Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-12-05
HOLDS ITS OWN.
River interests Not Suffering From
Railroad Competition.
An Old River. Man Talks Confidently as
To the Ability Of Steamers to
Make Money for Their
Owners.

A river mar of many years experience
has been interviewed BY a Pittsburg repor-
ter as to the past, present and future OF
steamboating on the upper Ohio, with the
following effect:
This year has been one OF the worst in
river history" said he, land attribute it
to two causes, either of which is q simple
explanation. One was, there wal no water
for q long time, and the other is, there was
no business. l think the river business,
however, is relatively as great q thing as
ever it was. 1t is true that the encrosch-
ments of railroads have done much to di.
vert certain classes of business from the
water, but there are many other classes
that shippers
PREFER TO END BY WATER
when practicable, both on account Of con-
v~enience and safety of carriage and cheap
ness. This year the Katie Stockdale,
Emma Graham, Scotia, Louis. A. Sherley,
W. N. Chancellor and Andes have been
carrying passengers and freight between
this city, Cincinnati and Louisville. The
Chancellor only went as far as the mouth
Of the Great Kauawha, but it is q competi-
tor for several hundred miles. None Of
them have had enough to do all summer,
but each has kept in the trade and held its
day. But while they have been doing
nothing the railroads have done as little.
which goes to show that the same condi'
tons govern both.
There are now
THREE LINES OF RAILROADS
between this city and Wheeling-the
Cleveland and Pittsburg, the Pittsburg,
Cincinnati and st. Louis and the Baltl.
more and Ohio-the first two occupying the
two sides of the river, and all bidding for
the business intermediate. The C. W.
Ba' the local boat, is doing as much
business, if mot more, now than she did
when only one line of road was against
her, thus showing that the increase Of en-
terprises and population has been relative
ly as advantageous to water as to rail.
The regular boats have not lost
relatively anything. They all reach
large towne, small towns and isolated
landings between Pittsburgh and Cincin-
natl that no railroad touches and make
money in local as we'll as through business.
Fully one-third of the freight business
OUT Of PITTSBURGH AND WHEELING
goes to Louisville. Much freight goes to
Cincinnati for reshipment 10 Chicago,
Kansas City, New Orleans, st. Louis,
points on the Missouri river and towns in
the interior Of nearly every Western err
Southwestern State. The t~ransshipment
is Of course by rail. We take plenty Of
freight for Richmond, Va, reshipping ut
Huntington, W. Va, BY way Of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio road. This is q sample
ofour shipping possibilities. .
Nearly all shippers along the river and
at terminal points prefer boats to rail
roads, because when there is water they
get their freight regularly. A boat that
leaves this city Wednesday is sure to hand
over its freight Saturday at Cincinnati,
while q freight car may not be on hand for
a week afterwards. All varieties OF iron,
glass and window glass are shipped by
preference on boats, both as a means Of
safety and cheapness.
NEW CLASSES OF FREIGHT
come 10 us each year, as the branches Of
business increase and diversity. W keep
abreast of the times, and if water were al.
ways assured, would get always a large
share OF trade. Business is opening up
we'll this winter; plenty of freight and pas,
sengers are Offering, and we look fer q
compensation for the dizziness of the sum.
mel and early tall loss"
What has become Of the St. Louis
trader asked the writer.
That Is gone, or apparently 30. Three
years ago eight large boats, known as the
Big Eight we're running regularly be-
tween this city and St. Louis. They were
the Alice, Carrier, Buckeye State, Daco,
tab, Montana, Hudson and two others.
Two OF them sunk on the falls at Louis
vile,
ACCIDENTS
happened to one or two others, and the rest
went into the Missouri and Mississippi river
trades. They usually brought u iron ore and
InisCelIauoOus clBuVS buu tOOA uOWu
Pittsburg and Wheeling products. The
ore was diverted into other channels of
transportation and it did not pay to run
them empty in one direction. This is the
first year in Pittsburg's history that not a
boat has been loaded here for St. Louis
CAPTAIN Gray's Iron Line is doing all that
is being done, but low water has kept his
boats from the Mississippi this year. There
will always be q line of boats on the Upper
Ohio. The business is relatively as good
now as it was five years ago. 1t pays, and
that is all hat ia necessary"
Gentlemen
FINEST Hand Made Shoes OF Stacy, Adams
& Co.'S. make, the finest and most stylish
Shoes in the market, at j. W. Amick's,
ll43 Main street.
Go and see the exciting polo game at
the Chspline street rink to. night.