Rock Island daily Argus., 1888-12-18
SAM VAN SAINT.
The Well Known Steambaatman En-
dorses Maj. Mackenzie's River I'm
pr0yement Work.

The Well Known Steamboatman En-
dorses Maj. Mackenzie's River In
pr0yement Work
The attack of the st. Paul chamber of
commerce upon MAJ McKenzie's man.
agement of Mississippi river improve
ments, has been severely criticised by
prominent Steamboat men. The latest to
sustain Maj, Mackenzie, is Capt. Sam
Van SAINT, than whom there is not bet
ter posted man along the river. He has
written the following communication to
the Pioneer Press:
WNoNA, D c. 19.-To the Editor: |
read your editorial. "An Unwarranted
Attack" in today's Pioneer Press with
pleasure. As one deeply interested in
the improvement of the Mississippi river
and somewhat engaged in the navigation
of the same, please accept thanks for
your vigorous words
In proof of your position, let me state,
II not trespassing too much, that our
steamer Musser made some fifteen or
twenty trips, with log raft in tow, from
the st Paul boom (some three miles
above your steamboat landing) to Pres
colt during the lowest stage of water dur
ing the season just closed. The Musser
Is one of the largest and heaviest draft
raft boats, drawing more water than the
steamer Pittsburg, the largest boat of
the DiamonG Jo line. state this
so it will not be claimed that
only the lightest draft boats could be
used in the ST. Paul river traffic during
low water We entered upon the runs
ming of logs in the St. Paul river with a
good deal of hesitsncy, owing to the very
low stage OF water, but we never had any
trouble whatever, and never got aground,
even for a short time; made trips daily
and easily returned after dark Remem-
ber, too, our rsfts were five hundred feet
long and one hundred feet wide-a large
tow for low water and narrow river.
Two other boats also were successful in
running RATS over this river. Facts
speak for themselves. 1t has been dem
oustrated that RATS can be run in low
water from St. Paul In my opinion il
never could have been done without the
government improvements. Steamboat
men, universally almost. are Of the same
opinion. Not only in the ST. Paul river
but during the whole distance TO St.
Louis. have the government improve.
ments made it possible to successfully
navigate boats and RATS during low wat
er. Wheh il is remembered that abou
one hundred raft boats are constantly
employed during the season, and tha
they tow to market some one Thousand
million feet of logs and lumber, some ide,
of the great benefits Of the government
improvements are manifest.
1t seems strange that the St. Pau
chamber of commerce should speak ad
versely of work that is doins, and i
finally destined to do, so much for he
prosperity. St. Paul should be first t.
urge the grand work, and impress upol
her representatives in congress the meet
of larger appropriations. The work hs
been greatly retarded by the need of am
pie funds. The Pioneer Pres can d
, nothing that will please the friends 0
improvement of the Mississippi NOR
than to battle in the future, as it has il
the past, for much needed deepening o
the channel. Some of the surplus tina
, We heard so much about during the lat
campaign could be used to good advan
tage in said work
SAM VAN SAINT.