Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-07
RIVER News.

The river was stationary at this point last
evening, with "a inches scant on Harpeth
Shoals. Weather moderated considerably.
The Umpire that ar infuriated craft with
the red chimneys, has arrived from Evans
vile. Her freight consisted of 1000 bushels
coal and 500 sacks of wheat.
During the month of November A. Wolfe,
| Surveyor of Customs for this port issued
licenses to I masters, pilots, 2 engineers, 4
mates. Most of these were for the Ten
nessee river, and are all taken out in ac-
cordance with the provisions Of the new
law.
Mr.. Matheney of Paducah, a well known
bOatman was in the city yesterday.
The last heard of the steamer John Lums-
den she was at Dog Tooth Bend, assisting
several steamers of the bar.
The Board of Underwriters at st. Louis
have posted ON change notification that
navigation being practically suspended, the
members Of the Board viii refuse to take
risks upon cargoes or hulls between st Louis
and Cairo for the present.
The st. Louis Republican says that since
the close Of navigation freight rates have
advanced about 80 per cent, and adds,
''should the present cold snap extend to a
winters blockade we may expect business
to languish, rates to become exOrbitant,
and the movements of produce southwark
to cease altogether" That paper concludes
an article as follows: "The truth is, if st.
Louis was left to depend solely upon rail-
roads to keep the wheels of commerce NOV
ing, she would have to have thirty lines
south, instead of three as at present. Sup
pose we devote some time, some money,
some energy to improve navigation on the
Mississippi-when the ice is gone"
The Louisville Ledger of yesterday says:
The river was about stationary last even
ing, with feet inches by the canal mark,
and feet 8 inches on the falls down the
Indiana chute. The weather continues ex-
tremely cold, and at 4 P. NJ. the mercury
indicated 20 degrees above nothing. Should
this temperature continue few days longer
it will, beyond doubt, close navigation of
the Ohio, at least above the falls. At Gin
cinnati yesterday the river was falling, with
10 feet in the channel. There was con-
siderable floating ice in the river, and the
Major Anderson was compelled to lay upat
Wheeling. Business in steamboat circles is
| quiet. Local packets are doing fair bust
ness.
The Paducah Eentuckidn SAYS:
River rising here. 1t has risen at least
II inches since our last report. Much of
the water comes from the Cumberland,
which river is rising pretty fast. Private
advices from that river, however, report that
the river has ceased rising, aud is now at a
stand. Our friends in that branch will be
willing to put up with the ways of Provi-
dence, which ways at present writing are
very eccentric.
We clip the following from the st. Louis
Republican of Tuesday
The river at ihis port has been on a rapid
decline for sometime-at least since Sunday
night. There is now only 3 feet reported
from here to Cairo. There are four steam
ers hard aground at Dog Tooth bend. Navi-
CATION for Mississippi river steamers would
be closed with the present stage Of water
even if there was no ice. So far as the
weather is concerned our courage sinks to
zero at the bare thought of attempting 10
describe it. On Sunday night the wind
veered around from the northwest and blew
gales laden with Alaskan frosts. The
NicOlson in the streets gaped open in in
Vulnerable seams, the mercury in the Their
mOmetric tubes went down, down, until at
. o'clock yesterday morning, it is said that
IS degrees below zero had been reached On
the scale. The ice, which was growing
beautifully less, Immediately began growth
in an opposite direction, and yesterday
morning the river was very nearly blockad-
ed. The ice was growing with astonishing
rapidity all day. 1t was said that an ice
gorge had formed across the river near
Venice. The ice early ceased running
through the two outside piers of the bridge,
only the middle channel was left open, and
it will doubtless be found closed this morn
ing.
by Telegraph
ST. LOUIS, Dec. 6.-The ice-gorge in the
harbor has been broken up to such an ex-
tent to-day by the tug IL. Q. Criving, in
that portion of the river below the bridge
piers that it is open and ferry boats are
again running freely. The river between
here and Cairo is reported TO be alternate
strips of ice and open water, but if warm
south wind and warm atmosphere, which
have prevailed to-day continue, navigation
South will soon be resumed.