New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-01-13
Hill 0rIsaus 4aiIp Grtstsnt.
Ii1sr SlatIIigsatt.
H74c WcnxAex- Buszncss on the LevecIns
acressSne ts0snslsssnientf ztcsns from Et-
changes AsOaas Leaving To-Day, etc.
FalpAy MonsINsa. JANUARY .. 1850.

1N49f sS~~ 3 - 81
rhe Eensaer Huxzacss on the Levec- In
aeresssns coransssnicn tton ztens from Et-
changes asOass leaving To-Day, esc.
cRrssxss os..ss; IN q III o, Il !, "a s,5ss',
Tie weather yesserday VAS sloady, foggy
slrizxIy, damp ana unpleasant generally. TIL
aenperasure y he atmosphere was mild, until to
waFds evening, when II beeasue somewhat cooler
slp night 81 in dark and foggy, and there vas n
selling what sort Of weather We would have befor
mcrning.
fssasness was somewhat more active on the lowe
handing tfau On the day previous. AZ The uppe
laniins there Was but little business transacted
Alou9 Till portion " the Iessc there were hu
eleven boats at o'clock, and one Of two q Thea
we're To LEAVE. The number at the lower iandia
u:as much lArger.
Yhe aAtest arrivals report the river on 8 stand .
as,sescpprt, with sis feat large on the falls Ia
sIaser d ihe lakes above Shreveport xas reporte
HIIing.
I'd tbe exclusion Of other matter, We give plae
10 fbe following communication, which, under I'll
existing state u Tie carrying business ii this sec
dur, may prove oi some interest to those engage,
flefein
Msy ne ask what bright page in the history .
sthe steamboat season. just concluded can NE re
view but with regret, not TO say ayeisiorls Ma,
W. further ask, toes how long the existing state
MfAiEs degrading II ifs very source and most run
ss IL its velv result viii BE encouraged by sHcl
universal exhibition % the must ineXcnsabe laei
81 confidence. Sad experience shond prompt ths
Hsg on while atl sader end, apparen Ut Al exers
feature. furnishes direct claim Tor immediate
Nsyer. usstil the present loose and nngnarded
systen of prosacutifg the calling shall have been
xifssected md eae etoael nart reached through
sfae rfniedaBle agent, viii It deserve to rank OF
81 clasSed upol an equal footing with other bust.
ness pursuits, but continue, Us II Is, game Of
chance d speculation. Its successful issue depend
dit not npon tlie deal but the turn up - or You
niay cenfine It, 4 ypu WILL tp the juvenile pastirne
If hide and seek, wherein one party, nnder the
Earb III friendly feeling keeps secret his real IN
fantiols. until opportunity offers aided by decep
4ion. to reach the goal b advance Of other con
tsatauts
Tho treat Importance attached and, as well. ths
fisk INA capital involved, are wholly lost sight h
id lie transaction Of business Of such vast ex
tent, while the weight VI responsibility conseq0en
np0n tle duties Of CARRIER are treated lightly, o.
aitentmes disregarded altogether. the result o
y ailher insepneeption, ~ ~ uawasTantcd disiR
ferestedness.
Some few facts, compiled from careful compu
zati6n from the figures in our possession, and bear
IND directly npon HE subject matter under eonsid
erasI6n may not prove inappropriate IA the above
connection: and IS TIE evil 10 be overcome Ii BIZ
4 III more a1spaFenf IL tie ST. LENS and New Or
( leans trade. We haze included only the boats en-
gagged tAeFein.
fhe trade Se ma fo be p, With the capacity for
Ver 300 tuns The total valuation at the present
tIar REGARDLESS af original cost may be safely esti-
mated 1T $5S5 900. Tse calculation Of per cent.
intsrest rFes iii gas 800. THE insurance pf two
thirds thc valuation amounts tn seventy five
thousand dollars. The yearly depreciation, allos-
n i've wears as the average lifetime OF boat, in
ms particular trade, and receiving the remains,
atsr tIfe tenn of service, as for the
aiet,essafy outlay to keep up ordinary running re-
pairs Is found be 20 per cent of the whole and
:Srlounts. III the aggregate to SISs. geo. Thus NC
have an annual expenditure, ID liquidation alone of
iufarestt insurance md depreciation Of stock, of
VI capfai invested, and which amount varies little,
IL anv. between running or remaining idle. These
3foafs furnish employment for about 1900 men, ut
anonfhiy salary Of $50 900.
