Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-11-07


the Missouri Democrat, communiea-
ton. BY MAJ. w A. Bethel. on the
Importance Of water transportation
and trade between the lower Cumber-
land valley and st. Louis. 1t seems
to us, under existing circumstances,
that steamer, making regular trips
between Nashville and St. Louis, can
find freight enough to yield profit,
both ways. The iron trade may be
made heavy and permanent one. even
though the demand for breadstuffs and
stock feed may be dependent upon the
seasons, or cease altogether Either
up, OF down the Mississippi, should
be the natural direction of trade for
the States south of the Ohio river, and
the Suggestion, growing out of an
accidental failure of crops, for this
year, may ripen into a system of large
and profitable commercial interchange.
Let US have the boat and give it fair
trial.
Upon the letter alluded to above,
the st. Louis Democrat comments as
follows; THE business fromS st. Louis
to Nashville andintermediate points On
the Cumberland riverhas always been
an important one, but it has unwisely
been permitted to fall into neglect to
certain extent, and we are reminded
Of its claims through letter received
yesterday by Messrs. Fl. G. West& Co.,
of this city, from Mr.. w. A. Bethel,
of Clarksville, Tenn, appealing for
some consideration for this trade and
its necessities as far as the committee
on transportation ofthe Merchants FIX
change have power to act or suggest.
The writer says There never has
been time when they stood so much in
need of boat to make regular weekly
trips from st. Louis to Nashville.
The drouth of the past season In the
country from GAINESVILLE to Paducah,
Kentucky, was so severe that the peo-
. pie will have to draw largely on st.
Louis or Chicago for about everything
in the line of corn. hay, oats, potatoes,
onions, cabbage" etc., etc. He furth-
er states that the merchants of Nash
| vile are anxious to trade with st.
Louis, provided we will give them the
same facilities and competitive rates of
! freight they can enjoy from other
points. The fall and winter trade will
be large, and will necessarily seek that
locality offering the greatest advantage.
If st. Louis, Nashville, GAINESVILLE,
and intermediate places, act in con-
cert, boat could be easily sustained.
The Hillman Iron Works are heavy
shippers. and have on hand large
amount awaiting shipment for Califor-
mia. Mr.. Ii. has received several or
ders from the Pacific coast with within
the past twelve months for finished
iron, and has just forwarded a sample
order boiler iron, for one hundred
tons, which, if satisfactory, will be
succeeded by orders for several hun
bred tons, all of which has to come to
st. Louis for shipment. These works
can turn out forty to fifty tons per
week, and, of course, would prove a
valuable adjunct in furnishing back
loading. The writer seems confident
that this trade. large in amount and
anxious to come here, if furnished
cheap transportation, could be readily
secured if boat were placed in the
Nashville and st. Louis trade, and run
throughout the season, or until low
water supervened. In common with
the hope expressed by this gentleman,
we trust our committee and merchants
and boatmen will take steps to develop
and cOnsummate, in union with the
people of those localities along the
Cumberland, this porantenterprise. "