Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1873-04-30
War on tho Packet Company

LAFAYETTE COUNTY, April %, 1879
Can you tell, Mr.. Editor, ,tw hat is I hs
cause Of this war! What have tho
company done, or failed to do, they
ought 10 have done? Why this dis.
satisfaction among shippcrs2 We
that 1.-Two Ia this country are dependent
principally upon the papers for ill.,
formation relating to commercial
affairs. And having been once cn-
gagged in mercantile pursuits, and of.
ten brought in contact with steam
boats and steamboat men on our
river, feel a curiosity to know what
has transpired to bring about run.
ture between the shippers and the
few remaining boats upon our river.
1t Is only short time since when ali
our commerce was dependent upon
the river for means of transportation.
and might have been subject, and
sometimes was, to great incon-
veniences from low water and high
prices of freight. But with a rail-
road on both sides Of the river that
affords equal facilities, in high and
low water, therc would seem to be.
no opportunity for the boats taking
the advantage of the shippers neces.
sity. If they have adopted a uniform
tariff with tho road, which l SEQ
stated is the case, and propose to
charge the same price for freights in
low water as in high, there certainly
can be 10 monopoly" by the boats,
as they can only run a part Of The
year, while the railroads run winter
and summer. When l was in busi.
ness on the river bank, l ALWAYS
availed myself of the 10 est rates of
freights going, for fear my neighbors
should get lower rate, and in that
way be enabled to undersell me. |
then often thought it would DO far
more satisfactory, and just as profit
able, II . uniform ratio of freight could
be established throughout the year,
TINS placing all upon an equal foot
ing, and rendering it unnecessary to
lay in large stocks at any ono tinc.
OF course those were times when
steamboats, often made very profit
able trips, although freights were
sometimes very low, comparatively,
but as a rule, much higher than at
present. Then the passenger travel
by river was so large that almost any
price for freight enabled a boat to
make money. But at that time the
cost of building aud running fboats
was much less than at present, l am
loid. Immediately upon the ap-
proach of our railroads, then boats |
began to withdraw from the river
and it would seem that tho time ia |
not far distant when the noble steam
ers that were once SO often hailed
with Joy about landing, will be like
that of the red man and the buffalo
among the things of the past.
And with them, hayo disappeared
! large number of the wholesouled.
genial, rough dimonds, whose efforts
20 acquire o competence for them
led to a better success !tban thev oen.
'rally.achievcd. Why is it, Mr.. Editor,
hat so few men engaged OIL our river
laye been successful, after 30 many
ears of exposure aud hard work?
Judging from the effect railroads
ave had upon river transportation
within the last few years, it will re-
uire the united patronage Of ship
ers living on the river to retain
ven the few remaining boats against
he Increasing facilities offered by the
arious railroads. And it is o ques-
len of no small moment to those
aying interests, connected directly +,
r Indirectly, with the river to de-
ids whether those Interests will be
9 well observed BY railroads alone,
Vneh steam boats have been COM
,eiied to withdraw entirely from the
iver. IT the experience or advice Of l
nc long accustomed to doing busi-
ess with steamboats,, is of value, L /
'ould suggest that no tribal cause I
houid induce shippers to withhold /
lcir patronage, or ,cdge car upon a q
acket company, who are using none O
ut legitimate means to sustain d
lemselves asaihst the crushing pow C
large the Same rates is but a::natural s.
suit, - being their only means to v
old tho ruin0us competition that O
% driven all their contemporaries bc
om the river, lEQUIRzk.