Now. regard this matter in the light Of g joint
stock, & and what D magnificent form would it as
sumo. Yet should the fact Of its distribution, in
point Of ownership, deract from Its important mis-
sion, and render die common interest 50 rife with
ronHlct!
Ir Dir honest CONVICTION, the business referred
10 Il unon The era of most disastrous crisis, and
ono which no one individually can avert however
cautious or prudent; but, on the contrary, an
united effort on the part OF the many interests
naust alone be looked for 70 arrest the impending
danger.
4 Mic question very naturally arises, will they
proit b their repealed failures heretofore, to
fabliah come System consistent in its nature, and
lending to the promotion OF combined interest,
and institute some fully competent organization,
one id no wise based upon either the imaginary
IL Hypothetical"
About the date of the completion OF some of the
leading railroads between the East and West and
f0rming through joint interests, connections which
intimately gave to the merchant d continuous me-
dunn Uf transport for his Eastern purchases, the
steamboats, combined for the protection Of mutual
rights and The maintenance Of high rates Of freight,
nssder the name and style Of St Louis and New Or
leans Marine Association. In their haste To ad-
vance the interest of one another, they became
blind to tile slow but sure encreaehment Of COM
pesing rUuteR and evincea disposition to increase
from time to time the rates, already beyond that
point IT which they could expect reasonable
nhare Of the Eastern freights. The effect was soon
plainly visible This Inter prerogatve they could
exercise al the demand in this and adjacent quar-
ters for salt, railroad iron and many other descrip
lions u heavy freight was very nearly sufficient to
employ the tunnage for considerable portion OF
TIL business season.
Now Il must be evident that If. on the other
hand, ind id the face 0f such strenuous measures
IT'D attfact elsewhere, the association had fixed the
tariff ST just standard. and give to the receiver
assurances Of its uniformity the result would have
been very different. We merely cite this single IN
stance Rs exemplary, and trust the loss may not
he set down IS irreparable.
6 The demand Tor fnlfneuiaIe &efi0n Ii mere I'M
nefative than It has hitherto been as the depend
6Hee upon business ID port has Increased in a be-
coming ratio with the decline In business on the
way. The establishment Of packet lines, from
point 10 point, along the route, has, in very great
measure DESTROYED the intermediate trade; while
the through busitless 10Y In point DC travel exib
iks Al decided falling off the past season, in conse-
qnenee Of inducements offered by railway faeili-
fies.
The dependence hitherto predicted upon the
business between ports and commonly termed
spicking,1 WAS GENERALLY conceded remnneratiye,
and continued to be so maintained, from the fact
that could not well be influenced by such direct
competition as We nd to be the invariable result
or The presence Of two on more boats at the same
peints Nav that q went OF confidence between
lssdlnK parties u the chief cause of all the trouble
esnnet be denied; and they ask, what course can
W. pursue to check the wanton spirit Of rivalry
dtseefnae ii the transaction of the river business
We would answer this universal query by saying,
II they will pardon the presumption, that they
must adopt some policy to do away with the ne
cessiIY fcr snch d course.
The conditions 10 be imposed we would not ven
tire 10 suggest get we feel the utmost confidence
ID the beneficial results Of general convention to
take into consideration the startling facts before
them,
Tha facts referred 10 ara certainly within the
EeEuizancc Of ali, and II does seem to Ms that o.
mere cursory view of cause and effect should
prompt them to the exercise OF at least spark Of
anxiety, not to say ambition, in tho advancement
0f their ewn interests.
They have before them the certainty of just one
half theAyerage sugar crop, very limited demand
for salt, on account of large supplies from other
quarters. ta entire suspension OF forwarding goods
LS- .lsr-rr1 80