The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-05-28

now actually employed in this trade
$50 barges, which gives a Carrying
capacity of 6,ooo,ooo to 5000, 900 oil
bushels. The building of more
river tonnage is progressing rapidly
and the supply will be kept up to
the demand. If the requirements
should dema d it, twice the number
now in use can be had without diff
Guilty. The entire cost of the round
trip of one of our lines of barges is
given by well informed parties al
So, 800 each. This is more than
paid by the freight on return trip
Therefore, a tow bringing down
10000 bushels of grain AS low as
five cents bushel, would get net
profit Of $4,000, and that in less
than a month In order to fully
appreciate these figures it is only
necessary to recollect that 100000
bushels of grain can be brought
down the river on six barges, which
cost $50 each. From this it will
be perceived that the minimum
rates per barge have not been reach
ed yet, and that even a charge OF
three cents per bushel for grain by
the Mississippi river would not only
be possible, but profitable. Under
any contingencies, therefore, that
might arise involving reduction
of freight on the Erie and Welland
canals, the barge lines upon the
Mississippi river can successfully
compete. The entire grain product
of the Northwest, beyond the Mis-
sissippi and Missouri, now control.
led by Chicago, must find its way
down the Mississippi to our city in
seeking a foreign market. Even by
the railroad to Cairo, and thence
down the Mississippi, grain from,
Illinois can be taken to the seaboarC
at lower rate than by an route tc
New York. If a canal is made
connecting the waters of Lake
Michigan with the Illinois river, 3
measure which for sometime ha.
been strongly advocated, it would
become feeder for the Mississippi
river.
HOW THE RAILROADS ARE AF.
FECTED BY THE RIVER ROUTE.
Chicago Tribune. The river com
petition is proving dangerous to The
interests of the railroads, ana if they
mean to do a profitable business
hereafter they must make substan
tial reduction in the rates to NEE
that competition. Heretofore the
trunk lines could afford to keep ur
the rates, for, although they got buI
little during the summer, they had
the field to themselves during the
winter. But since the establish.
ment of the St. Louis barge lines
they will have to meet the lake com
petition from St. Louis during the
winter. This makes it impossible
for the Eastern trunk lines to stick
to their decision of keeping the
summer rate on grain at a basis o.
thirty cents per 100 pounds from
Chicago to New York, and The
winter rate at forty cents. The
lines East from Chicago will be thu
principal sufferers from this com
petition. 1t does not affect The
roads West of St. Louis and Chi
cago at all, because they will have
to bring the business that goes Di6
the barge lines to St. Louis, anc
that which goes viz the lake line.
to Chicago. The trunk lines cas-
from Buffalo and other lake port,
will also be able to stand it, as they
get good deal of business from the
lake lines at those ports, and the
higher the all-rail rates the larger
will be their proportion on tht
business they receive from the
lakes. But where will the lines
east from ST. Louis and Chicago
get their business from with raj
rates so much higher than lake ano
river rates? If the present policy
of keeping up high rail rates pre-
walls, the Michigan Central, Lake
Shore. Fort Wayne, Baltimore ane
Ohio, Vandalia, Indianapolis anc
St. Louis, Ohio and Mississippi, ano
other lines will die of starvation
and their securities will not be
worth the paper they are writer
upon. 1t is about time that these
roads awake to the emergency ant
take steps that will save them from
utter ruin.
PROGRESS MADE IN THE SOUTH
ERN STATES IN THE MANUFAc.
TURE OF COTTON GOODS.
During last week the Nashville
cotton factory was organized with
a capital Of 100000, site purchas-
ed on which to erect factory, and
the contract given out for the build
ing and machinery. The factory is