New-York tribune., 1882-02-18
UHE4T DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI.

The drop in the price of wheat makes stir
in the export trade at st. Louis, as well as III
the other centres of the grain trade. Within the
last few days more than 100000 bushels have
been sold in that city for immediate export by
way of New Orleans. The first shipment will
60 down the Mississippi River to-day, borne
by fleet of grain barges in tow of a river
steamer. Other shipments are to follow YES
sells have been engaged in New Orleans to
carry the grain to Liverpool direct and should
the breadstufis market remain in sound cOndi-
ton there Is likely to be strong demand for
tonnage at the wharves of Newt Orleans, which
will put many extra dollars into the pockets
of our ship-owners.
The February rise in the Western rivers
occurs Just in time to aid the shipment of
grain down the Mississippi. Low water and
ice obstruct the navigation of that portion of
the river between St. Louis and Cairo about
two months of the year. But in February
occurs the great rise which invariably converts
two almost deserted great streams all mt once
into busting and exciting thOrOuGhfarcs of
commerce. An endless procession of steam
boats dart down the Ohio with fleets of coal
barges i'll tow. Hundreds of great freight and
passenger steamers, which are laid up in the
winter all along the river, owing 20 the low
water and dull trades, are brought ont and set
TO running on the river routes. Barge and
steamer transportation is also resumed on
the Mississippi all the way to ST. Paul.
The drop in the price of wheat Oc-
ours this year in time to give the
tonnage of the rivers the benefits of it at the
of no hat
the market will continue to rule low enough
to maintain the export trade, the fall in prices
also occurs in good season to give the barge
lines on the Mississippi an opportunity to show
what they can accomplish this year in the way
of diverting grain from the railroads leading
to Atlantic ports.
OF all the seaports which ship grain direct
to Europe, New-Orleaus is the first in 1882 to
get the benefit of water transportation from
the interior Indeed this is the case every
year. The Mississippi is available for grain
shipments from st. Louis eight and a half
months every year, whereas the Erie Canal is
not in operation more than seven months.
Below Cairo, to which point grain is now
sent by rail from st. Louis in the winter sea-
son. the river is available for grain barges
UcdliN every IOLlu Oi INC Jtdl' Ht o. LOUIS
merchants have never lost faith in large
river commerce and export trade to Europe
via New Orleans, and undoubtedly they enjoy
an important advantage i'll the possession OF
a water route open nearly the whole year
around. Should the capabilities of the river
be properly improved, there is no reason at
present to doubt that Il part of The in
crease of Western trade will be diverted by
them to the Mississippi River. 1t is to
be remarked, however, that in push
ing age like this, natural advantages
are of less account than entcrprisnS men.
The smart. wide-awake managers who have
been building railways all over the West have
already paralyzed the whole river commerce of
that region. SteambOating has been stationary
now for ten years, the enormous expansion of
trade having all gone to the railways. The
Missouri River has been permanently super
seeded as water route already. On the Ohio
there is no increase in the flcighting business,
except in the single item of coal, which goes
South almost entirely by river On the Mis-
slssippi the river tonnage is barely holding It's
own, while rail transportation marches with
gigantic strides. The commerce OF ST. Louis
is fair illustration. The tons of freight re-
ceiyed and shipped at that city during the last