The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-11-13
Che Daily y y BURIAL.
Decline Of Western Steamboat
BMsineaA

Business
The Increase of sieanIboatinr upon the
Mississippi during the years 1888, 1856,
and 1857, Will be recollected 10y all who
Travelled the river during those times.
Prior 10 the settlement of the Territories
OF Kansas and Nebraska the business was
confined to about ten boats, which made
regular trips from St. Louis to ST Joseph
occasionally going high as Council
Bluffs and two stern wheelers which made
yearly trips To the posts of the American
Fur Company. With the rush of elniera-
tinn west Of the river, the trade and passen-
ger travel largely increased, and St. Louis.
beiRg the only point connected with the
new territories by steam, was called upon
To meet the facilities which this increase de-
manded. The number of boats in the
trade continued TO increase until the season
OF 50 and 81 many as 60 regular pack
cts piled between st. Louis and the Upper
Nlssourl-one season rs many as 80 boats |
regular and transient, appearing on these |
waters Those were prosperous times for I
steamboatmen, and as they behold the rail |
and the locomotive gradually cutting into
their interests with an energy which plain /
ly tells them the trade - has seen its best
days, they will no doubt often recur to that
day when freights were dear and plenty,
and passengers q as thick as blackberries."
With the completion Of the Hannibal and
st Joseph Railroad, new order of things |
begin. One of the first policies which
that Company inaugurated was TO enter
INTO active and unyielding competition with
the boats for the freight trade from st.
Louis. Prices were cut down, and, COM
hning the advantage of dispatch with
greater security, their efforts soon told
teartully upon the steamboat interests One
10y one the boats dropped out OF the river
and each year marked a sensible diminution
of the number we'll as deterioration of
the class Of Missouri river steamboats,.
When times were good and competition
had not began, the " floating palaces were
by no means confined to the lower Missis-
siPpi and Ohio river. The old and popular !
Polar STAR the Morning Star Star of the
West, Jas. II. Lucas, and other frst-class
packets were known among the swiftest as Z
well rs best managed crafts in the western
waters. But times have changed, and the 4
packets which now control the remnant of =
trade left by the railroad will hardly COM
pare with those of few years since. :
person who travelled by boat then, and pat
ronizps the same now, cannot fail to mark .
the change, and in no department is the
contrast so striking as in that Of the stew
ards. Now the best boats Set quite an or
binary table, simply because they cannot
afford to do better. Then the passenger
receipts paid largely, aud expense was but =
little thought of in the desire TO set tables
worthy OF kings, and gain reputation
therefor.
Railroads must eventually supersede
steamboats, to that degree that the latter in
,erest will be but insignificant compared
with its former Importance. 1t is not sup
possible that the iron horse will bring
about the total abandonment of the escape
pipe and wheel, but the unerring indications
of the past few years point to the time
when steamboats, must retire from the lists
of competitions and be content with the
little trade and travel not monopolized by
the railroads.
There are now but twelve regular pack
cts in the Missouri river between ST. Louis
and Leavenworth. These have lately
'ormed themselves into Il consolidated
freight and passenger line, connecting with n
he Pacific Railroad to St. Louis, in two e
aud a half day time. --Raikcdy Reciev -