The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-08-26

Railroad competitition Causing
Disaster the Last Year.

4 - Aeb1Aa All2st- DEu3pfEAtI
The gradual decline OF the steam
boat business on the Upper Mississippi.
| Missouri, and other tributaries OF the
Father Of Waters has never been
more marked or rapid than during the
measured portion Of the present sea
| son. At the present rapid rate OF de-
cline Il appears that but few wears i'll
intervene before the Mississippi, above
its confluence with the Ohio, xill be
abandoned as a commercial artery bv
| al agencies except the barge traffic and
1 the lumber towing enterprises.
The old steaml,oatmen who can be
encountered on any OF the wharfboats
along the levee at this season Of the
year never hesitated TO speak. with
some degree of sadness, OF the palmy
days OF steamboatins, when 81. Louis
vas 4 sort OF Western nucleus frem
| which steamboat lines ramiiied the Mis-
sissippi and its navigable tributaries.
| But twenty or twenty-five years have
| elapsed since the It. Louis wharf was
| iammed each day with steamboats,
from Biddle TO Spruce streets.
Now one can count bat a half
\ dozen, or perhaps a less number,
of boats that are actively en-
| gagei IN the trade The graceful
movement and the comparative rate Of
/ speed attained by the various boats
lend an Undesirable charm n the
minds OF the practical riyermen and
the jewellers along the banks which
the Numbering but unsuccessful COM
| petitor. the freight train. has never
been able - incite. The los rates and
/ fast time made hv the railroads have
proven i deaib-blow to steamboaIing
IN the Upper Mis-isippi valley.
Since the fAiaare Of the Electric Line no
ons has hal the courage, or imagined
that su.lieiont Inducements were Offer
ed g. stars a line hetEeen 81 Louis an
Kansas CITY, ana conse 4ueatly there
| has not been a single boat TO or from
that burg >iacc the Electric Line with
drew fFoU the bu-iue-s last October
A similar state OF affairs has probably
not existed since the opening Of nsvi-
CATION ON the M ouri The retired
sieamhoatfnen nos look upon stretch
OF 900 miles Of nav gahle river between
St Louis and Fort Benton. Mont,
that i. practically abandoned 20 a few
insignificant short trade boats. "
which are obliged t. hustle" and
practice rigid economy in order TO
wind up the season with a balance on
| tt4f fAEnL side Ni the slEt fnNt
The Upper Mis- issippi trade. which.
until this season. was contested for by
two or more lines operating from
three % Eve boats each. has narrowed
down 10 one line. which sends oat
bgs three boats per week for 81 Paul.
4 former prosperous up-river Tine has
this Seasz.ss oven running but one
| boat, with th4 exception Of two short
in srvSls. when they ran two, and
these only as far as keokak. Thus
FAR this season the Illinois river has
maintained an average traffic com
pared with recent years.
Among the south hoand boats She
| Tennessee river trade has suffered in
the general decline, This territory,
which last wear, With the exception OF
TIVE Hines sending out two boats each
per Weaf, - noa controlled By one
company sending 0at three boats per
week. and they are handling all the
freight offered. The larger portion %
the tret ghg from the Tennessee river
consists 1t iumhar IA whirh steam
boats Afr Required 10 make low rates
IN order b. Eet a. Il ALL Daring the
taA season considerable quantities Of
tohic-o are hra1Eht from that
stream There j. cue independent
boat running soutAWaFd from the city
tals Sea4o8 ghere last Yezr s7d the
ycar prcv3ols there scae ;hrec, The
Anchor Line IS running enc boat hess
TITS eaas0a than iss;, and has toaad
ihs,y tonnage quite suhcieat sof tae
fressht
lac 81 Louis & Miss}ssgpi valley
Transportation Company, cT Barge
Iisc. has nos bad une-haif the trasnc
this season that Is enfaye8 during tee
fore paFt % lat season. The reason. :
Eowcvcr. us this rapid decline j. the
partial lsiiarv Of the crops IN this sec-
ton, and siSo the resent tArst isgisia- /.
tun WhicA has stopped al heavy {
in portati0ns 81 foreign eoo8~ which 1
this company usually carries frun 4
NeS Orleans Whsst eo-n and noar I
arr the pslac5pzl articles Of HaeFchan- 4
disc exported 80 .nre N countries from /
thls city. ard the pr1ces this season I
have hasn toe aish TO hastily ship
useat The asaouat " humber being
handled 81 iAo river Is however.
neAEiy A. iSrxe thi. seSs9R as in recpns
year, amt sherc Is 10 probability that
this sna other freight tr4nse on the
rsve- wi be sUSGealy abandoned.