Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-06-24
Rirer TRANSFORMATION.


The following in reference to the future of
the Father of Waters is from the Davenport
Democrat:
The Mississippi river has never yet tcome
10 to its high privileges" The great Father
of Waters is like backward Christian in this
respect. Now, however its prospects for bet
ter DAYS are very brilliant. The year is not far
distant when fleets of barges will be as numer-
Gus on our noble waterway, the upper Missis-
sippi, us raft lows are nowadays. Think OF
what the raft steamers do in the way of lum-
Der ransportation-brng down enough lum-
Der in one tow to load ,2G0 cars, forty-eight
trains of twenty five cars each-and half
dozen 10 dozen such tows passing every day.
Is there any reason why it should not be the
great highway over which to move our cereals
to the sea for Europc-over which to bring
north our imported goods, our sugars, coffees,
woods from Brazil, and about all that we now
get through New York, Boston or Phlladel-
phia-as well as the great highway for lum-
Der? Not single reason can be given why
this should not be the case.
Why hasn't it been done, then? you ask.
Well, one reason is found in the lack of pluck
of steamboatmen-or rather lack OF foresight.
Another reason is found in the matter in steam
boat freight rates. Before the days of railroad
approach to the river, say previous to 1850, it
cost, when there was no rampageous OPPOSE
ton on the river, one dollar per hundred to
bring freight from st. Louis to Davenport.
And The railroads lessened the figure by cheap
ening rates on the same classes of goods from
Chicago almost 70 per cent. right away. And
Just as the appreciation of the situation began
to light I'D the ideas of steamboatmen the war
came, and put an end to steamboat traffic be-
tween the lower and upper Mississippi valleys.
After the war closed railroads crept along par
allel with the river from st. Louis to Davenport,
4. d, ctn. ,1NrNCf MN,
have lust been foolish enough to let the rail
roads rule in the matter of rates. For instance,
the rate on grain from Davenport to st. Louis
is IL cents per hundred pounds by either rail
or river, when the fact Is, steamboats, could
better afford to carry it for cents bushel
than the railroads could for 12 cents. Why,
they can carry grain from st. Louis to New
Orleans for cents per hundred, and the barge
lines make fortunes in the traffic aud from
St. Louis to Liverpool 20 cents bushe! And
why can not the steamboat men iu the North
free themselves from railroad influence, and be
independent in rates? They are seeing the
advantages of such independence now-and
are getting good ready to strike out for
themselves.
When the barge era really sets in on the Up
per Mississippi, we shall see the vacant lots
along The river bank occupied by elevators and
warehouses. The Mississippi viii be the great
artery of commerce in the West Should there
be delay in securing appropriations for the
Hennepin canal until that day, Chicago and
the great part of the eastern seaboard will de-
mand it with voice that will be heard.
But even after the canal is built the great
bulk of the grain movements of the northwest
will be by way of the Mississippi river, be-
cause of the saving of time in placing the
grain or -four in Liverpool or Hamburg. Then
will such items as this be of every day note in
the dailies of our river cities.
Capt. Reany, of the st. Louis and st. Paul
line, has contracted on through bill of lad
ing, for the delivery of 10000 barrels of flour
in sacks, to go to Glasgow, Scotland. The
-four will be ready at St. Paul by the middle
of next week-St. Paul Pioneer Press, 14th.
Yes, brethren, we are all marching on. The
best days of our river cities are just before us.
Yov say this is all well enough for summer
but from the middle of November to the
middle of March-four monthes when the
Upper Mississippi is either closed by ice or
daren't be trusted on account of the weather,
what will you do then? Do! do just what
they do in Chicago Milwaukee, Du-
the lake and canal navigation
is suspended, store the grain in great elevators
and wait until the opening of navigation. The
upper Mississippi at this point is generally
flee for navigation two or three weeks before
the lake ports ard the straits of Mackinaw are
safe for steamboats, aud other freight craft.
With the river closed, you will find the rail
roads willing enough to convey your grain to
the seaboard at figures low in comparison with
the present rates. and yet not so low but what
in summer the barge lines can sweep the under
pinning from their tariffs
Yes, sir, let the steamboatmen "live up TO
heir great privileges" and the picture of the
future commerce Of cities such as Davenport
will look delightful to the eye of the man Of
business as tie prosl ects of life in the new
Jerusalem are to the Christian who lives up to
his great privileges. Speed the day.