The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1869-10-06
The Red River. Trade.

This trade is attracting the attention of those inter-
ested more than usual owing to the exorbant rates
charged for freight. The New Orleans Times, in Sc
ries of articles charges the fault in great measure,
TO the action of the New Orleans Board Of Underwri-
tiers in crossing off all boats over four years Of age,
thus allowing the few boats under that age monop-
elise the trade and charge what they please, which
this time is three.card rates. In the way of an ar
gument the Times is right in the premises but yet the
very low water has something to do with it at this
time well the scarcity of tunnage. If the river
high and freights plenty which is generally the
III the fll of the year, then the Times argument
would be incontrovertble but long as there is only
twenty sx:inches Dixie bar low must shoulder
some oftbe blame. We don't wish to be understood
defending in the least the action of the Board of
Underwriters, for we are well that low az the
water is, there plenty of low water boats four
years Of age forced Of the trade reduce eighs
to at least card and half or at most two card rates
A correspondent of the Times, who signs himself
One of the Underwriters attempts in very feeble
way to defend the action of the Board of Underwriters
In answer to observation of the Times he says:
in article in this evenings edition of your paper
n,omentary difficulty in shipping very unusual
laid the door Of the unfortunate underwriters, who
are accused of causing all the trouble by having
adopted most wholesome rule forced upon them by
the people of the Red river trade themselves Of not
insurng boats in that difficult river four years
OF age. When merchant ships his seasons stock of
goods the success of his years business depends upon
bis goods reaching his store in good time and in good
order and is his interest to ship them in good and
reliable boat, and not in craft so tender from age
that the slightest obstruction will set her to leaking, if
nothing worse and in passing this four year rule the
underwriters simply complied with the expressed
wishes of those persons who are engaged in the Red
river trade to have better class of boats than they
have had lately to carry their cotton and merchandise
Within very short time several new boats built
pressly for the trade, will arrive from above, and
shipper will have cause to complain of delay.
That is the first time we ever heard that the mer.
chants and planters of Red river the of the
underwriters playing into the hands Of few
steamers. That is all bosh, and the writer knew it
when he penneG it. The idea Of the merchants
and planters being anxious to pay three-card rates
just to please the insurance companies is something
supremely ridiculous. Try again Mr.. " Underwater"
The Times, in response to the Bulletins request to
publish list of the boats crossed off prints the name
and tunnage of nineteen boats, measuring 900 tuns
This leaves in the trade only seventeen small boats
with tunnage of $3.50 to do all the trade. The Times
estimates the amount of cotton to go forward this
son as follows
Above the Raft bales 25 900
9hTe'eporI. ........... ..... lso,ooo