Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-06-26
TO EUROPE BY THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER.
Efforts Of Mr.. ChOuteau---Aid of Foreign
Capitalists to be Obtained---A Full
Description of the Mississippi River
and the Boats That Run On It---A New
System of iron Boats and Rarees.

Description of the Mississippi River
and the Boats That Run On It-.-A New
System of iron Boats and Barges.
American Exchange.
, An important movement is under
way to improve the Mississippi river
and utilize it for the transportation Of
the products of the Mississippi and
Missouri valleys to New Orleans. To
secure the assistance of foreign capital
lists in furthering this plan Mr.. Charles
P. Chouteau, of st. Louis, will sail for
Europe this week. George H.. Rea,
president Of the Mississippi Valley
Transportation company, will meet him
in Europe and assist him in his negotia-
tons there. Mr.. Chouteau has prepar-
ed, in pamphlet form, a review of the
river transportation Of the West, as it
now is and may become.
The pamphlet begins with a brief but
comprehensive statement of the area
and productions Of the territory drain
ed by the Mississippi and its tributaries,
accompanying which is colored "crop
map" This shows the distribution of
the areas of great surplus production
of corn, wheat. tobacco, cotton and hay,
and the ultimate connection between
them and the navigable waters of the
west. especially in regard to the rivers
flowing into the Gulf of Mexico.
The extent, character and peculiar nav
igable features are all considered in de-
tail, and then a full description is given
of the kinds of vessels now employed
on these waters. Mr.. Chouteau then
proceeds to give careful account oftheir
defects, in which. he makes it quite
plain that the cost of transportation is
now very greatly increased by imper-
feet construction of the engines, and I'M
suitable machinery for their propulsion.
He shows how readily the iII-made
wooden hulls succumb to the dangers of
the river, and how frequent are the &C
cidents to the vessels, and how brief
their lifetime on account Of their frail
construction. Figures are given to
prove that the average life of a vessel is
only seven years, and that from the ex-
cessive cost of maintenance and short
average duration of boats, the entire
amount of money invested in the navi-
cation OF western rivers has to be re-
newed every SIX years. From these
acts and excessive cost of insurance,
he declares that the average boat of 212
tons has to earn 81 ,664, or 13S per cent.
of the original cost, every season, to
simply cover maintenance, interest and
cost of replacement. One Of the fea-
lures of largest interest IN this connec-
ton is the cost of running the imperfect
engines used on western river boats,
which he shows require proportlOnately
more than twice as much fuel as ocean
vessels. Investigation shows that ocean
steamers will make tri ps of nearly six
times the length of the voyage from st.
Louis to New Orleans and back, using
no more coal than a river tOw-boat in its
one round trip.
Having fully exposed the detects of
the present vessels, A1r. Chouteau pre-
sents plans and detailed specifications
for an entirely new type Of iron steam
boats and barges, which, it is believed
can be operated. with so much more
safety and economy that larger profits
than are now realized can be obtained
at much lower rate. He urges that,
by the use of iron, judicious design and
careful workmanship will give greatest
strength with least weight, while the
vessel can be divided by bulkheads. so
that it will be almost impossible for it
osink The same radical departure from
existing models marks his suggestions
for the new design Of tow-boat, which
is to be just sufficient size, and no more,
to carry the machinery and fuel neces-
sarv. These boats are to be of iron
also, and the details Of the construction
of both boats and barges are fully ex-
planned by numerous plates and Gia-
grams. He estimates that barges con-
structed in accordance with the plans
given will last, with ordinary care, more
than forty years, the average cost of re-
pairs, inclusive of painting, ETC., during
that time not exceeding p per cent.
annum. No insurance will be needed
On the hulls. as it will be almost impos-
sible tosink or burn them, and the cargo
Will be SO secure that the insurance on
it will be merely nominal, or even may
be, assumed blythe transportation COM
panies, as it now is by railroads. More
than this, these iron vessels will pass
through the water SO much more easily
than wooden hulls as now built, that it
is safe to assume that five iron barges
can be towed with the same power now
required for four wooden barges of like
dimensions and draft, equivalent to an
increase of 40 per cent. q
Estimates are given of the cost of tri
on the upper and lower river, with wei
built iron boats and barges, including
every expense, except insurance and
wear and tear, which show that at 4
cents busheloa tow-boat and three,
barges, loaded at four feet depth on the
down trip, can clear 1895 net profit
each round trip. which it can make III
ten days, or eighteen trips a season,
while atow-boat and five barges. loaded
to seven feet'en the down trip to New
Orleans, would earn SIS. 597 net profit
each trip, carrying grain at 81 cents
per bushel,, taking twenty days for the
round trip, and making twelve trips
every year. TO make clear the bril-
liant possibilities Of these low rates,
statistics are given atslength, showing
the prae ont cost IF tranSpOrt q tiOD to