New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-16
From the st. Louis Democrat;

George H. Rae, president of the Barge
Line Company, is in New Orleans, and
writes from there to the effect that there is
no pressing demand for bulk corn there
for foreign export. That the amount of
ocean tonnage now there is not large, and
but little of it desires to carry corn or any
thing besides cotton. He says that the
bulk corn now arriving, and most Of that
which has thus far arrived this year, has
been sacked upon arrival at New Orleans,
and used to supply interior merchants with
He is of opinion, however, that in the course
of a few weeks there will be large increase
of ocean tonnage at New Orleans, and that
as it is certain that cotton freighting
for all of these vessels can not be
readily obtained, he believes that bulk
corn will be accepted at reasonable
rates. He is accordingly preparing to place
a large number of barges at the disposal
of st. Louis shippers, so as to promptly
put all the corn into New Orleans which
may be needed. In order that corn in bulk
NAV be safely and economically transported
from this city to New Orleans, the existence
of two conditions are essential at one and
the same time, namely: plenty of water in
the Mississippi and cheap coal at the lower
cOalipg stations. These two conditions
guaranteed, money can be made carrying
corn in bulk in barges at six cents per
bushel. provided there is an unlimited sup
ply OF corn in accessible elevators to be
taken. But when the river is low and trOu-
blesome to navigate, barges can not take
more than half load. Add to this draw
back the burden of dear coal by reason of
low water ia the Ohio, and it is manifest
that rates must be charged which have
some proport on to the expense. The rate
new is considered an exceptionally high
one. 1t is. say, fifteen cents per bushel.
1t is eleven hundred miles to New Or
leans How much would railway charge
for CARRYING it there Let us see. Boston
is almost the same distance by rail from St
Louis that New Orleans is by river. To
Boston the rate is forty cents per bushel,
or considerably more than double the pres
ent rate by barge to New Orleans. And
yet the rate is exceptionally a high one.
The average rate of the year is not above
ten cents per bushel, and yet there are
those in this comm unity-men of we'll
known Judgment and, commemorate ac-
quirements-whO rush into print to declare
that the barge system has thoroughly dis
appointed those who erected their hopes of
economic transportation upon it, and advise
against the building of line of barges for
the Missouri, the Upper Mississippi and the
Illinois. We are not in this article defend
ing the management of the st. Louis barge
line. nor yet a5salling it. We are defend
ing however. the barge system of trans
Gazette in the hope that, now that the
White Collar Line. the Northern Line and
the Keokuk Packet Company are cOnsol-
dated into one concern, more attention will
be given in the future to the distribution
of bulk grain barges along the Upper Mis-
siSsippi than has been done in the past
The grain shipper of the upper rivers
desires TO take advantage of the best mar
ket at all times. and when St. Louis is pay
i,,,r i.
wants the privilege OF shipping to st. Louis
without the delay OF ordering his sacks
from this city. or the expense of buying his
sacks. and the further expense of sacking
it after the bags are obtained. These ex-
penses and delays have done more to iniure
the grain trade Of this city with the North
west than anything else. A whPat-shipper
at La Crosse. Winona. Red Wing, Lake
City, Hudson. or Hastings, can send
his wheat to Chicago at any time in
bulk. Those up-riyer steamers that
ply between Dubuque and st. Paul, and
between La Crosse and st. Paul, always
tow barges-alway. have a few lying at
these grain points, and il is the work OF but
moment 10 hitch on TO one and take il
along down stream 10 a connecting railway.
where its contents are rapidly transferred
to cars and IN ii twiukling are whiskcd off
to Chicago. The old togy St. Louis steam
boatmen would never take bulk grain until
recently. To ship to st. Louis. grain had
to be baggei by the shipper and piled upon
til. leyee in readiness for the boat: cOnse.
ruentiy most .: the grain was shipped 10
Chicago. Now. We trust. a totally different |
state Of affairs vii, prevail. Commodore !
Davidson Is &, DE the manager OF the com. {.
blued Iae. Il. j. Il man fully up 70 the !
requirements -: III" times. and he vii. |
probably no. OILY 81 usr the 6arges belong |
n ' IA lea r.l As 20 the