Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-11-21
MAI. SUFFERS ATTACK ON MISSOURI
RIVER INTERESTS.
ST. LOIIS. Nov II. Is!

ST. LOUIS, Nov. II, 1885.
EDITOR REPUBLTCAN:-ln Maj. SUIT
s annual report appears the follow
Y extraordinary lang age in regard
to the lights on the Missouri and the
business on that stream:
'.Thc average distance separating
lights I'm the Missouri river is greater
than those on any other subdivision.
The fact is, the lights in this part of the
district should be permanently eXtin-
guished. Owing to the changeable
nature of the channel the lights, when
pnce put in position are found out of
place in few days. The principal
reason, however, for saving that thr
lights should be discontinued is, the
fact that the traffic on the Missouri ri
yer is exceedingly small. There is but
one steamer-the Dacotah-now rum
ning to Kansas City, and she seldom
runs at night time The impediments
,nd danger to the navigation of the riv-
er arise from railroad bridges and other
Obstacles are rapidly increasing, and il
is evident that the time is fast approch-
ing when traffic Cn the Missouri river
will entirely cease. The insurance ON
hulls of the Missouri river vessels has
reached 1s per cent"
This charge against the Missouri riv-
er can be attributed TO but one of two
causes. ignorance OF the subject he re-
ports upon, or sclf-in:erest of some
character. The business of the Mis-
souri, river steamers has been increas-
ing steadily for the past three years, the
upstream freightage by river for Kan
sas City is quadruple now what it was
three years ago. Until the present sea-
son LeavenwOrth, AtchisOn and ST.
Joseph had been entirely shut ont from
the advantage of river competition:
this year they have received hundreds
Of tons by river. and there is now in
course of organization line of boats
to run to st. Joseph during the season
pf 1886, with contracts Already made
TO transport heavily tor the wholesale
houses of these points. Perhaps this
is where the shoe pinches. AS MIR SUI
ter has absorbed the entire summer in
protecting the Kansas City bridge, he
may not want his pet institution inter-
fcred with IL. freight competition
Again, the Missouri river boats do
not lie up at night unless the fog or
darkness would demand the same eau.
ton in any stream.
AS for Inc rate of insurance charged,
this is a subject the government does
not employ MIR. Suter to investigate; if
the merchants can stand the excessive
insurance and still get their goods
cheaper than the railroads will haul it
in competition, it is their business, not
his, and we think there would be con-
siderable row kicked up if Mr.. Suter's
| views were accepted by government as
sufficient cause to neglect the Missouri
river.
There are hundreds of miles along
this fertile valley that are totally de-
pendent on river steamers, and il de-
prived OF this means of getting their
products to market would depreclaie
immensely in value-they would have
to haul from ten to fifty miles and then
he subjected to the merciless charges of
IA lway local tariffs We are aware
tha hunting and fishing is not consid-
cred as good on the Missouri as OH the
Upper Mississippi, but would suggest
Il trial ot the Lamine, Grand river, etc.
There have bee. good fish caught out
OF these STREAMS and fine fat grouse
bagged from all the prairies. Try
them, gentlemen, before condemning
the river, and, while doing so, investi-
gate the real Importance of Missouri
navigation, and my word for it, you
, will change your report.
AS for bridge Instructions, there are
two on the Upper Mississippi for every
, one on the Missouri, and il the govern.
, ment will only enforce the bridges to a
strict observance of their charters, and
cause such safeguards to be placed at
, each as should have been when built,
there will be no more bridge disas-
r ters-all of which no one knows bet
ter than Mr.. Suter-let him embody
, this feature of the bridges in his reports
/ and urge the government to take the
! proper measures to make them safe
i and he will insure the gratitude of the
: entire river fraternity.
!. The gentleman speaks of the ever
, changing channel. So does the chan
: mel of the Mississippi change
: every freshet from ST. Louis to Vicks.
: burg. Has the Mississippi lost its use
q fulness OIL this account? If the channe
never changed there would be no ust
for light-hou boats. Lights once
: established would do for all time and
a much expense saved the government
and many pleasant situations done
away with.
! Notwithstanding the entire failure oI
: the Missouri crops of 1885, there were
: three boats, the Dacotah, c. c. Carol
and Gen. Mead, all employed, and the
Mead still running, and will be until
! ice shuts her ont. With crop the
. coming season, we feel confident in
h predicting more business than a semi.
q weekly packet line can possibly ham
3 die. God said, Let there be Highland
+ there shall be light on this subject.
n HUNTER BEN JENKINS.
i The St. Joe Gazette of the 9th says
of the fifteenth lighthouse district re-
port of the Missouri river:
= "Still it is shame-a burning
CRYING, wicked shame-that sucl
river as the Missouri should be per-
mitted to remain in the condition tha
:. it is in Nor need it if the congress
e men interested in all matters pertain.
+ ing to the West will make the improve
ment of this stream a political as wei
as an economical issue. AS tor the
b, bridges, surely the law of their erection
II can be evoked to protect navigation
:. against any further enrOachments OF
q their part"