Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1859-03-24
Boating on the Missouri--Combination

Boating on the Observation-Disclosures.
All inc boats Of the Missouri river are
associated together, combined, and are man.
aged by President and Board of Direct.
ors' In st. Louis, which regulates the rri-
ces Of freight and passage, and designate.
what and when boats shall leave. The
earnings of all go into common Treasury
and are divided according to the CAPACITY
OF the several boats, and at stated periods.
We observe the papers at points above
'hIs' are loudly complaining of this combin-
a'i0n' and convention of shippers is talked
OIL al Lexington, at an early day. We con-
less we are not able to perceive what the
proposed convention can effect, without a
portion Of the boatmen act with them. II
Is true, ii can express an opinion, but I'm.
less a respectable number of boatmen con.
eur with them, and will work for and with
them, against the combination, what good
will be effected? The parties in the COM
bInation care nothing about the opinions of
shippers, so long as they can get their car
rying business, at good paying rates, and
would care just as little, il they could extort
double those rates. But it doe. many peo.
pie good 10 grumble, whether grumb!ng
remedies an evil or not-but it makes no
difference in your cash account, if YOU do
have the privilege of telling your oppressor,
in polite or rough terms, you have been
overcharged.
Combinations are not apt 10 deal literally,
however. The Board at ST. Louis, make
no allowance for way business, especially
on up trips. They decide 10 start only one
boat per day. and they load her down ill it
is impossible for her 10 make time, and STOW
passengers away as thick as q SLAYER: the
result is, on the way, shippers find it hard
10 get their goods shipped, while the COM
fort or convenience for passengers is utter
ly ignored.
Again--Boats do not care, when they are
in the Combination. We will suppose
there is fifty tons of freight here; q boat
comes along and puts of about that amount
which just leaves her in good trim; the
Captain thinks | can now get along with
more speed, and have done enough this
trip--done my share, and will leave that
freight for the next boat; my share of the
profits will be Just as great, if that boat
takes il as i'll carry If myself: and so the
way shippers suffers delay and loss, and
the same thing may be said of passengers,
who are halt provided for but pay full pri-
ees.
The combination, at present, is all power
full. Several boats tried an Independent
position, but found it impossible TO work
with such odds against them. As soon as
boat put up an Independent sign, a COM
bination boat was placed along side, and
prices run down 10 q point that would not
pay for handling freight, or buy provisions
for consumption, and thus all have been
forced into the combination.
As before remarked, we can see no rem
edy, at present. The Boatmen have the
power; they have combined, and so long a.
they stand together, passengers and ship
pers must travel and ship on them. A
number Of the boats are in on compulsion,
and until they draw out and act with ship
pers, there is no chance 10 overcome the
combination, and this looks TO us like poor
one.
II the combination will but act literally
and justiy-make better arrangements for
way business, the opposition would be main
ly Withdrawn, and The business of the river
c"uld lnus be transacted in way equally
as profitable 10 themselves, and more agree.
able 10 their patrons. We trust they will
do this, and we are satisfied it will be 10