The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-20
SUGAR GROWERS FEED.
FLATBoATs CORN LADEN PASS
SOUTH FOR BATON ROUGE, LA.
A Successful River Pilot on His l29th
South Bound Voyage Progress Of the
Public Works on Plum Point Reach
Increase Of Workmen.

Two corn laden barges floated by here
yesterday destined to Baton Rouge, La,
the combined cargoes footing up $4,000
bushels.
The boat in the lead was owned by Geo.
ii. Balsley. II was loaded at Scufiletown,
Ohio River, some 200 miles above Cairo.
The corn cost about so cents per bushel,
and the trip to this point occupied some
fifteen days. The Balsey boat passed
South at an early hour in the day and a
coasting craft belonging to 10 Craig, three
weeks or more out from Rockport Ind,
also passed down in the morning.
During the afternoon boat owned by
w. q. Iardwick, and the first OF fleet OF
five he is loading, left here for Baton
Rouge, commanded and piloted by Samuel
M. Johnston. The boat, like the Balsley
craft, was lao feet long, drew six and a
half feet OF water, is manned by twelve
men, and contained %, 900 bushels Of corn.
II was loaded opposite Cannelton, in Ken
lucky. for sugar planters near Baton
Rouge La. The owner of the corn, Capt.
iIardwick, has been engaged in the float
ing traffic for more than twenty years, and
his annual deliveries vary between GO, 600
and 1000 bushels, all for sugar planters
between the capital OF Louisiana and the
Gulf On several occasions he has deliv-
cred supply 10 ex-Gov. Henry G. War
moth, whose sugar plantation is located
some thirty miles below New Orleans.
Capt Samuel NJ. Johnston, who has
charge OF Hardwick's boat, reports that he
found mark twain or two fathoms OF water
in the channel all the way down from
Cairo. While he met no detention and
made the run from Cannelton in
eleven days, yet the water is too shoal TO
risk running the four boats yet to come,
and they will be held back where they are
until there is rise.
For twenty years past Capt Johnston
has piloted flatboats from the Ohio River
10 New Orleans, and the voyage he is now
on Is his 10th, all made without loss or
accident. His first trip as pilot in 1868
was out Of the st. Francis River with boats
loaded with slaves for wine pipes abroad.
Before that Capt. Johnston had run on
steamboats,, and lie began river life in 1850,
he being at present fiity-six years old.
In brief interview yesterday Capt.
Johnston related some interesting Incl
dents OF his career. For example he has
leans By flatboat from Alton, Ind, some
seventy-five miles below Louisville, KY.
through TO New Orleans in eleven days,
and the run from here TO New Orleans in
six aud half days. On one of his trips
he went from the same point 10 Donald
sonvillc in thirteen and a half days, and
made stops at Evansville, Cairo, Memphis,
Nicksburg and Natchez.
At one time in his experience Capt
Johnston made sixteen trips down 10 New
Orleans with hatboats in seventeen and a
half months. and during all OF these, as
well rs the others for the past two decades,
no mishap has beiallen him or the craft he
has guided. lie shows pretty clean rec
ord as q flatboatman.
Up at the Government works in Plum
Point Reach force OF men 100 strong, or
thereabout, are now at work laying willow
mattresses, and the steamer Patrol is used
to aid in it. Two other steamers, the Sue
cess and Pete Kerns, are also there, but at
present lying idle.
| Last Saturday an immense willow mat
tress, 400 feet long, was handsomely
sunk at the spot where II Is de-
sired 10 lay, near the tow.head above
Osceola in Fle,cher's Bend, or what is
known ~ Plum Point Reach. On Monday
| another Of similar kind was sunk the
same way, and boatmen familiar with the
work, who saw II, say nothing was ever
more neatly performed.
Good progress Is making with the i'm.
proyements in Plum Point Reach, and the
force Of men, il is expected, will be largely
increased ut nm early lay.