The New Orleans crescent., 1868-05-26
The Barge d stem.

The st. Louis Democrat, Of the 22d. says:
We have been permitted to make the following
extract from letter written by Thomas 8. Elder,
an old, well known merchant of New Orleans, to
his brother, ]. E. Elder. an equally well known
and respected commission merchant of this city.
There are some thoughts evolved concerning the
barge system worthy Of the attention of capital.
lists; thoughts, too, which stamp their author as
man Of progressive ideas and breadth of mind.
We commend the letter to the attentive perusal OF
all
''NEw ORLEANS, May Is, 1s6S.-Dedr Brother
i note your remarks about the action OF some OF
the members of your chamber of commerce on
the barge interest, and will be glad to receive
copy Of their proceedings. am thoroughly sat
isted that the whole prosperity Of ST. Louis and
New Orleans are entirely bound up In that system
of freighting. II you draw the grain to your city
even II II passes by without breaking cargo, the
producer will naturally follow his products 70 pur
chase his supplies, and you will divert an immense
trade from Chicago, Milwaukee and Eastern cities,
because the returning barges will bring back for
eign and Southern products at proportionately
low figures.
"If saIt were imported here in bulk and ele-
waited into barges, you would receive it so cheap
you could eventually supply even lake ports to a
considerable extent; and II barges were con-
structed with proper tanks, molasses would be
pumped into them at our plantations, or from
vessels from the islands similarly prepared with
tanks, which could be so constru oted to carry
grain also In the same tanks. II this plan Is fea'
elDle, IL NOulu Uc Btcht bofiuS III poOnhBoob
leakage, fermentation, labor, freight, etc., and
would lead to an immense traffic both ways. l
think little ingenuity and capital would readily
develop such mode Of transit and traffic. Ger
tainly II st. Louis could once establish her su.
premacy as the mart for these two articles, all
other trade would center around her. As hereto.
fore mentioned to you, my idea of full success
would be reached when every man OF q few hun
dred dollars could own o freight barge and have
his own family aboard, and "follow the business
for living" As our schooners and small crafts
are owned and managed, so long as the business
is confined to capitalists and monopoes, we shall
not reach the point of low "freights " that We
require. We want q river population who
win know no other mode OF life; and we can
then laugh al railroads and canals whenever this
barge and towsge system become more in prac
tice. then will the thousands OF tons OF products
interchange by the extremes of the rivers, that
are now entirely neglected.
"0ur early garden and field products and fruits
would be sent TO you, and IN course Of season
yours would be sent to US. / was at the ice
works yesterday, and they were turning out Ice
by the ton. could not help thinking how easy
it would be TO put one OF those machines on
barge, and keep the air up TO any temperature
required, TO preserve fish, oysters and other
pershabes, whilst being transported TO distant
markets. Indeed, the convenience OF transporta.
ton by bsrges would lead to endless interchanges
which are now prevented, by having your motive
power attached to costly passenger boats, that
cannot afford to lay still whilst loading and un-
loading bulky articles. How much Pittsburg
coal could we afford TO consume, If it was trans
ported to US in costly passenger steamers!
THOMAS 3. KLDER."