Omaha daily bee., 1883-04-23
THE BARGE LINES

We have heard little Of the barge
business for several months. During
the winter when the river Is closed for
navigation, the tuge docked, and the
laid up to the banks, there IL
little to note about q traffic which IL
developing more rapidly than most OF
our people are ware Of. With the
opening Of March, this year, the barge
lines again began operations and the
prospects are good for q business
which will more than qusdruple over
that Of last year. Three lines of barges
are now running between st. Louis
and New Orleans and all are reported
rs paying handsomely. The business
done already equals one-third OF the
east bound tonnage passing through
Chicago from the north and west. 1t
is claimed that under the existing
arrangements, grain and other cereals
as we'll % breadstuffs, 10 be delivered
on board ship at New Or
leans at 335 per cent less
than by rail to New York, and 20 per
cent. lower than by rail and lake to
that city. As an exporting point,
New Orleans is coming rapidly to the
front. A weekly line of steamships
has been established to Liverpool.
Daring the month Of March, thirty.
nine vessels left the port for foreign
destinations, carrying 1,786 GIG buah.
els of corn and 5l3, 1854 bushels of
wheat which was an increase Of more
than 500 per cent. over March of last
year. All the barge lines are adding
largely to their carrying capacity, and
are refusing offers of freight. One
line reports all the tonnage for heavy
freight engaged for April and May.
Since February 25th, 1852 tons Of
merchandise has gone down the Mis-
sissippi to the gulf, and river men an
ticipate o remarkable increase In bust
ness before the season closes.
These are gratifying figures. The
success Of river navigation will solve
the problem of cheap transportation
for the west. With the competition
of the rivers north and south Of the
lakes, and the Erie canal east and
west, the railroads will be forced to
bid for business and deal fairly With
our producers. Last year we ex'
ported v 6 $50, 900, 600 bushels Of
breadstuffs, this larger portion Of
which sought the rail route TO the sea,
OF this amount, neorly, If not quite,
200, coo, 0O0 bushels we're produced Ii
the valley of the Mississippi, the re
msinder coming from California ant
the Atlantic seaboard. The growth O
the barge business means q competito,
to the railroads, which cannot b,
bought, pooled or consolidated. I
means a certainty Of such substantial
and systematic river improvements a
will assure the continuance and per
pstual development of river nsviga
ton. Backed by the statistics o
what the barge lines have done ant
are doing to increase tho pros
perity of the country by de
creasing the freight rates, tn
west will be In n stronge
position than ever to demand gener
Gus appropriations for river improve
ment. The jobs and steals perpetrate'
by eastern congressman In wastin
appropriations on useless creeks an
trout brooks will not be permitted t
stand In the way Of an honest In
provement Of the Mississippi On
Missouri rivers. The very eIposur
of such frauds In the past will dra'
attention to the justice Of OF
demands and the whole country wi
endorse appropriations to be expende
for the beneir of q section which to
day furnishes not only the Unite
States with the bulk of the foo
! products but supplies q surplus
. millions Of bushels . year to Englan
and the continent.