpike "a green win
weeds, and ev en- the steamboat, Is in danseT OF
being distanced by the hery locomotive. But the
steamboat with all its power, with Ill ts conyen-
fences and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS steamboat, the
pioneer Of civilization, which has explored the
inland seas Of the vest. hreas.edHh curren: OF Il
thousand " estern streams, AMI borne along with
it into the renio'es. wilderness. the emgrant and
ali the arts Of clvliza,ion-lhe steamboat, without
The agency Of which, the west would yet for
centuries have remained ths empire Of the Indian
and The pan,her--the steamboat ",ll not yield
up to the locomotive, the contes, for the prece-
deuce, thou. struggle. Railroads from the
Atlantic westward TO the Mississippi. various
ro.d, arc projected; and one running parallel.
nearly 10 this river, extending from Chicago on
Lake Michigan, Souit,, over The great grow
ing plains If Illinois. crossing over INTO the t"bac-
CO lands Of Kentucky ard Tennessee, and the
cotton fields or Ala bama 10 the Gulf IF Mobile,
and the very door Of The tropics, Is not only pro-
jcc ed, tui commenced, ard vii. be completed
! Along both shores oc ,he Mississippi river.
from New Orleans to Snuk Rapids. are hunlreds
Of towns, villages and cities, that have been CT e
ated, spoken into existence, by the steamboat and
The business in ieni to the steamboat, upon his
'iver. The revelation Threatened, the snb,ltu-
ton of ia, RAILROAD for the steamboat, becomeo
Il question Of u.nmenioGs interest. 10 every enc
of these towns !, is question Of seii-interesi
and ho:s 50, 10 meet il and 90 Ter il, how
ever unpleasant the task.
The question propose to consider now, i.
this; are til steamboat interests of tins valley, IL
danger ofb Ing sacrificed 10 the railroad interest:
lfSo what Is the re.ue,i,?
FIRST, thea, The railroad from Chicago 10 No
bile, viii not he more ihtn half as long as tn,
route by canals and rivers, from Chic go 10 NV
OrieAns. II then, Mobile be rs favorable point
Tor the terminus of our trad. with the South, as
New Orleans, TIE question VIII virtual, be
whether railroad one hundrcd u,ilcs long, be.
tween two commercial points. can compete win II
steamboat running two huad,ed miles, OF Ia HAT
,aiio.
Tim again, the railroad viii be IN use sum-
ucr and winter. while the s,camboa, cannc, be
Then he railroad viii exceed the 81. amboat,
now in use, vastly in poin; Of speed
Again, there viii be no risk, no irsurance BY
rai'raad-no sinking, no snagsng, 10 awful ex.
posions.
In view Of all thes. f.ct., and Of the f,ct that
the railroad costs nothing, or is pa;3 for b,
the proceeds Of pub ic Iinds--in view Of the fact,
III 4 IN Ordinary seasons, navigation on both the
PIPER and the Lower Rapids, j. nearly suspended
for long time IN sainmrr IN view Of the slow
ness of boats co;np,et with locon s,ve4, and Of
The very expensive Kind Of hoais in use on the
river, and the short tine that the best boats re-.
MAIN IA profitable use, not averaging a period
CT FIVE years for each boa', AMI in view cf the
fact tina. the railroad, when once constructed
with all its apparatus Ct depots, trains Of cars,
locomotives, engines ana tenders, can ford to do
business 10 is utmost capacity, about as we'll as
TO be half employed; in view Of everything, il
appears 10 Us there is jus. and welt grounded rea
son 10 fear, that the locomotive viii prove sue
cessful rival TO tie steamboat
Now what we propose ; remedy, is, not to
discourage the railroad, but to make an ally, an
aid and assistant 10 the steamboat, by maxim,
The steamboat slli: continue the principal agent
Of ocomoton, the srea, common carrier. To do
this. It must nearly equal, if not excel tie loco
motive in two qualities; that is, in speed and
cheapness Of conveyance. II ia not necessary
that the Steamboat should out-ran the car; If i,
can keep IN sight, it Vii do, always having the
preference in paint of cas-. and comfort. carving
along with i, all the surrounding coufor,s, luxu-
rles and eles 'ncies of life.
First then. want The rapids improved, spec
Oily and thoroughly.
Then we Want the Government Of the United
States TO establish line 81 lily mail xieanboa,
packets. 10 run seven months in each year be-
tween New Orleans and Saint Paul. and all the
year far up The RIVER as St. Louis; fifty ,hous
aud dollars to be paid annually, Ter this mail ser
vice. which is f,r less than the Collins line
wants, and would do Infinitely more good to The
whole country.
These mail boats on,',t 70 be buiIt with en-
tire r. ference 10 the coufor, and safety Of pas
'enscr.. aud speed Of conveyance. They ough,
10 carry no freight bu, the mails, unless it NIGH,
bu such rari,ies and iuxures, as The stewards Of
boats are usually allowed TO traffic in. The price
Of cabin passage (and there should be none o,hsr)
ought to be abou, double the price now made
here oush, to be no dsiay at all, but to change
mails. and that right speedily. Every boat ough,
TO take her wood from fat boat, while running
The time from New Orleans to ST. Paul and back
ought not 30 exceed thirteen days. The boat.
now upon the river ought to be converted into
freight boats, except such a. nigh, b. wanted in
the trade Of other waters. These freigh, ho,,.
ought 10 be conducted with strict reference ~
economy. 50 ms TO Carry for low freights-no mas
srngers ii, all. unless it be those Of the cbran.
est description.
From this arrangement. there would result
LIST. A complete separation Of the business Of
carrying passengers, from that Of carrying freight
I'd. Passengers would travel twice a. fss, and