The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-14
1 GROWING TRADE.
Progress and Development Of the
Grain Trade with the West.
The Peculiar Advantages Presented
by the River Statistics
Respecting the Trade
In the Past.


In the Past.
Every recurring day brings additional as
surance and Hnmi5takable evidence that the
Mississippi-the natural highway to the sea
-is attracting more seriously the attention
OF enterprisiDg capitalists In the West and
elsewhere, and shs interest is gradually as
Stunning more practical shape and giving
every promise that In the near future tho
Father OF Waters shall be what nature and
the welfareof American commerce destined
her for. Artifce sometimes seems to subor-
dinate the forces Of nature, as the lateral
lines Of railroads on this continent crushed
the commerce OF the Mississippi river into
comparative insignifcanee; bit In the end
nature will reassert herself and art serve but
as her handmade.
II the signs are not very deceiving, this or
Qanic rule seems about to receive q happy
illustration. The heavy freight charges
imposed for the transportation OF Western
ally impressing the thrifty farmer and ship
per with the desirability OF seeking another
outlet, and this feeling grows with the steady
and
ENORMOUS INCREASE
In the CROWN OF cereals. MOI many years
since, the commerce Of the Mississippi river
had 80 declined, and the transportation by
railroad had become 80 extravagantly expen-
sive, that frequently the farmer reserved .
large portion Of his crop for fuel, the proceeds
OF shipment, after deducting the charges be-
Ing 80 trivial as to make 1t as cheap an article
for the hearth as any other he could use. The
deepening OF South Pass to such an extent az
to warrant at all times sufficient depth
to accommo data, with ease, sea- going vessels
t,l utoat drnf n
masters OF ships OF ell approximations respec-
ting the feasibility OF entering this port, 30
that at the present time 1t iB necessary only
to tap the wires and intimate an Offering OF
freighta9e, when all the tonnage desired can
be had.
This being the inevitable consequence OF the
success OF the jetties, the barge business
commenced to assume more definite shape,
into most hourlsniDg trade. 1t is true that
the low stage OF water at times In the neigh
borhood Of Cairo, and the impediments afis-
ing from external quarantine have done much
toretard the business. but, withal, 1t has stead.
lily advanced, and gives promise at no distant
day OF being one OF the most important ad-
juncts to the commerce OF this city. There
are now
FOUR LINES OF BARGEs
plying between here and st. Louis; the Mis-
sisstppi Valley Transportation Line, with
over forty barges and new ones In the course
OF construction, and with an average capacity
Of 400 tons each the st. Louis and New
Orleans Transportation Line, with about
twenty barges, and the Mound City, new
company, with five or six barges, and others
In course of construction.
The average cost from st. Louis to New Or
leans 1s from seven to eight cents per btehel.
Though this figure 10 infinitely below charges
hitherto made, and offers the highest tempta-
ton to shippers In the West, It 70 yet aus
ceptible Of still further reduction, which
should effectually remove all Idea Of railroad
competition. With good stage OF water and
plenty Offering Ct st. Louie the bsrssne1
make handsome profit, and with the Inn
provement Of the Mississippi 80 az 20 insure
. deep channel throughout the year there u
little doubt that Capt. Eadss prediction OF Q
three-cent freightage can be accomplished.
It is complained, however, that the elevator
service at this port is insufficient, bargee be-
Ing detained inconventently long before ur-
laden, and that an impeachment thus occurs
pressing. Until recently, 1t appears, the barge
service has been In excess Of the offerings, but
judging by the fact that 80 many new barge0
are now In process OF construction, and new
conclude that the number Of barges Ia now
unequal to the offerings. Regarding the
RELATIVE COST
OF rail and river transportation, perhaps the
best illustration could be given In the case Of
the tow Iron Mountain, which is now on itS
way to this city with five bargeS and cargo
OF corn amounting to 100000 bushels. Had
this amount been sent by rail to the Atlantic
seaboad 1t would have cost In freight, at the
lowest estimate, $4,000, but by the river It
only cost $27, 900.
During the past thirty years the shipmen +
Of grain to THIS port has fuctuated IN an ex-
traordtnary manner, but this was owing
chiefly to the fierce and even sometimes sacrt-
fetal rivalry Of the railroad lines tapping In
terror towns. The following tables, complied
by Mr.. Henry g. Hester for the Bureau AZ
Statistics at Washington, will give an idea:
QUANTITY OF GRAIN RECEIVED AT NEW oR1EANS
SINCE 1850.