New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-27
The sOUTRERK TRADE

n g.road. Rich Field for Louisviiie-
More Steamb oats Vanted-On 90 Red
Esver.
The Importance of the subject justifes us
IN reproducing the following extracts OF
communication published in the Louisville
Courier-Journdl of Monday:
If it be not presumption in me, would,
though but en- humble private individual,
beg leave to place at your discretion the fol-
lowing random remarks, and TO express
through the columns of your excellent and
widely known paper, the satisfaction which
believe is general at the newly awakened
interest that is being felt in the trade Of
Louisville with the South.
To reach that position, the Louisville and
Arkansas Packet Company, recently estab-
iished, is evidently a step in the right direc-
ton. and it is to be sincerely hoped, from
the high character of the gentlemen who
have it in charge, that the enterprise will
not be suffered to languish and die for want
of support.
But important as this enterprise undoubt.
edly is, it is one that admits of being ex-
tended far beyond its present proposed
limits, viz: two boats in White river and
two in Arkansas; and it is one that will in
the future be greatly increased, or Louis
vile merchants have less enterprise than
they are generally credited with.
TQe remarks Ot d ptDtleiudu MI. 1dIIl6l
8 few days ago through your columns were,
il seemed to me, very appropriate. At no
time since the close of the war has there
been such demand for boats as during the
present season. Heretofore the cry seemed
TO be, "too much tonnage for amount Of
freight moving;" but this winter the case is
exactly reversed. To nearly all points
been. and is still, to find boats enough TO
take the freight Offering, nor from the
present outlook is the demand for boats
likely to be less in the future, but rather &c
Increase.
Before the war there was regular line O.
louisville and New Orleans packets, com
posed of some eleven or twelve boats. THOSE
were halcyon days for steamboa men; wheI
such boats as the Eclipse, Shotwell, Baltic
Diana, and others, run regularly Throughout
the season. The writer is not very old, bu
he can remember whom times ON the rive
were far better than now.
With the war and the severing of the tle'
that bound together the great West ant
SOuth, commerce naturally lang uished, and
as far as the rivers are concerned, neari!
died out.
The dawn OF peace, after a four years
strife, fouad everything in distracted con-
dition. The South had lost nearly every
thing except courage and hope. And, how
ever much it might need the supplies of TIKI
West, crops must first be raised and money
and credit gained before 1t could procure
those supplies. For the first two or three
years the recuperation was necessarily slow
but now, at the end Of five years, and unde
the stimulus Of one or two bountiful crops
things are fast resumlng their old status.
But where now is the line Of splendid
boats that so closely connected Louisville
and the Southern metropolis? In place o
ten or twelve splendid steamers, owned ant
controlled by men of Louisville and vicinity
there are to-day only come three or fon
boats that can lay any claim to be GALE
louisville and New Orleans packets. On
or two go to Cincinnati, when there is water
one is tied up, another has been sold to 81
Louis (the Richmond), while the Indian
has been here but once or twice IN 81
month. So it goes. Only about one, Q
esmetimes two BOATS in week, when ther
= ought to be at least three week TO 40 I'll
buEiness.
Outside boats come from other points, an
load down at Cairo or Evansville. PitE
burg and Cincinnati boats, bound South
souch al the Louisville whsrf, put off a fey
1oupds OF freight and take On, may be
enough to fill up again, and proceed o.
their way, or else give US the go b
altogether. -
~saAfnay~u~-ts.nssax. HRQQe was mol. QUll