The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-04-11

Kroxux. Iowa. Apfil ii, 10

rAs KssEs4 Lanss.
Ksoxux, Iowa, April II, 1858. !
Eprros Carr CRIT: In the Csaln6saJ
Of the lob Inst, will be fosnd nsleiy 90
columa Of editorial remarks relasiyo - ~
merits Of ths two regular Psctst Asse -
ply between our city and s.. Louis. 6aid
remarks ase decidedly partial y ~ old no.
nopoly;n and, = they cary slaoklS from ~
truth, (noshing unusual, however, for articles
IN that publicstion,) they demand n answst.
AZ q shipper 2 sllow me 70 stats ~ fAces
tha. are within my knowledge. Why was
the Keokuk ard 81. Louis Packet Line : mo-
nopoU? Becaase for several sears they havs
had coatrset with The Northern Lins not TO
interfere with fright Or passengers a o. b.
lo,o Keokuk, unless forced upon them, and
then they were to carry ct he sstabiisned
rates of the Keoknk and 81 Lcnis Lana
Those rates are still maintained by the NOTE
ern Line. The two companies nov Own ana
run two boats from Fl. Madison 70 Dsven-
uort, Iowa. The proceeds OF both boass are
.n,n.d tn the Keokuk and ST. Louis Packet
Company. They divide the profits.
The Corstitatioa says: "ltis within the
knowledge Of every citizen Of this city that
near the close of navigation, when transient
boats invariably charge from two 70 three
prices for passage OF freight to s.. Louis, the
Packet Company have always carried at their
uniform and established rates, never taking
advantage Of the temporary necessities Of the
travelling or business public to increase
them
Allow me TO say, that it is within the
knowledge Of shippers that during low water
the boats Of the K. P. Co. have picked their
freigh,s, leaving certain kinds behind. And,
furthermore, on the two days Of the week
When the /" Jasper or McPike' do not
leave our landing, they charge uniform adj
vance of 81 per passenger. Is that taking
| advantage of the necessities Of travelling
| public"
The old company, by charging 81 for pas
sage, and freight accordingly. have made on
three boats in one year 100000. Now 1t
will be seen that by dividing that amount be-
tween the two lines, both viii make hand
some thing Of it. To say nothing Of the IN
crease of travel and freight from reduced
rates. all that the new line are asking
through their efficient agent, Col. Archer, is
that shippers give them one-half OF their con-
signments.
/ The Consultation charges that the
new limo are carrying passengers and
freight at rates much below the OLD
line. and at q dead loss to themselves
This is untrue in every particular The new
line are charging 50 so and 50 90 to St
Louis, one day trip. This would pay a frs
class hotel handsomely; why not . boat? Thu
last trip made to St. Louis, on the steame
Tom Jasper no less than three hundred
passengers, and freight to correspond, mad
up the trip. No dead loss about that. Wit
f snch gentlemanIy officers as " Burneit" " AM
q Roberts and table supplied with all th'
, market affords, one might we'll prophecy sue
cess for the "Jasper.n The /" McPike,
though not SO large boat, is equally vel
managed.
The conaitufion further says 'fOne lins
or tho other must eventually 20 under, tbs
only oues,,on is which cat has got the
longest tail 70 It strikes me, that with tbs
advantage the new line has, Of being owned
by shippers, between this point and vt
Louis, the old line viii find that the new lln'
has rather long tail. While most OF ths
stock Of the K. P. Co. was owned BY shippers
with McCune at their head, il was an easJ
matter to sustain the monopoly and drive q
boats from the trade. But material change
has taken place. One hundred and seventy
six shippers, between Keokuk and s.. Louis
now own the Quincy 4 st. Louis Packet line.
/ It's further charged that the new line j.
making irregular trips to Keokuk and under
bidding the old line. A lie. They lre max
ing regular trips from Keokuk to st. Louis
a fixed fact-and have never yet carried pas
sengers or taken freight as cheap as the
| McCune line. From Hannibal, Missouri,
passengers that come in on the 81. y st. 10.
r. R. are charged the reasonable fare Of So,
by the Jasper =" and McPikeIn Yet
McCune 4 CO., with their characteristic de-
termination to sustain their monopoly, even
| invite passengers to 90 on their boats free Of
charge.
| Hoping that the above facts viii be taken
into consideration, as also the Necessity q
Shippers sustaining the new line, y thereby
making it one Of fixed travelling and ship
ping accommodations ! subscribe myself,
"A SHiPPER.n