The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1871-07-22
The Red River Raft.

meeting aL Tue OnaMOer or Com.
merce, which took place on Men.
day night, the subject of the Red
River Raft was taken up, and
committee was appointed toexam.
inc into the authority OF the Len.
islaturs to grant the privileges
which were bestowed upon fbe
Red River Raft Company, by a
statute recently enacted, aud 70
memorialiZe Congress on the sub.
ject.
We are glad to see the Chamber
interesting itself in this question.
The corporation which has been
formed to clear away the 0bstruc
tons in Red River seems designed
principally to prey upon the com.
merce of that stream. 1t 10 al.
thorized to open a channel through
the Raft. and permitted to charge
q toll upon all produce passing
through the new channel thus
made. A careful examination Of
the rates of toll allowed would
lead to the belief that the compa.
ny has q very nice job before Ii.
and the acquisition OF wealth by
all the stockholders would seem
assured.
Fortunately, however, this stat.
ute has no basis to stand upon.
The Legislature of Louisiana has
as little right to bestow the priv
ilege of taxing commerce on Red
River as it has TO grant IN excID.
sive right to navigate the Amazon.
That stream does nee lie entirely
within the boundaries of this
State, and its navigation is as
much under the control Of Con.
gress as that of the Ohio or the
Mississippi, 1t is u public high
way, and belongs to the nation ut
large. No single State can Oh
/ struct its channel, er levy tolls
4 upon its commerce. This prinei.
/ pie is two well established TO be
questioned. and the fraacllisesS OF
the Red River Raft Company are
therefore absolutely worthless
1t is of the greatest importsacc
that this raft should lee removed.
The country lying above it is very
fertile, and fast filling mp with IN
active and thrifty population. Its
commerce il already large, and is
rapidly increasing. st. LOUIS il
pushing railroads through that
section, and viii divert the entire
trade unless the cost ofriver trans
portation is materially reduced,
which can never be unless these
distinctions are cleared swuy.
I New Orleans is therefore deeply
interested in opening the river as
high up as possible. Still, if it is
Only opened that its commerce
may be taxed for the benefit of u
I private corporation, the raft, had
, as well remain where it is.
1t is the duty Of the General
Government to remove this raft,
and, with the proper efforts, an
adequate appropriation can no
doubt be obtained. 1t has ALREADY
spent considerable money on the
work, and some ten years before
the war cleared away the timber
SO as TO permit the passage of
boats through. The cost OF re-
moval would not be large, and the
section to be relieved is so pro.
ductive that no resistance would
be- made in Congress to the appro-
priation. The West and North
are both interested in opening ay-
enues for the comunerce Of this
region; because one desires u mar
ket for its provisions, aud the
other to obtain the cotton and
beet raised there at as little cost
for transportation rs possible.
The case is a very clear ONE for
Government aid, and it is meel
that che Chamber OF Commerce
, should take steps to obtain an ap
preparation. The Boards of Trade
OF Memphis, St. Louis, Louisville
and Cincinnati would doubtless
3 join in the memorial, and the
, States of Texas and Arkansas
would lend substantial assistance
Let the committee, therefore re
s port memorial that will refeci
credit upon the body which sp
1 pointed it, and let it be sent to thI
e different cities we have mentionet
: for their approval, and we hay,
not the least doubt that the de
sired object will be achieved. Ii
# a republican government like our
}, the section that would Obtain
g Government appropriations. mus