The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-04

the system OF transportation. as now developed
was the cheapest In the w,,rld the cost being
anee o. Of 9 Nil oh 20 new yaa bs COST
Is only aboutthe one ortiath part of that Of rail-
road ransportatlon, Thet tai coal shipme nts Of
bushels annually. Col. s. holds that. even II the
so-called Ohio river Improvement. by means OF
Chanoine dams. were, to be free gift on. the
part of the national government and II no
charge Whatever sWers made for its use, 1t
would and could not cheaper the cost OF trans
oosl business should even o moderate toll be
levied. he replied that II would most undoubt-
edy build, qp the coal mining INDUSTRIES Of
West Virginia. Kentucky. Indiana and Illinois.
~ cents per bushel. alongside OF, Pltsburg
e eea r. 10 e9ns a m the the hom ss ar
tiele would throw 1he balance in ia
yor Of Illinois. On this point G9l =.
sihly have been. He fortified the example OF
Cairo with statements Of the coal markets. OF
Louisville, Memphis. etc. If it is expected that
the government work Of Improvement should
bear the cost of interest, wear and tear. the
question would become very serious one to
ing he dams Col S. estimates at SO 900 600. At
per cent Interest, etc, the charge for toll would
amount 70 at least 81, 900 per annnm., Now,
all this, 1t was argued, simply for the us
| Of boats during say, sixty days in the year
Can the Improvement be pos ibly worth $4,000
| a day2
Owing 10 an accident to the Oakands ma
chinery the party proceeded to the pilot-hoqse
ri the tug Mike DtfsShertV. where cOmmoda-
lions were provided for them. and ran down to
the fine steamer Boaz. lying Mt Cork's Run
landing and Just ready to start with the greater
bayt Of her tow. This was done to give the con-
grssgional members Of the party an opportu-
nifty Tssrersonaly witness the modps opernndt
Of navigation The Boaz had some 1000 tons OF
| coal In hste$ow. and the beautiful manner in
which that Sncrmpus mass Of material was
swung around S.cd beaded down stream by
| Capt. Smith and IfS Raglan elected the hearty
| elimination Of the ply 1t Is constant mat
tsr OF establishment TO thSnon- professional that
| q surface Of coal. almost aSSong as the Capitol
| at Washington should be MAGE to thread the
mazes Of tho rocks and rifles SShe Ohio river.
| responding to the slightest touchSf the pilots
wheel The whole m ystery lies In tn >powerfui
| the Oakland, Boaz etc, are provided ESrhey
| have three rUdders, the centre one being hinged
| In the middle and the boat engaged in flank
| Ing backs her engines. throwing an enormous
| pivotug the whole tow for the desired swing to
| the right or left. There are about 100 steam
boats owned In Pittsburg. specially built for the
| coal trades and provided with powerful ma
chinery
The party on the Dougharty devoted a few
this fleet the j. b. Williams. lying Mt Neville.
The Williams has $50 tons ~ engines and boil
ers; her steering apparatus consists Of five rud-
ders. and the greatest load she over towed ag-
Pittsburg seam are demanded to furnish such
| n load but there is no danger Of exhausting our
riches, The CoDnesville stratum of coking
coal, a small lot OF our carboniferous wealth.
alone contains 100 900. 900 tons.
The congressional and newspaper men left
the Boaz when opposite Dxmont. and, after q
hasty glance Mt the Golfer dam at Davis Island.
the party returned to their respective homes.
well pleased with the information gained dur
Ing tho trip.-iPittsburg Chronicle. Novem-