Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-09-02
ANNUAL REVIEW
or the River Commerce Of Mem
phis.

The annual business season on the
river closed last evening, as in other
lines of commerce. To the boatmen
it has been moderately successful.
Freight rates have generally ruled
low, and owing to competition this
class of charges did not advance in
the same ratio as expenses in
creased. Hence profits, when.
enjoyed, were light. Freights were
plentiful throughout the season,
and, though carried at low figures, the
quantity aided in swelling the returns
to a reasonable paying amount. The
only local packet, plying from this
port, lost, was the Hattie Rowland,
sunk in Arkansas river, early last
spring, some sixty miles below Pine
Bluff, and proving a total loss. This
partly fell on the insurance companies
Of the east and partly on the Arkansas
river packet company, the owners. No
loss Of life was sustained by this OF
any other minor accident to steamers
plying to or from this port.
The City Of Vicksburg, of the An
Choir line, was lost by sinking, at Ash
port, ITO miles above here, a few
weeks ago, The cargo was valuable,
and partially consigned to merchants
here. Our insurance companies lost
FIVE or six thousand dollars by this
accident.
Considering the shaggy and danger
Gus condition Of our navigable
streams, the escape Of boats from in
jury, except in the two instances re-
ferred to, has been fortunate, and it
bespeaks careful management on the
part Of their commanders and crews.
Recent statistics, compiled by pilots,
show that upwards of 400 snags pro-
trude above the water surface.
between Vicksburg and Cairo, a dis
lance Of less than 200 miles. The
snagbOat system is much complained
of by river men, owing to their appar-
ent Indifference to the labor Of clear
ing out channels. Inasmrch as con
gress made suitable monetary appro-
priations, approved in June last, and
the rivers have recently been low and
suitable for snagboat duty, their fail
uro to remove snags is a subject of
earnest inquiry, to which no
satisfactory solution has yet
been made. Not the river
men only are interested in this impor-
tAnt work. The insurance companies
also suffer by this apparent neglect to
clean out and improve river channels.
In reference to u wharfage facilities
they bid fair to be less ~capacious than
is to be desired. The labor Of newly
paving the lower landing, north Of
Beale street, where hatboats we're
formerly moOred, is progressing favor
ably, and if completed, according to
contract, by the first of October,
will largely facilitate the de-
mands of our river.
The receipts Of cotton during the
past year aggregate 10000 bales, of
which 1854 bales came from White
river, 1l,630 bales from Arkansas
river, 1913 from st. Francis river and
74,l66 bales from the Mississippi
river, above and below here combined.
The two White river packets Hard
Cash and Josie Harry brought 1925
bales cotton from White river, and
the Hattie Rowland and Katie Hoop
er brought nearly 10000 bales from
Arkansas river to this port. The fol-
lowing statement shows the quantity
Of cotton brought here by the ~severa,
packets, as appears on the books kept
at the Memnhia onttnn exchanpn.