Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-01-14
PREJUDICE.
A Reply to "NO More Through Bills up
Arkansas and White Rivers"
The Arkansas River Packet Company to
the Public.

1--WE have at last run upon breakers as
to our Arkansas trade. The merchants of
Memphis have US, as regards cheap
freights on these river, at their mercy.
The blow the Times has long attempted TO
avert, by urging the establishment of
through steamers on these rivers, has
been struck. Memphis now owns the
controlling interest in the Memphis and
Arkansas Packet Company, which navi-
gates Arkansas and White rivers. Re-
Gently that company has been advancing
through rates from st. Louis, tFia Mem
phis and st. Louis Packet Company, and
Memphis and Arkansas Packet Company
so as to discriminate largely against st.
Louis shipments. At last the policy is
consummated in Withdrawing their St.
Louis agency altogether, and thereby ne
ceSsltatlng local rates, first to Memphis,
and thence by the said Memphis and Ar
kansas packets into Arkansas. OF eaurse
the said packets will invariably give pre-
ference to Memphis freights, in pursuance
of this policy, and delay st. Louis freights
all that is possible. Let us have a through
line from 81. Louis upthose rivers, or put
a st. Louis boat into each to connect with
u V~icksburg packets at the mouth of
White.
"This last is the most feasible, though
we by no means decry the former. By
establishing a wharfboat at the mouth of
White river, aud putting the proper char
acter of boats in these rivers, to the num-
Der Of-say three for both-we can effect
ually, in conjunction with our Nicksburg
line, checkmate this combination, so dis
astrous to the interests of st. Louis in
Arkansas. 1t is possible the public spirit
cd President of the Memphis line ofpack-
cts can aid US in this juncture, but some
thing must be done, and that quickly and
eGectUGLty. Let our merchants speak out
rA.a r,aI ,aa Iii -LN,.A -
in the future. '-St. ONi Times, JOR.7 It'll.
We frankly acknowledge thai we are
somewhat surprised at the short-sighted
view presented by the Times in the above
article. II calls upon the merchants of
st. Louis TO put in a line of through
boats from st. Louis TO the Arkansas and
White river. II is afraid hat Memphis
is doing too much business, and it wants
to checkmate the action OF her enterpris-
ing merchants. It calls upon the business
men Of st. Louis to break down the Mem
phis trade in Arkansas. But we incline
to the opinion that the merchants of 81.
Louis are too shrewd forthat. They know
hat Memphis is of their best custom
ers, and her large, valuable and growing
trade is an item of very considerable im-
pOrtance, even to st. Louis; and they also
know that if they make war on the inter
ests of Memphis it may possibly drive her
merchants to seek another market in
which to buy-say Chicago or Cincinnati.
There are certain artiGles'Of merchan-
disc that Memphis buys almost exclu-
sively in St. Louis. That city ought GER
tainly to be satisfied to let Memphis be
the depot for the trade and supply the
Of the territory Immediately around
her. If st. Louis sells to those who here
tofore bought in Memphis, then Memphis
viii cease TO buy in st. Louis. And, as
there can only be a limited anti of
goods sold, St. Louis will not increase her
trade by ~exteudingit to the Arkansas and
White rivers. She viii only change the
location Of 1t from Memphis to Arkansas,
and should The effort be made, she may
lose both.