The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1856-12-20
Navigation of the Kansas River.

( Navigation of the Kansas River.
There is a move among the business
men of Kansas City, for the formation
of company to purchase or build two
steamboats,, for the trade of Kansas
river, the coming season. This is I
praiseworthy, and, we predict, prof
litable enterprise. As the heredi
tary fortunes of the editorial profession
preclude the possibility of our having
a voice in the company, We desire tt
offer a few suggestions as to what WI
deem the desideratum to be attained
by the movement.
In the minds of many, the practi-
cability of the navigation of the Kan
sas, or (as the denizens call it, The
Kaw river, is yet to be demonstrated
But from our own knowledge of thu
stream, and the testimony of rivel
men and old settlers, we have no hesi.
fancy in deciding that question: car
be navigated, and that successfully.
But we would remind those who in.
tend investing their money, that il
can only be navigated by class oi
boats adapted and intended for the
purpose. 1t will not do to buy any
boats that can be had cheap, as they
are usually sold because they cannot
make money in the trades for which
they were built. The Excel was the
only boat that ever was successful in
the river. The other boats making
the trip were unsuccessful, for two rea-
sons. First: The river has been lower,
for the past two years, than it was
ever known to be for the last twenty
seasons. But the strongest reason
was the fact that they were not adapted
to the trade. The Rats Gasses was q
boat built for the Pittsburgh and
GAINESVILLE trade, part of which is by
slack-water. She was built strong and
heavy, in order to stand the locks, but
was found to be ''too long in the legs, -
as steamboatmen say, for the low wa
ter of the upper Ohio. She came to
the Kaw river prospecting for trade
and failed. The Fsnancier and En-
ma Harmon wero old, water-logged
boats, and were sold merely because
they were unable to make money
being too old to compete with good
boats in high water, and of too heavy
draught to run in low water. Oh
course they failed. The next expert
ment was the old Express, side
wheeler, that went begging for a pur-
chaser three years before any one fool
enough to buy her could be found
and the erowning folly was her attempt
to navigate the Kansas. Then we had
the Lizzie, built al. this place, that
makes an excellent ferry boat. but a
failure for the purpose for which she
was constructed. Next in order, and
last of the series, was the Lacon-a
boat fitted for nothing, and intended to
run nowhere. She cannot carry as
much as common sugar trough, and
her speed pitted against duSout would
be an even bet.
What is wanted for the river, is a
class of steamboats, adapted to its
channel. We believe there is no time,
in ordinary seasons, when there is less
than thirty inches of water to be found
on the lowest bars, and the Ohio has
often less than that. The main diff
Guilty to be encountered, is the short
turnings in the channel, and the shift
ing nature of the bed; being in that
respect something like the lower Ohio,
but not to so great an extent as the
Missouri. A boat one hundred and
fifty feet long, capable of carrying
from eighty to one hundred tons OF
freight on eighteen or twenty inches,
would be able to make regular trips
from March until the close of naviga-
tion in the fall, with month of diff
cult work, or perhaps suspension, dur
ing part of September and October
but competent to make passenger trips
at all times. There is no necessity
for large carriers, as the distance is at
present so short, that quick trips would
be more remunerative than large car
goes. Such a boat as we describe is
hard to obtain In market, and would
be found to be cheaper by building,
than purchase. The importance of
the movement to our city is such, that
a;failure should be avoided at all risks;
and there is no necessity for such q
result. From the well known business
habits of the men who are engaged in
the formation of the company at this
place, we feel safe in the the opinion
that no mere motives Of present
cheapness viii influence them in the
procurement of boats, but that a pru-
dent investment of capital will be
made, and that permanent and sue
cessful line of steamers will be placed
on the Kaw river the coming season.
-Kans0s City Enterprise.