Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-16
MISSOURI RIVER TRANSPORTATION.
Consultation Of h wilder l. Charlie
and the Peck Steamboat Interests.

Consolidation Of tho wilder L Charles
and the Peck Steamboat Interests.
St. Paul Globe, April II.
The Globe of Wednesday morning an
nounced the presence in the city of G. K.
Peck. Keokuk, Iowa; E. d. Comings and
John H. Charles, Sioux City, Iowa, and
Commodore Kountz, Allegheny, Pennsyl-
yania. Soon after the gentlemen had regis.
tered ut the Merchants on Friday evening,
the Globe envoy made himself known to
q Of the party, and in response to the
query Of "why are these things thusly,"
Was Is quietly informed the "things were
moving" Pressed for q more definite an
ever. the v was advised to keep his
eyes and ears open and-wait. For two
DAYS the envoy acted on this advice, and
yesterday his patience was rewarded by the
The envoy twigged, and he s%traightway
took himself to the Office of Merriam &
Wilder, 100 Jackson street. Here he found
MI. A. II. Wilder, of the firm, and several
other gentlemen, in earnest consultation.
Notwithstanding the evidence Of business
60 plainly observable, Mr.. Wilder gave the
envoy a cordial greeting and placed himself
in an attitude for hearing and answering
Wu0t WASut VV PAOH0uuuSu.
Getting at once to business the envoy
ting al the 'true inwardness" of a reported
important change in Missouri river trans
portation matters for which he had been on
the lookout for a couple of days
''Oh, yes, . change has been made in this
business. Mr.. John 81. Charles and myself
have sold to Mr.. Peck, of Keokuk, Iowa,
our interest in the Missouri river steamers
Fontanelle, Peninah and Gen, Mead"
"What use does MI. Peck pfopose to make
of those steamerr?
ION that point l would prefer you seeing
Mr.. Peck, OF some one acting with him"
"Does this sale extend beyond the river
business"
"Not BY any means. It has seemed ad-
visable to consolidate and concentrate the
upper Missouri and Yellowstone rivers
interests, and the sale made is for
that purpose. Ny other frontier business is
in no way touched by the transaction, the
only change being, as l said, that Mr..
Charles and myself drop out of the steam
boat business, which is taken up by other
parties. But see Mr.. Peck himself, or some
one in his interest and you will get the
whole thing, and it will be a good item for
the Globe when you get it"
Thanking Mr.. Wilder for his kindness,
the envoy started a hunt for "Mr. Peck, or
some one in his interest," and soon succeed.
ed in finding the latter, from whom it was
learned that the purchases above mentioned
were made for the purpose of establishing
the Northwest Transportation company with
a fleet of nine boats to run between Sioux
City and Bismarck and Fort Benton, and
points on the Yellowstone river, with land
freighting connections to all parts of Mon
q and the frontier. The principal parties
to this company are Mr.. C. K. Peck, Of
Keokuk; Mi. H. G. Akin, of Sioux City;
and Mr.. E. D. Comings, until recently Of
Sioux City, but now a st. Paulite, in good
standing.
In the organization is consolidated the
interest heretofore represented by the Peck
line of the Missouri steamers, the interest
of Commodore Kountz, represented by MI.
Comipgs, and the Wilder and Charles in
terest, heretofore operating separately, and
naturally frittering their strength away
against the real objective point, at which
all were aiming, (st least so reasons the
envoy the Coulson line.
BY the consolidation q ine fleet of steam
ers, of equal number and tonnage to the
Coulson line, are gathered under
one management, and with the ex.
tensive business connections of the parties
interested, the new organization is bound
to become . powerful competitor for river
carriage Of the immense business Of the up
per Missouri and Yellowstone rivers.
Besides the Fontanelle, Peninsh and
Gen. Meade, purchased of Messrs. Wilder
4 Charles, the new line will have the