Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-05-07
IaIssoun aIvsr paokss Co.

UuvO VoOAOS W.
EprroRs INrELLl0HNcER: AZ 80
much has been said In the Lexington
paperS this sprisg concerning the
Missouri River Packet Company for
entering tntothe arrangement at pres
ent existing hetween them and the
railroads, viii .yon. grant . small
space in your valuable paper TO one
who LOCKE upon that arrangement,
REHABILITATION as IL may be termed,
in q moro charitable light, 70 say 9
few words Id defence Of the Missouri
River Packet Company? Where there
ID an effect there must be . coase, Or
In other. words, tho Missouri River
Packet Company must have had some
g0od reasons to prompt and sustain
them in the combination or agree.
mont with the very same roads they
have been fighting Tor tho past three
or four years. And one Of tho main
rcasons,t In my opinion, for their course
OF action this spring, was the want
Of appreciation and support shown
the company by the merchants and
shippers in tho struggle 10 do their
freixhting, when at war with the
roads last aso To illustrate,
.ttuEttx tuC "1utCI ulotittSs ttO titCt
Is closed with Ice and navigation sus-
pended. The railroads, having no
competition, will charge you through
the winter mopths, say SOC per 100 lbs
for freight. In the spring, or as soon
az considered safe and practicable,
the Missouri River Packet Company
will start their boats out. The Com
pany know what rate you have been
pnyiag through the winter, and to
obtain your freight, will offer to take
it 1T 40 cts. per 100 lbs, but find
that they get little or no
freight for Lexington. The agent
Of the boats is requested to inquire
into the matter; he does so, and finds
that the roads have reduced their
rate to 40 cents, same rs the boats are
asking, and consequently the mer-
chants aud shippers are giving the
roads the preference. He is informed,
though, by the merchants, that they
will p~atronize the boats if they will
carry their freight at u little
less than the roads, say 80 cents per
100 lbs. The company is thereby influ-
enccd to make the rate 80 ccuts; the
railroads become aware of that fact
in a few hours, and lower their rates
accordingly, aud as usual get the
preference. The Missouri River
Packet Company, not yet. willing to
give up the struggle, make a further
reduction, first to Is cents, then 20
cents, then Is cents, begging for
freight at those rates, but getting but
little, as the roads have made u cor
responding reduction in their tariff.
and get tho lions share of the freight.
No matter how low a figure the Mis-
souri River Packet Company may
offer to take your freight, the roads
will reduce their tariff accordingly,
and Arrays get the preference. Now,
Mr.. Editor, who has reaped the adj
vantage in this cutting OF rates by the
Missouri River Packet Companies?
The boats? No! The merchants and
shippers? Yes! They were the only
ones that were benefited. and instead
of%sustaiuing and supporting the boats
when Offering TO carry their freights
so low last season, they gave tn cir
patronage to the roads almost exclu-
sively. After failing so signaily last
season, in their efforts to get the pa
tronage Of the merchants and ship
pers of Lexington, and other railroad
points, the Missouri River Packet
Company could see no good to result
TO them in a war with the roads this
season, and the only crime committed
by the Packet Company, in my opin-
ion, is in having the %effrontery to
agree Thh the road not to light
them any longer for the benefit
solely and exclusively Of the
merchant and shipper, as has been the
result heretofore. The shippers are
now experiencing just a foretuste of
what ia III store for them, if the rail-
roads succeed in driving the few
boats out Of the river that are
now struggling for an existence.
In conclusion, Mr.. Editor, I will say.
that the roads hare made the tariff,
and that the boats offer to take your
freight at the same rate, insuring
Everything at their own expense, in
loYder to put themselves upon an
iequal footing with the roads in that
respect. 1t is left with the merchants
and shippers 10 act as they see
Iproper. the boats a share oftheir
patronage at a Hiring rate. or with
hold that patronage and support,
and force them to other end more
lucrative streams for navigation
some streams where they can be
better appreciated, and more iateresl
taken in them.
just here | am reminded of a little
paragraph that l read in n of the
Lexington papers last winter. If my
memory erves Inc Alright the para.
graph ran about as follows: "The
river was bridgcd with ice last night,
and so far as the people of Lexington
are concerned. NAV il forever remain
|bridged, as they haze mo turtle,
interest IN steamboat matterS." No
doubt there is a good deal of trutl
lembndiet in that little paragraph
but the editor should have went d
little further, and said mo further
Interest ip steamboats,, except to uss
: them as a lever against the roads t.
pull down their tariff"
} l am 10 stakeholder in the Mo
! River Packet Co., but, as an en-
Ployee, feel a deep iatcrest in thei,
+: Affairs, and would ask to sec justic.
l done them. j. II. q.