Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-05-20
THE T
A New York SteamshtP Enters the
River Through Southwest Pass.


An occurrence took place on the 10Th
inst, which deserves more than a pass
ing notice, and which was fraught with
a greater interest to the producers of the
han they will be apt to realize
allude to the passage, through the
j%etties, at the mouth of the Mississippi
river, of the first large ocean steamer,
(the Hudson) Capt. eager, from New
York, 1872 ton register. This vessel
passed over the bar under a full head Of
steam. at the rate of more than two
miles in twelve minutes, without any
sort of detention or expense. Only a
few months ago ships were put to a great
outlay, and were frequently detained for
weeks, in passing over this bar in anoth-
er pass. and every cent of this money
was lost to the producers of the grain or
cotton carried. When Capt. Eads be-
gan work at Southwest Pass, there was
only an average depth Of eight feet, and
now the largest and finest steamship Of
the celebrated Cromwell line sails
through it without diminishing her
speed, drawing 154 feet. From the day
that this was done there vas a new era
inaugurated for the farmers of the Mis-
sissippi Valley; and among the many
things which are to be celebrated in this
centennial year, none should be hailed
and honored more than this event. Our
observing farmers have noticed the
nearer approximation in prices between
the western and eastern markets since
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad came
fairly into competition with the Erie and
New York Central railroads, thereby
bringing rates of transportation down to
a reasonable price. Everyone fully re-
allies the superiority of water over rail
transportation, and now we are to have,
not only direct water communication
from u river system to Europe. but an
active competition between the roads
leading east and the rivers, for treights,
and a competition, in addition. between
the cities of the east and of the west,
which will be nearer on a par than they
have been in the past. for the pun chase
Of our produce. A great many people
have been led into the belief that the
day for s~tsamboating was past; there
never was a greater delusion. Wehave
in the Mississippi and its tributaries the
finest river system in the world. and the
only thing which has paralyzed 1.-THE
bar at the mouth of the OUTLETS about
to be removed. Then the largest draf,
steamers can come to New Orleans as
easily as they can enter any harbor in
the country, and by means of machinery
can be loaded from the large Mississippi
river freight boats at one handling. Ii
q great measure this is an accomplished
fact, as there is now, in the very shall
lowest place In Southwest Pass, an as
sured depth of seventeen feet. and tn,
rapid and concentrated current is daily
and hourly dredging out the bottom. !
will not be long until the people of thu
west will begin to feel the good effect
of this great stride in the facilities o
commerce, and it will be a daily thin.
to read Of large sales of grain and pro
visions in st. Louis direct to European
purchasers. Then the millions who oc
cupy the great valley of the Mississippi
will once more see prosperous time,
and other millions will come to aid an
assist them in building up this favore
region of the earth. We say to our ow
people of Lafayette county-the garden
spot of this vast section-take heart
there are better times in store for us i
the future, and willing hands will met
with an adequate reward. We hav
, i, learned to labor, and we have had t
wait, but a better time is neal at han,
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Il ~ nm nonndS of Woo1 1,o,+o1 L.